The future location of an IMAX in Okc has been discussed. There was a report that the location of the IMAX would be near Memorial and Rockwell, in the far northwest area. I decided to write to IMAX to rethink that location and to consider the Downtown / Bricktown areas.

Here is the reply that I received today:


Thank you for your email to info@imax.com. Unfortunately, I am not aware of an IMAX theatre being built in Oklahoma City in the near future.


Best regards,
Sarah Armstrong
IMAX Corporation

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This is an article that first surfaced in 2005.

I'm bummed if this is the case and they aren't coming after all.

AMC Theater at Quail Springs to add IMAX screen in September

By Tricia Pemberton
The Oklahoman

An IMAX theater will be added to the AMC Theater at Quail Springs Mall in September.
IMAX Corp. this week announced a plan to build five theaters in what the company termed "high-performing AMC megaplexes."

Terms were not released for the joint venture between Kansas City, Mo.-based AMC Entertainment Inc. and IMAX Corp., which has headquarters in both New York and Toronto. The companies said they would share the cost and profitability of the theaters.

IMAX Theaters convert Hollywood films into a format that gives crystal clear images that span up to eight stories high and wrap-around digital surround sound that makes audiences feel as if they are part of the actual movie set.

The estimated cost to build a new IMAX theater is $3.4 million. The deal with AMC, however, will make use of the more cost-effective IMAX MPX theater system technology. Retrofitting existing auditoriums will save further costs, but the companies did not give construction figures.

Other markets to get the theaters are Kansas City, Missouri, Phoenix, Detroit and Omaha.

The theaters in Kansas City and Detroit are scheduled to open June 15. The other three, including the one at Quail Springs, will all open in September timed for the release of "Magnificent Desolation: Walking on the Moon 3D.

This will be the first IMAX in Oklahoma City, after an attempt failed a number of years ago to bring the giant screen to Bricktown. There is an IMAX in Tulsa.

http://www.okctalk.com/images/vbe2blue/misc/progress.gif

In a word, RATS.

Ridiculous that Oklahoma City can't get a true IMAX theater anywhere, let alone in Bricktown.

Let's hope that info came under the heading of stuff the PR person who answered your letter wasn't allowed to talk about....(insert wishful thinking flag here).

-soonerdave

This is a typical corporate response. Think about it, are you going to share information on future expansion with someone who drops an email? No, because the inquiring party could be a competitor or someone who is looking to create problems for the company or that particular development.

I think it is just like Channel 5 said, they are looking at properties but nothing is set in stone. I would like to think most developers and companies would be hesitant to give details on anything until the sale is final and construction begins. If you do it before then, you run into the NIMBY problem and your competitor may come along steal your site right out from underneath you.

7-11 made that mistake at 59th and Western. If they required everyone involved on the deal to keep their mouth shut until the sale closed they would be building a new 7-11 store. Instead OnCue stole the site right out from underneath them.

Well it still baffles me about AMC announcing an IMAX at Quail and then never another word about it. I still don't know where they would have put it.

Welcome to Dickinson Theatres (http://www.dtmovies.com/imax.htm)

This is the one that is supposed to be at Memorial and Rockwell.

Great find curlyokie ...

2009 .. that seems a long way off.

At first, when I read 2009, that seemed a long way off -- then I realized we're already cruising through April of 2007, meaning it's only two years away; a long time, yeah, by one standard, but not really, in terms of how quickly time seems to be progressing...

-soonerdave

I didn't see where the location of the IMAX plans to be. It just read Oklahoma City community, unless I missed something.

Nope, it didn't say a location.

that's because someone posted the article in a different thread.

The Dickinson article itself doesn't specify the exact location that I could see either, but this what curlyokie wrote:



This is the one that is supposed to be at Memorial and Rockwell.


Hope that helps...

This is an article that first surfaced in 2005.

I'm bummed if this is the case and they aren't coming after all.

AMC Theater at Quail Springs to add IMAX screen in September

By Tricia Pemberton
The Oklahoman

An IMAX theater will be added to the AMC Theater at Quail Springs Mall in September.
IMAX Corp. this week announced a plan to build five theaters in what the company termed "high-performing AMC megaplexes."

Terms were not released for the joint venture between Kansas City, Mo.-based AMC Entertainment Inc. and IMAX Corp., which has headquarters in both New York and Toronto. The companies said they would share the cost and profitability of the theaters.

IMAX Theaters convert Hollywood films into a format that gives crystal clear images that span up to eight stories high and wrap-around digital surround sound that makes audiences feel as if they are part of the actual movie set.

The estimated cost to build a new IMAX theater is $3.4 million. The deal with AMC, however, will make use of the more cost-effective IMAX MPX theater system technology. Retrofitting existing auditoriums will save further costs, but the companies did not give construction figures.

Other markets to get the theaters are Kansas City, Missouri, Phoenix, Detroit and Omaha.

The theaters in Kansas City and Detroit are scheduled to open June 15. The other three, including the one at Quail Springs, will all open in September timed for the release of "Magnificent Desolation: Walking on the Moon 3D.

This will be the first IMAX in Oklahoma City, after an attempt failed a number of years ago to bring the giant screen to Bricktown. There is an IMAX in Tulsa.

http://www.okctalk.com/images/vbe2blue/misc/progress.gif
Well, AMC followed through with the IMAX retrofitting in KC, Phoenix, and Detroit; those venues have been open for more than a year. But for some unannounced reason they backed out on both Omaha and Oklahoma City.

This is the one that is supposed to be at Memorial and Rockwell.
That would be great. An IMAX and I don't have to go downtown to visit it.

Except everyone else in town wouldnt go because we arent going to go up to the boonies to see an IMAX.

Well then, we'll have the theater to ourselves.... just kidding.

But it's not really the 'boonies'.. and in two years it should be even more populated. It's really not that far out there.

Believe me Karried...Coming from Moore...Memorial and Rockwell is (To try and sound cool)

Hella far

Hella far.. lol

I know that is the mentality in OKC....but coming from a much larger state, the commute and travel times here seem to be so much less than elsewhere.

Honestly, can you imagine this? My husband spent 16 years commuting 45 miles each way.. each way (twice a day) and when it became more and more conjested, it would take up to an hour and a half sitting in traffic.. that's just what everyone did in the Bay Area.

And even when we lived closer to our jobs, we would sit at traffic lights and bumper to bumper traffic every where we would go.. so even 15 miles away could take up to an hour depending on rush hour traffic, one of the reasons we moved out of CA.

We drive to Norman and Moore - Riverwind, Firelake ( used to go to Thunderbird Casino) from Edmond and it just doesn't seem like that long of a drive.

So, yes, the 25 min drive from Moore seems like a long way to some, it doesn't really seem that far away to me.

I guess it's relative, now the people in Kingfisher, Guthrie, Stillwater etc etc can enjoy the Imax too...

Is the IMAX theater in Tulsa still open?

I just dont find that kind of commute acceptable. I know people in large cities do it, but that doesn't make it sane. Lord people, buy a house near your job for goodness sake....or don't take the job across creation. There's no way in crap I'm going to drive more than 20 minute for my commute...ever. I'd change jobs first. I'm willing to drive farther for special occasions, but just to see a movie....driving to the other end of the planet just doesn't appeal to me.

We've got people in our office that communte in hour long drives everyday and I always tell them that they are nuts.

It may be counterproductive for each of us to weigh in with yeas or nays on this issue, but nevertheless.... Living in Norman, I go often to Harkins Theater in Bricktown. However I don't go to Quail Springs AMC even though there are often movies there I would like to see. And I sure wouldn't go to Memorial and Rockwell, even for IMAX. Yep, I know I'm only one person. Still....

Well, that's part of the joy and wonder of automobile ownership. Not having to live near your place of work, not having to live near anything for that matter. That's part of my definition of the good life (and many other's too).

I once lived near where I currently work and the benefit of a short commute would NOT outweigh having to live in the type of neighborhood near my employer. Of course, I understand that some people's standards are different so more power to ya.

In any case I know I'll be enjoying the easy access, close parking and wide open spaces when this opens. Chalk up one for the 'burbs. :tiphat:

Hmmm...you wouldn't drive more than 20 minutes?

I live in SW OKC and work in MWC, hop on I-240 and my commute is about 20 mins - and I think it's just great. I wouldn't dream of moving *just* for the sake of the commute.

I did work (for one miserable year) at a now-defunct company with an office in NW OKC, and the commute was long and miserable, primarily because hitting I-44 where it crosses I-40 was miserable in the 5:30-6:00 pm time frame.

There are two people in my office, however, that have commutes in excess of an hour EACH WAY. Don't get that, but that's just me...

As far as traveling distance to entertainment venues, I don't really add that in as much of a factor. That is, my wife and I used to go to AMC on a "date night" because we actually thought AMC was the nicest theater in town (and thus worth the trip), and we actually also enjoyed the drive across town. We do not go to AMC nearly as often now with Harkins so much closer, and the whole idea of going to Bricktown just seems more "fun" most of the time.

As for an IMAX, the uniqueness of the place will compel me to drive across town every now and again to enjoy a special movie. I would love to have seen Apollo 13 in IMAX!

The point is that the destination can make the trip worth the while. Be it a trip to Shogun steak house, or AMC, or Dallas for OU-Texas, the trip itself is at least a component of the fun. Not to say I wouldn't love an IMAX (or a Shogun) closer, and I'd probably go more often if there were one...


-soonerdew

I would LOVE to see an IMAX in OKC.

primarily because hitting I-44 where it crosses I-40 was miserable in the 5:30-6:00 pm time frame.

The Amarillo junction is THE worst, most congested place on OKC interstates, expecially at rush hour. Whoever thought having only 2 lanes that go through the interchange and only one lane for changing directions was enough was insane.

Time for one of these:

http://www.asbi-assoc.org/images/news/articles/lib_article297_1_1.jpg