UA Horton Plaza 8

475 Horton Plaza,
San Diego, CA 92101

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Additional Info

Previously operated by: Regal Entertainment Group, United Artists Theater Circuit Inc.

Functions: Office Space

Previous Names: UA Horton Plaza 7 Movies, UA Horton Plaza 14 Movies

Nearby Theaters

UA Horton Plaza-San Diego (1986)

The UA Horton Plaza opened December 11, 1985 on the third level of Hahn’s groundbreaking Horton Plaza center, the focus of revitalized downtown San Diego. Its first manager was Paul Belshe, who ran this extremely busy place for over 12 years. The complex originally featured seven auditoriums.

The gorgeous, 600-seat fuchsia main theatre ran 70mm projection when that format was still prominent and was the first THX auditorium in San Diego proper. One of Horton Plaza’s smaller auditoriums once featured an early interactive theatre system: armrest controls allowed audience members to ‘vote’ on the course that they wanted the movie to take.

The original front of the building had a Neo-Art Deco style, three-sided marquee and a spire illuminated by spinning rainbow lights. Unfortunately, this entire theatre front was replaced when the complex added seven more screens in the late-1990’s. UA Horton Plaza was downsized from fourteen to eight screens in 2012. It was closed on January 27, 2019. The whole of the Horton Plaza centre is to be converted into office space.

Contributed by Zubs

Recent comments (view all 15 comments)

redsoxfan
redsoxfan on March 11, 2012 at 1:48 pm

Blast from the past! Paul was my best friend…thank you for honoring him and his memory. He was the most humble person I have ever known…I remember him asking several students from my youth group to help him during a preliminary screening of INTERVIEW WITH A VAMPIRE…these students were the personal attendants for: Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt, Nicole Kidman…. I will conclude with the memory of visiting Paul at work, and observing the excellence he expected and produced from those who worked for him. He truly was a Servant Leader…always ready to roll up his sleeves and climb into the concession stand, climb up to the projection booth and make himself available to the public and his staff. Paul, I miss you so much, every day! Thank you for watching over us! ~Dianne

1aber
1aber on March 22, 2012 at 3:40 pm

Paul was a great manager and an even better friend. It’s too bad that those he felt were closest to him disappeared towards the end of his life. It would have been nice if some of them had stuck around after he passed to remember this great man with his family and friends, but apparently they had more important things to do. Paul will be remembered by those who loved him, and they know the truth.

jmarellano
jmarellano on September 15, 2012 at 1:50 pm

Looks like the end is near for the newer addition. According to the UT, the last remaining tenant of the old Robinsons store, Sam Goody, is closing. Once closed the mall will tear down the store (along with the 7 screen addition) for a new park. Once again this theater will be 7 screens, as it was originally.

Danny Baldwin
Danny Baldwin on October 25, 2012 at 11:30 pm

They are now only running 8 (not 7) auditoriums (this has been the case for the past week and is the case for the next week). I would have thought the “new” addition was shut down, if not for the extra auditorium.

jrgaz
jrgaz on October 26, 2012 at 10:43 pm

I was sad to find this theatre downsized as I refuse to patron that other theatre in the gaslamp. Because of exclusive bookings, it’s going to get harder to see the best films at Horton. For some time, I felt the theatre had very poor presentation, but over the last couple years, they have done a decent job. As many know, digital projection doesn’t guarantee a decent presentation. I watched Argo in theatre 2 two Saturdays ago and the presentation was absolutely superb. It’s my favorite screen in all of San Diego and I’m glad it will continue to run. With the newer seats, straight screens, smaller crowds, and great staff, this theatre is one of the best around. The only real hassle is the parking if you care to watch multiple films. I was truly sad to hear of this, especially with Gaslamp still operating 15…

Danny Baldwin
Danny Baldwin on November 26, 2012 at 5:17 pm

Name has officially been changed to “UA Horton Plaza 8” on Fandango. So they must have kept the first new auditorium down the left hall.

Ftopel
Ftopel on May 10, 2017 at 4:58 pm

Added pics from Comic Con 2016

LebowskiT1000
LebowskiT1000 on February 23, 2019 at 6:31 pm

Horton Plaza movie theater closes after 33-year run in downtown San Diego; more closures coming

The multiplex theater at Horton Plaza, a fixture at the downtown mall for more than three decades, have closed as the center prepares for its eventual makeover as an office campus.

No announcement of the impending closure was made by the United Artists Horton Plaza 8 theaters other than a note tacked to the window of the 7th floor theater venue advising patrons of the closing on Jan. 27. The operator of the multiplex, the Regal Entertainment Group, did not respond to telephone and email inquiries about the closing.

https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/business/tourism/sd-fi-horton-plaza-theaters-close-20190221-story.html

ball_jeffrey
ball_jeffrey on March 30, 2023 at 11:52 am

I worked with Paul Belshe at the UA 6 Chula Vista. We both moved over to Horton Plaza when it was opened.

It was a great place to work. We regularly got good bookings. The management and staff were great!

I loved working in the Horton Plaza mall. I left in September 1989, when I transferred to the UA Granada Hills.

I wasn’t there when they opened the extra theaters, later. Sadly, like all things United Artists, the theater is long gone.

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