Vice mayor offers $1,800 to keep park a movie site

Naples city officials still are seeking sponsors for Outdoor Family Movie Night at Cambier Park, so Vice Mayor Johnny Nocera offered to pay $1,800 to sponsor next month’s movie.

Jennifer Palmer, Cambier Park manager, said no one has offered to sponsor the movies, which cost the city about $2,000.

In return for being a sponsor, private donors and businesses will be mentioned on WSGL 104.7-FM radio ads and top sponsors will see their names in lights — up on the screen before and after the monthly movie.

So far, “Cheaper by the Dozen 2” was shown April 22 and “Aquamarine,” a remake of “Splash,” was the May 20 showing.

City officials are barred from disclosing movie names to the media because of movie licensing rights. Palmer said the June 24 feature will be geared toward children, and the July 22 showing will be a top-rated animated movie.

The movies are shown on a two-story inflatable screen provided by Twilight Features Inc., a Fort Lauderdale company that charges Naples $1,750, which includes studio licensing rights that allow the city to show a top movie before its DVD release.

Nocera, the impetus behind youth nights a decade ago and who pushed to resurrect them, is working on two or three sponsors who have expressed interest. Until then, the city has agreed to pay for at least three movies and he’s reimbursing the city.

“We’re all going to chip in,” Nocera said. “We’ll get it done. The community will come through.”

The Cambier Park movies are on the fourth Saturday of each month, with a Sunday rain date. The three sponsorships range from $500, $1,000 to full sponsors at $1,750. Anyone interested in sponsoring the movies or more information on the movies can call 213-3051.