Slovenia's first multiplex cinema shuts down

"We would like o inform you that Kolosej is closing its doors on 14 March," the operator announced in a post to its website and social media.

"See you soon at Komuna," the post added in a reference to a cinema in the centre of Ljubljana, which has also been operated by Kolosej.

The building housing the Kolosej multiplex cinema at BTC was auctioned off to the Ajdovščina-based businessman Ivo Boscarol in September 2022 for EUR 6.4 million.

The building has been a bankruptcy estate since 2016 after its former owner, businessman Sergej Racman, cut off creditors and the multiplex was used as collateral.

When buying the property, Boscarol declared his intention to keep the cinema theatre business going, but said he would also like to set up a business and entertainment centre for various events.

In a press release, Boscarol confirmed that Kolosej is closing down for refurbishment. In the future it will open under a new name, Odiseja (Odyssey), and will feature "additional new interesting content".

More about the new activities and their providers and the start of operation should be known in the autumn.

Launched in May 2001, the multiplex has 12 theatres seating more than 3,300 people and spanning 14,513 square metres. The entire estate encompasses 10,000 square metres of land.

The cinema was initially hugely popular, attracting thousands of visitors. However, as debts started piling up and the cinema began to fall into disrepair, visitor numbers started dwindling.

In the meantime, multiplex cinemas started springing up in other parts of the country and last year a much more modern Cineplexx was launched at Ljubljana's Rudnik borough.