The Aurora, Colorado movie theater where a gunman went on a rampage at a July 20th midnight screening of The Dark Knight Rises will reopen on January 17, 2013. The news came in a December 5-dated letter from Cinemark president and CEO Tim Warner to Aurora mayor Steve Hogan. Now called Century Theater XD, the former Century 16 has undergone extensive renovations in the months since James Holmes allegedly opened fire, killing 12 and wounding 58. The theater will show free movies from January 18 to 20. The city of Aurora had polled residents online earlier this fall about what they wanted to see happen to the theater. The city says a majority said it should be reopened, though some victims’ families have told local media they do not think it should reopen. Cinemark is embroiled in several lawsuits with victims’ families over the shooting – all charging security negligence by the chain at the Aurora theater was partially to blame for the tragedy. The company has unsuccessfully tried to get the suits dismissed. The lawsuits will go forward as one and will go to trial on May 5, 2014 in Denver, a federal judge ordered in late November.

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