The proposal to reopen the Varsity Theater, which passes the GSB senate 28-2, is not without its critics.

Jason Covey, president of the ISU College Republicans, said that money going into the project now will not create money for Iowa State in the future.

“I don’t think we need to spend more of our tuition money on something that won’t turn a profit,” Covey said.

Covey was displeased that the theater proposal did not seem to represent the student body of Iowa State.

“Why are they voting at 2 a.m.?” Covey said, noting that his GSB Senator Bridget Wedemeier, had told him she would vote no on the proposal before voting yes.

Wedemeier declined to be interviewed for this article.

Covey said the GSB did ask students if they would like a theater on campus, but the method did not include explaining the costs of the theater project to those who were questioned.

One projection has the theater running at a $60,000 deficit.

Covey said the theatre is a fundamentally good idea, but that it won’t be properly implemented. He would rather see a program promoting ticket subsidies to the theatres currently operating in Ames.

Eric Cooper, associate professor of psychology at Iowa State and Libertarian party candidate for governor, said that presumably the GSB held hearings prior to the vote and thus gave students an opportunity to voice their opinions.

“There will always be the other side of the vote,” Cooper said.

Cooper said that if the GSB thinks the theater is the best use of its funds then he supports the idea. “It’s why they have a budget,” he said.

Corey Becker, executive director of the ISU College Republicans, did not feel the theater vote reflected the student body’s decision.

“My concern is a financial issue,” he said.

Becker said that for the theater to reopen it would mean the GSB would lose money and incur legal liability as a public institution running a business that competes with commercial ventures.

Aerielle Smith, president of the Student Union Board and Connor Nolan, vice president of SUB, both supported the GSB’s plan to reopen the Varsity Theater.

Smith and Nolan said the new venue would help SUB screen films in a better venue and would allow for greater options in movies for students on campus.

SUB is currently funded by the Memorial Union and also receives funds from the GSB to gain the rights to show films Thursdays and Saturdays. This is the first semester SUB has received funding from GSB, Smith said.

“I don’t see it as a big fundamental difference,” Smith said of the new venue for films.

Nolan said that SUB would still be involved in selecting and promoting the films the Varsity Theater would show. He said SUB gave its support to the Varsity Theater project and that SUB would be doing much of the coordination for the new venture. 

Coverage of the issue in the Iowa State Daily was either informational or letters to the editor with little real discussion of the issue, Becker said.

He agreed with the GSB’s goal of providing students entertainment options, but said that giving credits to businesses to open near campus or subsidizing ticket prices would be better options than opening a theater.

Becker said that the wishes of the SUB films program to have a better venue for films could be better addressed by finding a way for the group to screen its movies in theaters in town.

The GSB can still find ways to benefit the student body without taking on projects like this, he said.