Remember movie theaters? The State of Wisconsin does.

On Tuesday, Gov. Tony Evers and Department of Administration (DOA) Secretary Joel Brennan announced that a total of $10 million from the federal COVID-19 Movie Theater Grant Program had been awarded to 54 Wisconsin movie theater operators. Multiple Milwaukee-area operators were included in the list.

Milwaukee Film, which operates the Oriental Theater, was awarded $43,859.65. The Neighborhood Theater Group, which operates Rosebud Cinema, Times Cinema, and Avalon Theater, was awarded $58,479.53. Brookfield Cinema LLC, which operates Silverspot Cinema, was awarded $131,578. On a larger scale, Marcus Cinemas of Wisconsin—a division of Milwaukee-based Marcus Corp.—was awarded just over $4 million.

Hey! Even Milwaukee Record drive-in favorite Highway 18 Outdoor Theatre in Jefferson got a handy $14,619.88. Nice!

“Wisconsin businesses across industries and communities have felt the strains of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and movie theaters have been hit particularly hard as they also battle stalled movie production,” Gov. Evers said in a press release. “Movie theaters are often a corner stone of our main street businesses, and I am glad we were able to get these funds out the door to help them keep theirs open.”

Funds can be used for “pandemic-related operational costs such as facility improvements to provide appropriate social distancing, cleaning and sanitizing, and personnel costs necessary to provide appropriate COVID-19 safeguards.”

“Movie theaters employ thousands of individuals throughout the state,” DOA Secretary Brennan said in a press release. “We hope this funding will provide some relief to these institutions in communities large and small so that they can continue to provide Wisconsinites with employment and family memories in the years to come.”

You can find a complete list of the Wisconsin awardees HERE.

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Matt Wild weighs between 140 and 145 pounds. He lives on Milwaukee's east side.