Enter an Essay Contest to Win a Historic Movie Theater in Maine

Cinephiles with writing chops and an entrepreneurial streak, rejoice: A historic movie theater in small-town Maine can be yours if you write a persuasive essay convincing its proprietor that you should be the new owner.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Mike Hurley—who owns the 98-year-old Temple Theatre in Houlton, Maine—will give the business to whoever writes the best persuasive 250-word essay. The theater includes two screens, 400 seats, an apartment, office space, and a convenient downtown location. According to its website, it’s also "one of the oldest continuously operated movie theatres" in Maine.

Submissions will be judged based on "writing structure, content, quality of expression, [and] creativity." The only catch? Entrants will have to pay a $100 entry fee—although the contest's winner might view this amount as a bargain, considering that the theater is valued at $350,000. 

Hurley is accepting a minimum of 3500 entries, so he’ll collect the theater’s asking price. But don't worry—he's offering refunds to all participants if he doesn't receive enough submissions. The competition will be stiff, so start drafting your entry now so you’ll have time to edit and polish a winning piece before the end of January. (The contest’s original deadline was January 15, but Hurley has extended it thanks to a recent spate of media coverage.)

To learn more about the contest, visit the Temple Theatre’s website or check out the video above. 

All images are courtesy of TempleMovies.com.

[h/t The Hollywood Reporter, CNN]