EARLIER: Rave Cityplace 14 to leave Kalamazoo after the holidays



KALAMAZOO, MI --

will close permanently next Sunday, Nov. 25.

Signs on the theater's doors Saturday and a message on its answering machine say Rave will close permanently the evening of Nov. 25,

.

"Please bring any unused gift cards or advance tickets to the box office by Nov. 25 to receive a refund," the answering machine message says.

Downtown Kalamazoo Inc. officials said earlier this week a new theater to take Rave Cityplace 14's place could be announced in a matter of weeks, as details of a lease with the property owner are being negotiated. DKI confirmed Monday that

.

But the theater closing its doors Nov. 25 was news to DKI officials.

"That is completely inconsistent with every single conversation we've had with the property owner of that particular facility," Vicky Kettner, DKI community relations director, said Saturday morning.

Kettner said it's DKI's hope that the worst scenario has the theater dark for the holidays, and that the new operator can soon retrofit the theater. Kettner said DKI has "very recently" learned what new company will operate the theater. It has not yet been announced publicly.

A spokesman for Kansas City, Mo.-based EPR Properties, the owner of the building, had said earlier this week the business was "very close and very confident" a deal with a new theater operator would be finalized. He also had said Rave would likely operate the theater until January, when it would close for renovations by the new operator.

Doug Willmarth, senior vice president and chief marketing officer for Rave Cinemas, said Monday that Rave's lease is up at the end of November. He said the theater had the option to close as early as Nov. 25 or could continue to operate until January, he said.

When contacted on Saturday, Willmarth said he couldn't comment on why the theater would be closing on Nov. 25 instead of in January. He said that question would have to be answered by the property owners. Calls to EPR Properties were not returned on Saturday.

Rave officials have not said why the downtown Kalamazoo theater is closing.

Rave Cityplace 14, featuring digital projection on 10 of its screens and 2,900 seats, opened in November 2006 at the corner of South and Portage streets in downtown Kalamazoo.

On Saturday,

, including 32 theaters with 483 screens in 12 states.

Emily Monacelli is a local government reporter for the Kalamazoo Gazette. Contact her at emonacel@mlive.com. Follow her on Twitter.