Alamo Drafthouse Cinemas says they plan to reopen five North Texas theaters in August that were closed last month when a franchisee filed for bankruptcy.
The sudden closure of five North Texas theaters and a sixth in Woodbury, Minnesota, took about 600 people out of work. The franchisee said at the time that they had been unable to rebound the business to pre-COVID levels, recover from a writer's and actor's strike, and overcome the industry's generally sluggish revenues.
The parent company said it learned of the closures after they happened and would do whatever it could to reopen the theaters. On Friday, Alamo Drafthouse Cinema said it had acquired the theaters and planned to reopen all six on a staggered schedule in August.
The opening date for each theater is as follows:
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- Alamo Drafthouse Richardson – Aug. 9
- Alamo Drafthouse Lake Highlands – Aug. 13
- Alamo Drafthouse Cedars – Aug. 16
- Alamo Drafthouse Denton – Aug. 20
- Alamo Drafthouse Las Colinas – Aug. 23
- Alamo Drafthouse Woodbury – Aug. 27
Alamo Drafthouse said the theaters would reopen with improvements and upgrades planned at several theaters.
"Current plans include state-of-the-art 4K laser projectors and Dolby Atmos sound in a new The Big Show auditorium – Alamo Drafthouse’s premium large format experience – at the Richardson location by Labor Day. At Las Colinas, we will be adding premium recliner seats and 4K laser projectors in time for the Spring 2025 movies," the company said.
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The company will hold a hiring fair for past employees on July 23 at the Lake Highlands and Woodbury locations. At the fair, they will be compensated for lost wages before the closure and given first access to open positions.
“Our number one goal throughout this difficult period has been to do right by the former teammates and get back to providing the exceptional cinema experience our guests deserve,” said Alamo Drafthouse CEO Michael Kustermann. “We’re thrilled to say that that goal is in sight and that we’ll have teammates and guests back in those theaters very soon.”
Each location will host a soft opening celebration for the first two weeks after opening. The company will offer $5 tickets for all shows and 25% off select food and beverage items.
Tickets for upcoming shows will go on sale on a theater-by-theater basis shortly before each reopening date. Guests who purchased tickets before the shutdown will receive free ticket rainchecks via email once tickets go on sale. Season Pass members affected by the closure will also be allowed to reactivate their account and receive two months free once tickets for their preferred theater go on sale.
