Yellowknife (Feb 22/06) - More than 35 part- and two full-time workers at Capitol Theatre may have a new boss in about 10 days.

Bellanca Developments, owner of the entire Precambrian building, is considering leasing the theatre to an as of yet undisclosed Ontario-based operator.

The company's goal has always been to find someone with experience to leasing the theatre, said Lanny White, Bellanca's vice-president of operations for Bellanca.

"Our company wanted an operator with some different ideas and experience," he said. "The operator has an excellent track record."

Current manager Jay Pickering said the company looking to lease the Capitol is a prominent multiplex business with a number of holdings in Ontario.

"They are a very good operator," he said. "They have fresh ideas and community-minded values."

If the deal closes as expected, Pickering thinks the added clout of having a bigger chain involved will mean a more diverse selection of films screened in Yellowknife. Pickering, also a full-time teacher, expects to lose his night job but said that was part of the deal when he started.

"I was hired to run and maintain a marketable entity," he said. The rest of the staff will all remain in place for the new operator.

"It should be a relatively seamless transition," he said.

Chris Hauff, an assistant manager who is one of two full-timers set for the transition, is eager for the deal to close.

"I'm excited for the new operator to come in," he said. "There will be growing pains, but we can handle it."

Bellanca redeveloped the Capitol Theatre in 1999 when it grew to its current 15,000 square feet from just 10,000 square feet after a $1.2 million facelift.