Mainstreet KC at the Power & Light District
1400 Main Street,
Kansas City,
MO
64105
1400 Main Street,
Kansas City,
MO
64105
14 people
favorited this theater
Showing 26 - 50 of 121 comments
KCB3Player: It was not the Alamo Drafthouse chain that took over the Majestic Theater complex at Zona Rosa; it was a Studio Movie Grill franchise. The Alamo Drafthouse chain has had far more success in its operations than SMG.
I am pretty sure that the Alamo Drafthouse took over the closed Majestic Theater complex at Zona Rosa and added more screening rooms and it was a total flop and closed 7 weeks later. The thinking that everyone wants to watch movies with a lot of stinky food in the air is just wrong. It is not working like some people think it will. I am OK with adult beverages but I do not want to be interrupted during the movie like they presently do in the 3 upstairs theaters. Screening Room 3 down stairs is fantastic and they are going to ruin it. I think I am going to stick with The Fine Arts Theaters, The Tivoli and the Eastland Theaters. Mr. Williams when are you going to actually open the Englewood and keep it open? If not, please sell it to someone that will.
The Alamo Drafthouse announced today that they’re taking over this location: http://drafthouse.com/blog/entry/alamo_drafthouse_is_coming_to_kansas_city
Following link, thank you!
Hillariously AMC is loosing their “flag ship” – haven’t been to an AMC in a few months, so I wonder if they’ll change their pre-show “magic chairs” ads. Good thing for the Power and Light District is they are getting a far better operator, Alamo Drafthouse is moving in: http://www.kansascity.com/2012/06/04/3641045/alamo-drafthouse-cinema-to-take.html
It’s true about there being pens for elephants in the basement and a seal pool. I don’t think the tunnel to the President Hotel remains. It has probably been sealed up on both sides, and the City might have removed it during regular infastructure rebuilding. I haven’t heard of anyone who has seen or been in it.
Reading about all the rooms that were under the theatre back in the 1920s and 30s for animals, and the tunnel to the President Hotel, makes me wonder what happened to them. Anybody know?
From 2010, photos of the Mainstreet Theatre in Kansas City MO. [Please click on thumbnails for larger view].
I love the new AMC Mainstreet – wish they would consider building on to it and add maybe another 6 screening rooms with about 150 seats each. The more people the relocate and move back downtown, the more business that the Mainstreet will get. I love the Power & Light District and hope for its success. Once we can secure a major league team at Sprint Center all will come together. Now hoping for the new 1000 room convention hotel to be built a block away from the Mainstreet Theater. I think that downtown KC is really looking up even if the economy is very bad right now.
I remember my last downtown movie was at the Empire and was Exodus. Glad to see the new Mainstreet is up and running. Hope to have an evening at the new entertainment district with dinner and a movie like we had back in the 1950s and 60s.
Here is a 1962 newspaper ad:
http://tinyurl.com/yfczpws
I think the philosophy behind the Main Street Theater renovation is fascinating. On the surface it looks as though the whole place has simply been gutted and replaced, with so historical/architectural continuity. In other words it is definitely no longer a French Rennaisance theater. But if a person studies the original photographs and architecture carefully, and then takes a closer look at the current theater, it is actually very much in the spirit of the original place. Grand stairways, spacious two-story lobby spaces with soaring ceilings. This is a very good modern adaptation of the same basic principles that Rapp and Rapp were using when they built it.
The other night after the show one of the theater workers took me upstairs and showed me the original auditorium. I found it fascinating to see what they’ve done with it. The French Rennaisance plaster-work is all gone, both on the walls and the ceiling. But, the integrity of the original interior walls, balcony seating area, and floor plan is all intact. The existing six screen-rooms and lobby areas are all built as a sort of inner shell within the auditorium. From the top balcony you can see all of these little structures built between it and the stage. This theater could easily be turned back into a very large house.
Restoration of the exterior looks wonderful but the interior looks like any other multiplex theatre. brucec
This theater can be seen in AMC’s new coming attractions trailer.
Thanks for the link. My earlier links weren’t very user friendly.
Here’s a closer link for Aparofan’s photos of the Empire/Main St Theatre:
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While the previous owner allowed the theater to deteriorate beyond all hope of repair, at least AMC has pulled off a fairly flawless recreation of the original exterior. The blade marquee can be seen from from Union Hill and the gorgeous terra cotta restoration has made this one of the most beautiful theater exteriors anywhere in the country. Thanks to all responsible for saving this important part of Kansas City history.
We ended up going yesterday and had a great time. AMC did a wonderful job renovating the place and everything was very nice. While I wish they would have tried to recreate the original theater, the new theater is very modern and high tech. I’m thrilled that there are movies being shown again at 14th and Main. I took a punch of pictures and posted them on my Flickr page.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/34443508@N08/
My wife and I are planning on going sometime this weekend. I’m looking forward to it. Claydoh77, I was going through some old comments about the Glenwood and saw that you had postcards from when the place opened. I’d love to see them. I’ve been looking for them for quite a while. Please e-mail me at Thanks!
Story in today’s KC Star about the reopening: View link
Features of the theatre mentioned in the article:
•All seats are reserved. If you buy tickets online you will be given the best available seats. But you can always exchange them for other seats in person at the box office.
•Six all-digital auditoriums, three downstairs and three upstairs (the upstairs houses are Cinema Suites and feature full food service). And one can show 3-D films.
•Oversized screens twice as big as the industry standard for auditoriums of this size; digital projection offering four times the resolution of HDTV.
•Expanded digital sound with speakers overhead and at the rear of the auditoriums.
•Red leather seats throughout. Plus, each seat is wired with subwoofers that vibrate to low-frequency noises on the soundtrack.
•Improved leg room. Even a 7-footer can stretch out.
•Foot railings. Each row has a raised railing on which patrons can rest their feet, sort of like an old-fashioned saloon, except you’re sitting.
•A “flavor wall†where you can spike your soda with specialty flavorings or sprinkle toppings on your popcorn.
•The Marquee, a full-service restaurant in the lobby.
•Digital posters. Yep, even the movie posters move here.
•Movie-themed restrooms. A life-size Bogie and Bacall greet you at the doors.
•Quotes in the floor. Inlaid in the terrazzo lobby floor are quotes from famous films: “There’s no place like home.â€
The Star has a nice photo slideshow with several old and new pictures: http://www.kansascity.com/938/gallery/1146145.html
It’s sad that none of the interior was saved but I’m excited to check this place out.
Today’s Kansas City Star has a pretty good article about the new Mainstreet. It promises to be quite a place.
http://www.kansascity.com/105/story/1146859.html
My buddy and I went downtown today and took a bunch of pictures. The restaurant off the lobby is open but the actual theater is a little behind. It’s due to open May 1. The KC police officer who was watching the place let us into the lobby so I got a couple of shots of the interior of the lobby. It looks great. I also took a couple of pictures through the window that turned out pretty good too.
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I drove by the theater last night and the exterior looks fantastic. The inside was still being worked on but everthing looks great. I can’t wait for it to reopen. Here are a couple of shots I took from my car while waiting at the light. It snowed earlier so there my windshield was still pretty wet.
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