A familiar face takes over as the new owner of the Illinois Theater later this week.
The Journal-Courier reports that Sam Hampton will officially become the Operational Owner of the theater on Friday.
Hampton has managed the theater for the former owners, Eisentraut Theaters, for the last four years.
The ownership change comes after a deal to sell the theater to the Jacksonville Center for the Arts to convert it into an arts center fell through in February.
Hampton told the Journal-Courier he had been told by the Eisentrauts that they planned to close the theater if the purchase by JCA didn’t go through, so he felt this was his opportunity to purchase the theater.
Hampton says he had dreamed of owning his own theater since high school.
For now, Hampton plans on keeping things pretty much the same at the Illinois Theater, but there are plans for additional movie screenings and other events, as well as adding a stage to one of the auditoriums for live shows and conferences.
Hampton currently lives in Hillsboro, but plans on moving to Jacksonville in the near future.
The purchase of the Illinois Theater by Sam Hampton includes the day-to-day business operation, but does not include the building.