Chuck Nakvasil said the movie theater he is constructing in Madras is on track to open in May now that he has paid the project’s subcontractors.

The project stalled in January when businesses filed liens against Nakvasil, who owns a theater business based in Portland.

At the time, Nakvasil promised all the debts would be paid.

“I sold some land, and that was able to pay the subcontractors for their work,” Nakvasil said. “Everything is current now, and we are rolling forward.”

Nakvasil said this is the eighth theater he has built and a weak financial climate stalled payments in the construction process.

The project is estimated to cost $3.5 million when it is completed. Nakvasil said he has put in about $2 million so far, and the building is 80 percent complete.

“We will be back to construction on Feb. 28 and plan to open the doors on May 6,” he said.

Jerry Johnson, owner of Hunter Excavation, said his lien was released last week.

Johnson said Hunter Excavation did about $36,000 worth of work at the site where Madras Cinema 5 is expected to open.

“It cost me about $1,000 and a lawyer to get the lien filed but we did get paid,” Johnson said. “I haven’t gone back to work there yet, or gotten contacted about it, but I’ll still work with them most likely. It might be on my own pay schedule this time around, but these days you take any work you can get.”

Andrea Linschied, office manager for Central Oregon Heating and Cooling, said her company had been paid on the lien it had filed for $88,648.70.

“Yes, we have been paid,” Linschied said. “We have not heard from the contractor about additional work yet.”

Melanie Widmer, owner of Madras Sanitary Service and mayor of Madras, said her company had also been paid by Nakvasil and she was optimistic about the project.

“We never filed a lien, but I know we have been paid,” Widmer said. “We are excited to be getting a theater in Madras.”

Nakvasil planned to open the theater last November, but he said weather slowed construction and moved the opening to May.

Nakvasil said last year that the move was made because he didn’t believe it would be a smart business decision to open a theater after November and before May because it’s difficult to make a profit during that period.

When the theater opens, he plans to have five screens showing first-run films and able to screen 3-D movies.