Cannery Row theater

The former IMAX theater at 640 Wave St. in Monterey has been vacant since 2017. Construction has resumed on a new attraction inside.

Work has resumed on a new attraction inside the long-shuttered movie theater on Cannery Row, nearly three years after its permits were approved by the Monterey Planning Commission.

A sign posted on the door of the building at 640 Wave St. notifies passersby that work has commenced at the property, which is owned by the Cannery Row Company. The lessee is listed as Fly Dive, LLC, doing business as Monterey Fly & Dive.

In August 2022, the planning commission approved Fly Dive, LLC’s request to construct an amusement ride within the former IMAX theater, where 39 riders would be suspended over a panoramic screen to simulate a flight. A café, arcade and other retail uses were listed in the plan.

It is unknown if the concept of the attraction remains the same as it was originally proposed. A spokesperson for the company says details about the project will be unveiled at a later date.

Known as the Edgewater Packing Company, the building was once home to an entertainment center complete with a carousel. It was converted into an IMAX theater in 2008, but shuttered in 2010. Cinemark eventually took over the facility before it closed in 2017, and has remained so since.

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