“Why did AMC fail to renew the lease with the mall before the new AMC opened?”
Its my understanding that Simon property group did not want the Inners there anymore. If you’ll recall, it was a HUGE teen hangout on Fri/Sat nights. It even required a police presence to patrol the Mall entrance by the inners and Sears. This was undesirable to SIMON. In fact many “mom and pop” type stores started to leave when leases were up, immediately following Simon buying the mall in the early/mid 90s. This was by design to give the mall a higher class feel.
I believe that Simon persuaded AMC to leave the space by making the new lease’s price SO expensive, it was cost prohibitive to stay. Combine this with the fact that AMC was trying to get out of the business of the smaller theaters (focusing on free standing Megaplexes), it was the perfect recipe to get rid of the Inners.
FYI: Looking at the prior 3 posts, the Outers never had the DTS soundsystem. And only house 12 (first theater on your right when you walked in) had Dolby Digital. All houses 7-12 had Sony Dynamic Digital Sound (SDDS) and analog. I remember that people from Lucasfilms actually came in and re-calibrated house 12 when Saving Private Ryan came out.
I’m fairly certain the Inners never had any digital sound but someone will have to correct me if I’m wrong. I hardly worked in the inners, as the outers was my primary “home” 1995-2002.
As a manager for the Outer theaters (and basically running the place prior to it’s closing on July 28th, 2002, I can say that at least in the late 90’s and early 00’s, the OUTERS definitely did more business.
All the “blockbuster” movies would go to the outers where smaller films and many kid films would get sent to the inner theaters.
I used to work at the Outer 6 for several years. Both theaters were 35mm projectors. I cannot remember the make, but I believe they were Italian projectors bought in the 70s.
One screen, #6 had Dolby Digital and Sony’s SDDS. The rest of the screens had SDDS only (in addition to the analog sound).
The concession stand was redone around 1994 from its original design to the design that was used up until the theater’s final day of operation: July 28, 2002.
The tile that was in the back of the concession stand was the dark brown “brick” style that used to cover the entire floor of the Rockaway Mall (prior to its renovation sometime in the late 80s or early 90s I believe).
This dark brown tile can still be seen at the Pet Store in the Rockaway Mall, downstairs by Sears infront of “Pet-Pourri.”
“Why did AMC fail to renew the lease with the mall before the new AMC opened?”
Its my understanding that Simon property group did not want the Inners there anymore. If you’ll recall, it was a HUGE teen hangout on Fri/Sat nights. It even required a police presence to patrol the Mall entrance by the inners and Sears. This was undesirable to SIMON. In fact many “mom and pop” type stores started to leave when leases were up, immediately following Simon buying the mall in the early/mid 90s. This was by design to give the mall a higher class feel.
I believe that Simon persuaded AMC to leave the space by making the new lease’s price SO expensive, it was cost prohibitive to stay. Combine this with the fact that AMC was trying to get out of the business of the smaller theaters (focusing on free standing Megaplexes), it was the perfect recipe to get rid of the Inners.
FYI: Looking at the prior 3 posts, the Outers never had the DTS soundsystem. And only house 12 (first theater on your right when you walked in) had Dolby Digital. All houses 7-12 had Sony Dynamic Digital Sound (SDDS) and analog. I remember that people from Lucasfilms actually came in and re-calibrated house 12 when Saving Private Ryan came out.
I’m fairly certain the Inners never had any digital sound but someone will have to correct me if I’m wrong. I hardly worked in the inners, as the outers was my primary “home” 1995-2002.
As a manager for the Outer theaters (and basically running the place prior to it’s closing on July 28th, 2002, I can say that at least in the late 90’s and early 00’s, the OUTERS definitely did more business.
All the “blockbuster” movies would go to the outers where smaller films and many kid films would get sent to the inner theaters.
>> what happened to the classics program at this theater? <<
I saw Scarface over the summer during one of the “classics” showings… I think its a summer-only thing.
If anyone has any pictures of the Outer AMC Theaters BEFORE their 1994 renovation, I’d love to see them.
I never actually set foot in the Outers prior to the overhaul and would love to see what it looked like.
I actually remember both renovations…. barely remember when the opening was on the side of the building and it was a 4-plex.
Then in the early 1990’s with the expansion (the addition of the 2 upstairs theaters) and now with the “mirror image” wing on the other side.
odd, I’ve been to Cinema 10 many times since the newest renovation and never saw a movie in thew new wing.
I should mention that the Sandwitches Unlimited and Old Antiques Store are both torn down now, as a 24 Hour Walgreens pharmacy is being built….
Smiles 2, the strip joint is still there however.
I grew up in the 80’s in Landing, and was driven by the Drive In all the time as we went around the Ledgewood circle.
I would drive my bike often w/buddies around the ruines of the then closed drive-in. Very cool stuff.
I wish it was still there.
Pictures of the Outers, from 7/12/02
http://tinyurl.com/2nptjo
Hope you like them.
I just uploaded the pics I have of the Inner’s here:
http://tinyurl.com/2g3l3d
Enjoy
I used to work at the Outer 6 for several years. Both theaters were 35mm projectors. I cannot remember the make, but I believe they were Italian projectors bought in the 70s.
Outer 6 theaters had 6 screens naturally. 2 @ 180 seats, 2 @ 300 seats and 2 @ 335 seats (approx).
One screen, #6 had Dolby Digital and Sony’s SDDS. The rest of the screens had SDDS only (in addition to the analog sound).
The concession stand was redone around 1994 from its original design to the design that was used up until the theater’s final day of operation: July 28, 2002.
The tile that was in the back of the concession stand was the dark brown “brick” style that used to cover the entire floor of the Rockaway Mall (prior to its renovation sometime in the late 80s or early 90s I believe).
This dark brown tile can still be seen at the Pet Store in the Rockaway Mall, downstairs by Sears infront of “Pet-Pourri.”