A new theater chain is about to enter the OKC market, along with other surrounding markets. In one way I think this is great, as it will introduce a new theater concept to the market. But, in another ay, I tend to question whether another theater chain can survive. Even before the Bricktown Cinema opens, all market studies show that the theater market in the Oklahoma City metro area is overbuilt. The opening of the new Bricktown Theater is opening against all odds, with all market studies showing that it can't be supported.

I think it's great that we're getting more theaters in town, but at the same time, I don't want the market to be so saturated that we're left with several empty theaters in a few years.

I tend ot wonder where these theater will be built. I can only think of a few areas that could use a decent theater.......Midwest City/Del City area, Bethany area, Moore area, etc. Bethany already supports the Windsor Hills cinema though, and Moore supports Regal 16. I suppose the far SW part of OKC could use another theater....maybe around the 119 and May area.

I just hope that this new cinema uses common sense and doesn't oversaturate the market. The market probably can't support anymore 20+ screen theaters, but it might be able to support a couple more regional 14-16 screen theaters.

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"Expanding theater chain targets metro
by Heidi R. Centrella
The Journal Record
8/17/2004

Dinner, drinks and a movie - sans "screaming babies" - soon will be an option for fresh entertainment seekers in Oklahoma City, Norman and Tulsa.
The Austin-based Alamo Drafthouse Cinemas plans to cross the Red River after expanding to San Antonio in coming weeks, said President John Martin. The company has three locations in Austin and one in Houston with plans to move into four other Texas cities. The company also is working on deals in Colorado and Florida.

While company officials said they already have chosen locations for the theaters, they are unable to disclose the sites at this time. However, an announcement will be made within the next 30 days.

The small chain was founded in 1996 with one screen that showed second-run films. Today, that's all changed. The theater now operates a full restaurant with an extensive wine and beer list, shows first-run movies, and offers special programs such as Mr. Sinus. That's a Mystery Science Theater 3000-esque stand-up routine featuring three comics on the front row with microphones-in-hand critiquing some of history's worst movies, such as Dirty Dancing, Xanadu and Lost Boys.

Other eclectic or specialty programming includes Movie-oke - similar to karaoke, but different in every aspect - dollar night, midnight movies, Hong Kong cinema and cuisine and the ever-popular celebrity appearances. Director Quentin Tarantino, for example, has hosted film festivals at the downtown Austin location and appeared when the theater showed a premiere of Kill Bill Vol. 1. Mel Gibson attended a screening of an unedited cut of The Passion of the Christ that host Harry Knowles included in his "Butt-Numb-A-Thon" film festival. Other appearances included Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson, Lou Ferrigno in conjunction with the Hulk and, on a more quirky note, Antonio Fargas, the original Huggy Bear of Starsky & Hutch.

"We'll now be stronger in the celebrity appearances because the more locations we have, the more the economy scales lend to us having bigger and better celebrities - we can do small mini-tours that will start on one end of our empire and end on the other," said Terrell Braly, CEO.

Original Alamo owners, Tim and Karrie League, sold the name, rights and franchise operations in July to the two Austin businessmen behind the expansions.

"We took it from the small operation that it was into what it is today," Braly said.

And as for the company's revenues, combined with its fast and successful growth, Braly said "We don't know what failure is."

"We've walked into other people's failures, where large corporations have had theaters in Austin, Houston, San Antonio, and we go in either six months down the road or two years later, reopen them as Alamos, and I don't think that they've seen any success like it," said Martin. "We're looking at any locations in the U.S. where the community watches movies and eats dinner, which is pretty much everywhere."

"And who doesn't want screaming babies to interrupt the movie," Braly added, noting that theaters are designed for the 18-and-older crowds, unless a child - absolutely no younger than 6 - is with a "true parent or guardian."

With the company's revenue stream and growth strategy, moving into Oklahoma seemed a natural transition, Martin said.

Revenues "are well above industry standards," said Braly. "Most of the articles about us … indicate that we are pretty much at twice-per-normal theater revenues. That's with half the seats.

"We actually had a semi-joke that if we could just get Regal's close-down program, we would follow in their wake because our success is based upon their failures."

Franchises will be based on a prototype of the original Alamo Drafthouse in downtown Austin, showing new releases - some with a twist - as well as off-beat viewings. For example, this summer when Garfield was shown, viewers were served lasagna, the cat's favorite food, as a giant scratching post was set up in the lobby for the theater's fat cat contest.

"We're not procrastinators, and … we're definitely trying to be first to market," Braly said. "We will be the first to market. And we are in a rapid expansion mode, so we're not talking a five-year plan here."

sweet...i know there are several other cinemas like this one, one proposed downtown, and one where bass pro is going to be, in tulsa. I think Tulsa is already overbuilt with cinemas...but they are still buillding them like crazy.

I wonder if the Bricktown Harkins has any support agreement with the City of Oklahoma City or Hogan. I don't think anybody would enter a market with unsupportive studies without some kind of guarantee of profit or protection from loss. Anybody know if this might be the case?

Patrick, I think you hit nail on the head with a likely location: far southwest Oklahoma City. This area is underserved with retail and entertainment. Not all of us want to drive to Norman, and the Regal Crossroads isn't as nice as the AMC. Another area would be along Meridian.

Actually, if they are looking for an existing theater, what about that theater on NW 23rd? It has a ready residential base of customers, is in a street known for hospitality, and is in the cool inner city without being too close to Bricktown. I can't help but think that the Will Rogers Theater Patrick mentioned earlier would have been an even better location.

Is this Alamo Cinema line going to offer multi screen cinemas, or just a single theater, like the old Will Roger's used to be? I'm a little confused.

And floater, I think the theater on 23rd you were referring to was the Tower theater. There are several old one screen movie theaters left around town. Take the old Red Skin in Capitol Hill and the May Theater around 16th and N. May Ave for instance.

By the way, I went to a wedding reception at the Will Rogers on Saturday. It's working extremely well as a banquet facility. The facility is very nice!

OK guys, I think you all are missing the point here.

This new theatre will offer an alternative to the theatre experience currently available in Oklahoma City. While it may be true that the metro area is somewhat overbuilt for theatres (although I do not believe this statement at all), this new theatre will be a dinner movie house which cators to those over 21.

Most theatres (if not all) in OKC even the whole state for that matter cator to families. Even the new Harkins Bricktown Theatres will not only cator to families but will even have a family centre inside. The Alamo Drafthouse will provide an (hopefully) upscale alternative for adults who want a night out without having their kids along. One could enjoy a glass of wine or a great meal and view a feature film with (your fiance, Patrick?) without the disruptions of younger generation.

Currently, such an amenity does not exist in OKC! I think it is a great addition! Like I always have said, OKC needs to be a destination for everyone - not just families, not just the "normal" Oklahoman. We need more adult oriented venues in towne!

Also, I hope they build downtown. It will only add to the destination status of downtown OKC and provide yet another venue (and reason) for people to come downtown! I think this is great news and I hope you all will see the big picture here as OKC has move beyond the suburban family garden image of the 1980s toward the urban mecca more commonly associated with San Fran, Chicago, and Dallas.

(Yes, I said OKC has moved alongside Dallas). So we need venues that cator to all! And we need them in our showcase, the best urban (albeit newly developed) centre in the nation - Downtown Oklahoma City!

Actually, these Alamo theaters are most likely multiplex. But of course, I'd want to see these happen downtown. Between the arts district and Midtown neighborhoods, perhaps. But if a building is to be constructed, this downtown theater should have an exterior that resembles more than just a box. The long, tall walls provide some opportunity for public art or some other decorative siding. And I agree with Hot Rod that we need something is NOT so family-friendly. There are more singles (or childless couples -- Patrick and SO!) than ever before, and OKC is not immune to the trend.

Hey Hot Rod....thanks for pointing this out. I couldn't agree with you more. I never took into account the age group that these theaters would be trying to reach. It would be nice to be able to go to a nice movie, have dinner there, etc. without kids running around wild and screaming! For this to work though, the cinemas are going to have to be very upscale, offer a lot of amenities, i.e., a full bar, full service restaurant with service to your chair in the theater, etc.

When I went to the old Will Rogers Theater last weekend for a wedding reception, I thought how nice it would be to have movies there again. It has a pretty good sized cash bar in the back of what used to be the theater. Where the lobby used to be now houses a full restaurant. And the inside is very upscale and elegant. Now all they need to do is show movies.

This would offer a product far different from the modern cinema.

As long as it made a clear distinction from the family-friendly multiscreen cinema, I think such an upscale theater could do very well in very carefully selected locations.

Perhaps locating these theaters in old historic structures, or even old historic theaters like the old Redskin in Capitol Hill, would be a good move.

The old theaters are either in bad areas or gone.

The Yale and Knob Hill are on Commerce which is very much in decay. The Redskin I think was demolished. The May is now an antique store.

Build new buildings and use the old architecture.