Cool News
Kansas City! You're Getting An Alamo Drafthouse!
Nordling here.
I'll let the press release speak for itself; I've never been to Kansas City, Missouri, but anyplace a Drafthouse goes, it feels a little bit like home:
****FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE****
ALAMO DRAFTHOUSE IS COMING TO KANSAS CITY!
First Alamo Location In Kansas City, Missouri Slated For Former AMC Flagship Location
Austin, TX--- Monday, June 18th, 2012---Alamo Drafthouse Cinema is pleased to announce its plans for their first location in Kansas City, Missouri, the former flagship AMC Mainstreet Theater in the downtown Power and Light District. The facility is slated to open as an Alamo Drafthouse in the fall of 2012, but will continue to operate in its current configuration through the summer.
"The Mainstreet Theater is truly one of the most spectacular cinemas in the world," says Alamo founder and CEO Tim League. "We are truly honored to have the opportunity to bring the Alamo brand of movie programming and food service to such a wonderful facility."
The venue will feature six screens of new release movies, independent and repertory films as well as the Alamo's unique signature programming. The Mainstreet underwent an extensive $30 million dollar renovation in 2009 to become the centerpiece of the new Power and Light District in Kansas City, Missouri. With 4K digital projection, wall-to-wall screens and Dolby 11.1 sound, the Mainstreet is considered to be one of the most technically advanced theater designs in the world. In addition to continued presentation excellence, the Alamo Drafthouse renovation will eliminate the traditional front row, ensuring every seat in the house allows for a great viewing experience. Like all Alamo Drafthouse theaters, the Alamo Mainstreet will provide food and drink service to your seat and will uphold its famously strict no-talking policy.
This new vision for the Mainstreet also extends to the theater's spacious interior bar, which will reemerge as The Chesterfield. The Chesterfield resurrects a slice of Kansas City's past, harkening back to the jazz age days of Paris on The Plains, when Charlie Parker's saxophone blared over 12th & Vine. With a list of classic cocktails and weekly music programming, the Chesterfield Club is a new destination in the Power & Light district.
Alamo Drafthouse is now accepting applications for managers, kitchen staff, creative programmers, bartenders and waiters for the upcoming Kansas City theater. Any and all current theater staff are encouraged to join us! Employment applications can be downloaded at http://www.drafthouse.com/
about/employment .
For developments on Alamo Drafthouse Mainstreet, follow us on Facebook & Twitter.
Facebook: facebook.com/
AlamoKansasCity
Twitter: twitter.com/
AlamoKansasCity
Website: www.drafthouse.com
Readers Talkback
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Don't care where, but since I've moved here from Texas, I've been missing the Drafthouse way of showing movies! AZ needs the refinement of a Drafthouse.
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before the movie?
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Looking forward to this. Great addition.
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Perfect spot is the old Harkins Centerpoint 11on Mill in Tempe. Somebody make this happen!
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Raleigh grumbles.
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that Los Angeles is more deserving of an Alamo Drafthouse than KANSAS FUCKING CITY!
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June 18, 2012, 6:56 p.m. CST
unrelated, but i just saw the trailer for Hyde Park on Hudson
by Arcadian Del Sol
omg, guys. Bill Murray is winning an oscar. I am not joking. This is going to be his masterpiece.
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Up here in Toronto.
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Seems backwards.
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Good for Alamo to take over that beautiful old building and make it useful and relevant again. Kudos, applause, blessing and genuflections upon you, good people!
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This is awesome. Exciting news. Now we need in and out burger.
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our town is tiny. our theater sucks balls. we have so many awesome little old buildings that cold be expanded. it could be the Alamo Drafthouse Mini!
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June 18, 2012, 7:40 p.m. CST
With all the flicks made in Memphis and yet we still can't get a drafthouse?
by Relentless85
Oh well. At least we have the Paradiso.
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Wasn't there supposed to be a Drafthouse in NYC? What happened?
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They've been talking about opening a Drafthouse in Corpus Christi, Texas for years, but ain't shit happend. Another independent cinema is opening a Drafthouse-esque theater in nearby Rockport, which is a very small town. Someone needs to get on the ball and start opening more Drafthouses in Texas, or they're going to have a lot of other theaters start to steal their business model.
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Glad to hear someone had sense to take over this instead of letting it rot just because two companies couldn't get along.
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June 18, 2012, 8:20 p.m. CST
I heard that we of the Mile High are getting one in the 'burbs of Littleton?
by FilmFan311
7 screens if I hear correctly.
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It looks gorgeous. But 6 screens, huh? Hmm. Are they decent sized boxes? I miss single screen cinemas.
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That theater is amazing now, weird since AMC's HQ is here in KC
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Balls enough to tell people to shut the hell up and kick them out for texting has my ultimate respect. I so wish more theaters were like this. Instead we get crying babies and kids running up and down the stairs
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I've looked on with jealousy as other cities have had Drafthouses announced, but now KC gets one! I hope the rest of you get one soon!
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We don't really have much outside the Movie Tavern. Everything else is big-chain. At least we have a Pseudo iMax screen now.
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I live in KC, and I really think it's a far more suitable location than St. Louis, or Chi-town as it's been mentioned. It's not a huge city, but it has a fantastic and very influential history of a variety of art forms, and the cinema culture here is very strong too. I've spent enough time in other cities, and have visited the original Drafthouse, and I've long felt KC would be a great spot. The word on the street is very positive and anticipatory. Cannot wait!
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I will have to check this out. I've been looking for a good theater experience.
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The people in this city make me never want to go to the movies again! I need a theater that doesn't put up with bullshit!
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Twice. And it was awesome.
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I've lived in KC for 12 years now, but never been to that theater. Will have to suffer the inconvenience of downtown to enjoy this now. :)
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June 18, 2012, 11:19 p.m. CST
AMC Mainstreet has half big stadium-seating auditoriums...
by Voice O. Reason
...The other half are smaller theaters with recliners and a wait-staff.
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I guess my move to KC is now much more sweeter...
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i went to 2 of the drafthouses in austin and i hoped they would come to kc.. now, if you wanted to open a 2nd one in kck, there is a cool theater called the granada, that's been around since the 50's... just sayin
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That theater is great and I agree that KC actually has a pretty decent film culture. I think LA will get a Drafthouse eventually. If I had to guess, part of the issue is that in LA possible theaters that the Drafthouse could buy and convert are being bought by the Arclight. There is a little more competition for premium movie theater real estate in LA.
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I heard about this on the radio a couple of weeks ago but it's pretty sweet to have it confirmed.
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June 19, 2012, 2:19 a.m. CST
Its strange being on the other side of the grass now. I used to be like all of you, clamoring for an Alamo.
by zillabeast
I used to read all those awesome AICN features about what they were playing or the big hige premieres (Star Trek). Then I moved to Austin 6 months ago. Been there 26 times ever since. From the new blockbusters to Sunmer of 82' to the original King Kong, the Alamo Drafthouse is nothing less than a temple of greatness. Congratulations Kansas City.
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OK north east Philly we need you ADH!
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I live in KCMO. We have several independent cinemas, like Screenland, which will be mere blocks from where the proposed ADH will be. It doesn't pack the house, even in an arts supportive area like the gallery district. Why? I don't know. It's not for lack of trying on the part of management - they do their best to get people in seats by programming interesting titles. It's just...not enough. The ADH they're proposing here in the "Power & Light District" is a modern theater, yes. The P&L is a mostly culture-free tourist pit that most artistic city/midtown dwellers despise. It's a beer circus for children of white-flighters. 20/30-somethings who live out past 95th street and who are woefully fickle trend-whores. They've already started losing interest in the district, which is generating something along the lines of about 1/3rd of projected profits. Basically, Kansas City is home to some amazing arts-based culture. But when corporate developers try and fabricate "cultural hot spots" like P&L or the doomed 18th & Vine "KC Jazz District," people smell a rat and keep away. So, I wish ADH well, because I love the one I visited in Austin, but I don't have high hopes for the KC location in the long term.
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I'll be able to walk TWO BLOCKS, and be at the Alamo Drafthouse? I've never been to Austin, but have long thought that one of these days I'd have to make the trip JUST to visit this geek Mecca. This is astonishing and wonderful news.
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There's nothing wrong with seeing a movie at the AMC 6. I do it all the time, I also go to the Screenland at the crossroads for movies such as Corman's World and My Friend Mott-Ly. As far as culture spots are concerned, P&L bars are a giant douche-bag magnet and have made areas like Wesport tolerable again on the weekend.
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It'd be nice if they eventually try to put one in Wichita, the Warren's almost have a monopoly there.
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We have plenty of good theaters, including art and revival houses.
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We were promised one like in the 90s...
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Oh Heck YES! As someone who lives in the area, I'm thrilled with this! GO KC!
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June 19, 2012, 9:46 a.m. CST
Oh Heck YES! I've been dying for a theater like this around KC. BRING IT! Awesome for KC!
by J P
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It's gonna be sweet. I almost had a fit when I heard.
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South Western CT needs an Alamo Drafthouse we're mostly overrun by shitty Bowtie Cinemas, so I drive an extra 20 min to an AMC so that I can actually hear the movies I pay to see instead of them sounding like they're coming from a 1980s boombox behind the screen
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I live near Kansas City but I rarely venture into that miasma. I've never been tempted to tackle the Power and Light district before, but it's now a destination spot for certain. This kind of draw could have a positive impact on the arts scene in that whole area.
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Than any of the other Draft House locations, so it may warrant a road-trip sometime just to experience it. I hope we get one here, we have more history than KC does, more people, and better sports teams!
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"There's nothing wrong with seeing a movie at the AMC 6. I do it all the time..." I never meant to convey that attitude. I've been to the AMC down there too. I'm not equating AMC with the rest of P&L either. Like you said, it's douchebag central, and I think because of this, ADHouse will suffer from much needed foot traffic. ADH will have to be a "destination" for lots of indie and cult film buffs. But it also has to compete for an audience with Tivoli Manor Square and Screenlands that won't have 3,000 hooting frat guys and Woo girls getting under your skin after you're finished with the movie and would like to talk about it over drinks. I wish ADH well, but I'm thinking the fact that the shot-callers chose the P&L location as a benefit, when IMO it's most likely a hindrance toward their intended audience.
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I guess my question then is what area of the KC metro would be a BETTER choice? while I go to the Screenlands to see certain types of films you have to admit that they provide a pretty lackluster experience, they will either compete or fade away. As far as the crossroads art district culture is concerned I find the hipster inhabitants to be every bit the annoying trend whores that suburbanites are. I put up with their contrived social affectations and irrational collectivism in order to hear good music and see Art, surely you can put up with breeders and chiefs fans to see good films. Afterwards you can find any number of hipster bars to serve as a cultural echo-chamber within a 5 minute walk that are not in the P&L district.
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"Hipsters" in the gallery district are the people making films in KC, and generally supporting the independent arts scene. The howling monkeys in P&L are the people making...NOTHING for the legacy of Kansas City. There are plenty of areas that make for a better choice in the KC metro - Plaza, Westport, Crossroads - all of which have free parking, all of which have become destinations over the years organically through development based on independent small businesses (supposedly like ADH is). "Irrational collectivism" hahahahah. You bet, buddy.
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