Mission Valley Cinemas
2109 Avent Ferry Road,
Raleigh,
NC
27606
2109 Avent Ferry Road,
Raleigh,
NC
27606
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Located at the intersection of Avent Ferry Road and Western Boulevard in the Mission Valley Shopping Center (not to mention the nearby campus of North Carolina State University), the Mission Valley Cinemas remains one of Raleigh’s showcase palaces for grand entertainment.
Its also the one movie house that still has huge auditoriums and brilliant wide screen projection.
Contributed by
raymond
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From the March 1, 1973 edition of the Raleigh News and Observer:
GRAND OPENING TOMORROW NIGHT AT 7:00PM!!!
A NEW MAGNIFICENCE IN MOVIE-MAGIC!
RALEIGH’S NEWEST TWIN THEATRES FOR EASTERN CAROLINA!!!
-TWIN COMFORT Rocking Chair Luxorious Seats
-TWIN PROJECTION Finest automated equipment on two mammoth widescreens!
-PERFECT VISION IN OUR TWIN THEATRES Every row is perfectly spaced for your viewing pleasure!
-ELEGANT DECOR AND APPOINTMENTS With Double Lobbies
-ACRES OF LIGHTED FRONT DOOR PARKING!!
-MATINEES EVERYDAY!!!
“OUR GRAND OPENING ATTRACTION SHOWING ON BOTH SCREENS"
………..THE "BUTCH CASSIDY” HIT OF 1973…………….
“THE LIFE AND TIMES OF JUDGE ROY BEAN Starring PAUL NEWMAN"
with North Carolina’s Own AVA GARDNER
The Opening Attraction was “The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean"
starring Paul Newman. It was also noted,that legendary actress Ava Gardner was in Raleigh to promoted her new movie and to promoted the official opening of the Mission Valley Cinemas on March 2, 1973.
The film during its opening was shown on both screens……..
However,the official opening of Mission Valley Cinema II,came the following week with the nature-adventure documentary family film
“EDGE OF THE ARCTIC ICE”.
raysson, The original specs for Mission Valley were around 500 seats for screen 1, and 300 seats for screen 2. Screen 2 is half the size of screen 1 and never had more than 300 seats. Auditoriums 3, 4 and 5 were all added at the same time in 1983 and all seat 288. The only other remodel that was done was in 1994-ish when United Artists took over. This was just a lobby renovation in which a kitchen was built and the concession stand was moved from a circular island in the middle of the lobby to a new stand to the right of the lobby as it stands today. There were some changes to the box office and downstairs managers office as well. The theater has not been majorly altered since, except for seat replacement and redecoration of the largest auditorium in 2007. I have all of the original blueprints from the original build and the additions in 1983.
I visited the MISSON VALLEY while staying at a hotel across the street. Not bad. I least I think it was the MISSION VALLEY.
There used to be the Mission Valley Inn directly across the street. It closed in the 1990’s and NCSU bought it and converted it into dormitories. It is now called Avent Ferry Complex.
Thanks Micah enjoyed that theatre and the old downtown theatre that was a MCDONALDS.I snapped several pictures,never saw anything like it.I know it is listed on CT.
That theater was once the Varsity. I think it operated as Studio I for a brief time before it closed. Soon after it closed Studio I & II opened just down the street at 2526 Hillsborough in the Electric Company Mall. That theater closed in October of 2000. It was a very unique and very small theater. Screen 1 had just under 50 seats and screen 2 just over 50. The old Varsity sat empty for a long time after McDonalds closed and it is now a textbook store. Do you have pictures of the McDonalds? I would love to see them!
I remember taking one of the marquee.I assume you live in that area. It’s funny how people will live in a place and never think to snap a picture. Got a CT guy from ATlanta on and found out he never got around to snapping a picture of NORTHEAST EXPRESS DRIVE-IN in Atlanta.Driving home to Augusta I stopped off 1-85 and took several pictures Cliff never thought to do it,but I was able to mail him copies. I will try and locate the picture,I have hundreds of pictures,mainly in the South.
Did you know that a local television station is right next door to Mission Valley facing the intersections of Western Boulevard and Avent Ferry Roads?
WRAL-TV,Channel 5 of Raleigh is right next door to Mission Valley.
Speaking of the 25th Anniversary of the 1986 blockbuster hit TOP GUN, The Mission Valley Cinemas in Raleigh was the only theatre in the Carolinas that was given the showing in 70MM and 6 Track Dobly Stereo. It opened in general release on May 16, 1986.
**Source: The Friday May 16, 1986 edition of the Raleigh News and Observer.