Construction on new Playmill Theatre getting underway in Island Park soon

IDAHO FALLS – After 4 years of delays, building connected a caller Playmill Theatre will get underway soon.

Owner Roger Merrill tells EastIdahoNews.com building crews will break crushed connected a caller 22,000-square-foot building astatine 4111 North Big Springs Loop successful Island Park adjacent to Springhill Suites by Marriott.

The building will beryllium 5 times larger than its existent location successful West Yellowstone, Montana pinch a seating capacity successful nan theatre astir doubling from 267 to 480.

It will besides see a edifice called The Play Grill, which will beryllium unfastened for breakfast, luncheon and meal pinch a paper that includes burgers and steaks. There will beryllium a mini shape successful nan edifice wherever nan servers will return turns singing astatine nan mic while waiting tables.

Additionally, location will beryllium a gift shop wrong called Mill Creek Mercantile.

RELATED | Playmill Theatre opening caller building successful Island Park

The task was primitively slated to get underway successful 2020, but Merrill tells EastIdahoNews.com nan COVID-19 pandemic importantly delayed it.

“We mislaid our financing … truthful we spent nan adjacent 18 months trying to find a slope that would talk to us,” Merrill explains. “We yet sewage that done … and past astir a twelvemonth agone building costs went done nan roof. We decided to hold a twelvemonth for things to calm down and they did and now we’re yet ready.”

Though building will statesman arsenic early arsenic adjacent week, location will beryllium an charismatic groundbreaking ceremonial later this summer. The task is slated for completion successful May 2025.

Merrill says location are aggregate reasons for building a caller theater. One of nan main factors is nan property of nan existent building. It was built successful nan precocious 1920s aliases early 30s and “was ne'er suited to beryllium a theater.”

“It was primitively a supplier shop and station agency and (served that function) until nan 1959 Hebgen Lake earthquake. The owners conscionable locked nan doors and walked away,” Merrill says.

RELATED | One of nan largest earthquakes successful nan intermountain westbound killed 28 group and transformed section landscape

Lynn Benson was nan original proprietor of nan Playmill, which opened successful 1964. Merrill bought nan business from John Bidwell successful 2005, but he’s ever leased nan building. He’s looking guardant to owning a abstraction wherever audiences tin bask meal and a show.

“We’ve made nan champion of what we’ve had for 64 years now. We’ve conscionable outgrown it and it’s gotten to nan constituent wherever it’s not worthy maintaining. That was astir apt our biggest motivator to get out,” he says. “We’re sold retired mundane (and) we move truthful galore group away. If there’s immoderate chance of expanding our business, nan only measurement to do it is to move.”

But he promises each nan things customers emotion astir nan existent abstraction will stay intact.

In 2020, Merrill told america astir of Playmill’s customers travel from Idaho, truthful being 20 minutes southbound of nan existent location will beryllium much convenient for people.

He’s assured nan theatre will beryllium complete successful clip for nan 2025 season. He’s excited for nan organization to spot really it turns out.

Meanwhile, nan 2024 play is underway successful West Yellowstone. Shows this twelvemonth see “Anastasia,” “Bye Bye Birdie” and “Oklahoma.” Since this is nan past play successful West Yellowstone, Merrill says tickets will beryllium difficult to travel by. The champion readiness is betwixt now and July 1.

To bargain tickets aliases study more, click here.