AMC/Southroads/Promenade

[TURobY]

In my experience, no matter where I see a movie, if it is one that draws a large number of teenagers, then there will be a lot of dispruptive movie goers who talk throughout the movie and take cell phone calls without a care for those around them (behavior that is not limited to teenagers).

Precisely why I rarely see movies on opening or the second weekend. I now tend to wait until it is the last weekend.

[Nik]

Its been years since I went to an evening movie. The wife and I tend to take advantage of AMC's $4 movies before noon. No complaints at that time of the day! And I'm kind of sentimental about AMC. I was there opening day (and I still use the MovieWatcher card I got that day) and it was my first job and I worked there about a year and a half.

[Conan71]

Kind of wild how fast time slips by.  The Promenade is coming up on 25 years (not sure what year the theater opened) and I'm pretty sure the AMC is somewhere between 15 and 20 years old.  No excuse for lack of maintenance or security, but just pointing out neither of these properties are spring chickens any more. 

The theater at the Promenade always reminds me of something out of a slasher movie because the upper level always seems abandoned when I'm there.  I think the only packed house I've seen there was when the first of the new Star Wars prequels came out.

[DTowner]

I think AMC opened up in either 1997 or 1998.  The Palace remodeled to add stadium seating shortly after AMC opened.  When AMC opened, it had the only stadium seating in town and was crazy crowded.  Both definitely need some updating.

[SXSW]

Either update them or have another theater chain buy them out.  I mentioned the Warren, has anyone been to a movie there?  There is really no comparison anywhere in Tulsa.  Before the recession they had planned to build one in northwest OKC (in addition to the one in Moore) but I think it's still on hold or maybe even dead.  If they were looking at an OKC location I imagine they were probably thinking about an expansion in Tulsa at some point as well.  Their base is in Wichita where they have 3 locations.  All digital projectors, two large auditoriums with balcony seating and food/drinks (beer/wine/liquor), and no commercials before the previews run.  They have a diner style restaurant in the lobby and more options at the concession stand than any other theater I've been to.  A Warren at Southroads would instantly improve that entire center.

An Alamo Drafthouse would be a hit too.  Went to one in Austin a couple weekends ago and was very impressed.  It would be a perfect fit downtown.

[bluelake]

It opened December 1997.  We went there to see Titanic on screen 10 (the big one immediately left of the concession stand) and the line was LONG waiting to get into the screen.  Finally we got in and sat in the second row on the right.  Wasn't an empty seat and the theater manager came in and talked to all of us and explained that no seats could be saved blah blah.  It was a madhouse.  But it was worth it because when the sketching scene came on and I saw Kate Winslet's magnificient body and  breasts on that hugemongous screen it all brought a tear to my eye  and made me realize that there really is a god up there.  With their AMC movie watchwer card I've gotten so many free tickets, drinks, popcorns....good memories.  I've seen hundreds of movies there.

It's still my favorite.  I admit I haven't been there since seeing Phantom of the Opera in December 2004.  Just don't go out much anymore it seems.

I've heard that those warren theaters are awesome (have a friend of Moore) but I've never been to it or seen it.

The Palace at Promenade wow the last movie I saw there was Toy Story 2 in 1999.  Been ages.  oh well

[nathanm]

They have a diner style restaurant in the lobby and more options at the concession stand than any other theater I've been to.  A Warren at Southroads would instantly improve that entire center.

AMC has theaters with libations and a restaurant in other markets. There's one in the megamall in Easton, a Columbus suburb.

Muvico has the best megatheater concept I've seen anywhere. They take the whole "movie palace" concept seriously. They have valet parking, fine dining, alcoholic beverages, reserved seating, a beautiful interior, basically the whole nine yards. Cinemark seems to be somewhat interested in the concept, having bought several of the Muvico theaters last year. Thus far they haven't changed the operation much, so maybe they'll expand it to other markets.

I haven't been to a Warren theater, so I can't really compare. Other than the AMC on 42nd Street in NYC whose lobby literally is a renovated movie palace, I haven't seen anything as nice as the Muvico theaters anywhere else, although Arena Grand comes close, but in a less stylish way.

[TheTed]

I refuse to go to that AMC at 41st and Yale on a weekend evening. Last time, there were hundreds of kids milling about in the parking lot and one (maybe two) hapless guards attempting to do something.

Inside wasn't so bad, but there was a constant stream of teen and preteen couples entering our theater, going to a secluded part, and leaving 10 minutes later. Then a guard would shine his flashlight around 10 minutes later.

It was sort of like a chase scene from Scooby Doo.

The AMC Mainstreet in the Power and Light District in Kansas City is pretty great. The cinema suites upstairs get you a waiter with a pretty decent menu of food and drink brought to your seat.

The best part, it's not out in the sprawl like seemingly 99% of movie theaters built in the last 30 or 40 years.

http://www.jeffisageek.net/blog/2009/04/24/amc-mainstreet-a-trip-in-history-to-see-the-future/

[DTowner]

As noted by many previously on this forum, a movie theater downtown would be huge for downtown development, especially if it offered restaurant quality food and adult beverages.  A downtown theater would also put a lot of pressure on AMC and The Palace to update or get left behind by mid-town movie goers.

[waterboy]

But...isn't there already a movie theatre downtown? The midtown theatre? And, I bet it wouldn't be much of a stretch to offer adult beverages along with its adult movies.

[TheTed]

Judging from the craigslist missed connections, it's already full service.

[SXSW]

As noted by many previously on this forum, a movie theater downtown would be huge for downtown development, especially if it offered restaurant quality food and adult beverages.  A downtown theater would also put a lot of pressure on AMC and The Palace to update or get left behind by mid-town movie goers.

I think Blake Ewing has a concept to do this eventually, unless someone beats him to it.  That lot at 2nd & Elgin would be perfect.

[custosnox]

As noted by many previously on this forum, a movie theater downtown would be huge for downtown development, especially if it offered restaurant quality food and adult beverages.  A downtown theater would also put a lot of pressure on AMC and The Palace to update or get left behind by mid-town movie goers.

but.. but.. but there's not enough surface parking just feet from the door.

[SXSW]

but.. but.. but there's not enough surface parking just feet from the door.

At 2nd & Elgin there is, to the east.  Urban theaters have succeeded in similar cities like Fort Worth and Kansas City.  Even Chattanooga has one.  I would throw OKC in there but the Harkins in Bricktown is a very suburban design that just happens to be downtown.

[custosnox]

At 2nd & Elgin there is, to the east.  Urban theaters have succeeded in similar cities like Fort Worth and Kansas City.  Even Chattanooga has one.  I would throw OKC in there but the Harkins in Bricktown is a very suburban design that just happens to be downtown.

I was being sarcastic since that seems to be the first thing people try to gripe about anytime anything new goes in downtown.