Aurora asks public for input on movie theater massacre site's future

DENVER - The city of Aurora is asking for public input on what should be done with the Century 16 movie theater, the site of a mass shooting last month.

The city has set up a website calling for the public to share their thoughts on the theater's future.

The city's survey can be found at www.surveymonkey.com/s/DLJCQZ2

The city said it plans to share the public comments with Cinemark, who owns the theater.

People have mixed and passionate opinions on whether the theater should be torn down in the wake of the shooting that killed 12 people and wounded almost 60 others.

"It's a very tough question, you know, with the recent developments that happened," memorial visitor Kent Brown Jr. told 7NEWS reporter Marc Stewart.

"Century 16 is part of the community," said memorial visitor Verdell Veal. "But I think it's a hard thing for them to reopen it right now. I really do believe they should tear it down and restructure it."

"I think it's sacred ground, just like 9-1-1. It should be a memorial," said yet another memorial visitor, Sherry Lasee.

"You don't think it be rebuilt?" Stewart asked.

"No not all," Lasee replied. "It should be dedicated in sacred ground for the people who died.

"Sites of mass shootings are understandably hard to manage. After the Columbine High massacre, school officials decided to tear down the library where the majority of students died and build a new one.

New York City has been in a long battle with families of 9/11 victims and developers over what to do with the World Trade Center site. Whether to build another giant skyscraper or turn the entire site into a memorial.

Eventually the city reached a compromise, building a large memorial as well as a new skyscraper.