I don’t know that I would call this “demolished”. The original snack bar stands as does one of the screens (#3). While the projection booth was demolished I would consider that enough of the “theatre” stands. When driving on I-880 one would definitely notice its existence.
I just uploaded three pictures I found online. The first is an early directory of the mall and the second is an aerial photo showing what I strongly believe is the Hoyt’s 8-plex in the same place as the original theater. I can’t say for certain but I would say the Riverside 8 is in the same place as the original theater.
The third doesn’t say whether it was the 8-plex or the original theater, but does say it’s the Riverside Mall Cinema in Utica and the snack bar signs do have a Hoyts logo, so I would feel safe in assuming it was he 8-plex.
But, I guess I’m asking, what did you see in your research that made you say the original theater was closed and the new one built elsewhere vs. the new one being a remodel and expansion of the original?
Reviewing copies of the Tulsa World on Newspapers.com - I see nothing that supports this was ever the Promenade 8.
A December 10, 1996 article reported the sale of this theater (and other UA theaters in OK) to Hollywood Theaters. This continued to be listed as the Promenade 4 showing movies until 6/22/1997. Ads appearing 6/23/1997 read “Theatre temporarily closed for remodeling. Watch for our grand reopening.” before disappearing entirely.
Hollywood began advertising for their 12-screen Hollywood Palace at Promenade Mall again starting 5/8/1998 in advance of the theater’s 5/15 reopening.
An article appearing 5/14/1998 reported on the progress of the theater stating that Hollywood closed its four-screen theater a the shopping mall the previous year to add eight more.
Reading articles on Newspapers.com – I came across one that said this project was originally started by Crown Theaters which was purchased by Hollywood in 1996. Hollywood proceeded with the project.
An article in the March 19, 1999 edition of he St Louis Post-Dispatch reports that the “[b]uilding housing the six theaters will be demolished, and a new theater will be built in close proximity to the currnt one at Mid Rivers Mall.”
This would suggest that the current theater is not a revamp but an entirely new construction.
The Cinema 1 & 2 appears to be an entirely different theater than the West Acres 6. An article in the November 20, 1983 edition of the Fargo Forum covered the opening of the West Acres 6.
The article states that CEC “In preparation for its construction [CEC} closed the Gateway and Lark theaters in downtown Fargo and Cinema I and II in West Acres” the article went on to say that CEC also owned and operated the South Cinema I, II, and II and the Moonlight Drive-in Theater in Fargo and Moorhead.
The West Acres 6 was eventually expanded into the current West Acres 14.
This theater closed as the Century 11 Theatres on August 13, 1998 just a few days shy of its 32nd anniversary.
I found something listing the final seating capacities and opening dates for each screen. It doesn’t seem likely that the original dome wound up seating only 122 people but, having never been inside, I can only assume it was cut up a bunch of times over the years. Either that, or there is some confusion in the document I found.
1=153 (07/17/87)
2=156 (07/17/87)
3=368 (04/07/76)
4=208 (04/07/76)
5=248 (08/03/79)
6=250 (08/03/79)
7=122 (4/19/66)
8=115 (3/25/70)
9=95 (12/20/91)
10=560 (12/20/91)
11=561 (12/20/91)
Names as it expanded were as follows:
Century 21
Century 21 & Century 22
Century 21-22-23-24, then later Century 4
Century 6
Century 8
Century 11
If you look at Google Earth imagery from 9/2005 it does look as though the building was demolished. It doesn’t make sense that they would have torn it all the way down since the RH is the roughly the same footprint.
@robboehm – if my comment about the Cinema 70 being remodeled into the Galaxy is clouding that at all, I do not have first hand knowledge of this. My comment was on the back of the description stating this to be true. However, if we are to keep this as a combined listing then the last operating name was the Galaxy 6 Cinemas, and if you’re going to put a chain name in front it was the Century Galaxy 6 Cinemas.
@ 50sSNIPES – Century did not reopen this theater in 1991, that was done by CinemaCal Enterprises. Century did not start operating this theater until 4/27/2001.
I don’t know that I would call this “demolished”. The original snack bar stands as does one of the screens (#3). While the projection booth was demolished I would consider that enough of the “theatre” stands. When driving on I-880 one would definitely notice its existence.
This is not AMC Katy Mills. This is the recently closed AMC Philadelphia Mills.
I believe six of the screens have closed here. My understanding is that it was the larger upstairs theatres.
Comparing the 1976 photos here to an aerial image from google, they appear to be part of new construction.
Historic Aerials shows this theater standing in 2015 but gone by 2017. Now demolished.
Also, it looks like the majority of the mall was demolished/turned into a strip-center, the portion with the theater appears demolished.
I just uploaded three pictures I found online. The first is an early directory of the mall and the second is an aerial photo showing what I strongly believe is the Hoyt’s 8-plex in the same place as the original theater. I can’t say for certain but I would say the Riverside 8 is in the same place as the original theater.
The third doesn’t say whether it was the 8-plex or the original theater, but does say it’s the Riverside Mall Cinema in Utica and the snack bar signs do have a Hoyts logo, so I would feel safe in assuming it was he 8-plex.
Cool picture.
But, I guess I’m asking, what did you see in your research that made you say the original theater was closed and the new one built elsewhere vs. the new one being a remodel and expansion of the original?
Do you have any more details on the theater closing in 1989 and being relocated?
July 18th to be exact
This ad suggests that there were actually two different buildings? 1-2 inside the mall and 3-4 outside the mall? Any confirmation on this?
Reviewing copies of the Tulsa World on Newspapers.com - I see nothing that supports this was ever the Promenade 8.
A December 10, 1996 article reported the sale of this theater (and other UA theaters in OK) to Hollywood Theaters. This continued to be listed as the Promenade 4 showing movies until 6/22/1997. Ads appearing 6/23/1997 read “Theatre temporarily closed for remodeling. Watch for our grand reopening.” before disappearing entirely.
Hollywood began advertising for their 12-screen Hollywood Palace at Promenade Mall again starting 5/8/1998 in advance of the theater’s 5/15 reopening.
An article appearing 5/14/1998 reported on the progress of the theater stating that Hollywood closed its four-screen theater a the shopping mall the previous year to add eight more.
Reading articles on Newspapers.com – I came across one that said this project was originally started by Crown Theaters which was purchased by Hollywood in 1996. Hollywood proceeded with the project.
An article in the March 19, 1999 edition of he St Louis Post-Dispatch reports that the “[b]uilding housing the six theaters will be demolished, and a new theater will be built in close proximity to the currnt one at Mid Rivers Mall.”
This would suggest that the current theater is not a revamp but an entirely new construction.
The Cinema 1 & 2 appears to be an entirely different theater than the West Acres 6. An article in the November 20, 1983 edition of the Fargo Forum covered the opening of the West Acres 6.
The article states that CEC “In preparation for its construction [CEC} closed the Gateway and Lark theaters in downtown Fargo and Cinema I and II in West Acres” the article went on to say that CEC also owned and operated the South Cinema I, II, and II and the Moonlight Drive-in Theater in Fargo and Moorhead.
The West Acres 6 was eventually expanded into the current West Acres 14.
Google has quite a few photos of this as a LOOK Cinema.
Theatre closed after business on November 10, 2024 – a week shy of its 30th birthday.
This theater closed as the Century 11 Theatres on August 13, 1998 just a few days shy of its 32nd anniversary.
I found something listing the final seating capacities and opening dates for each screen. It doesn’t seem likely that the original dome wound up seating only 122 people but, having never been inside, I can only assume it was cut up a bunch of times over the years. Either that, or there is some confusion in the document I found.
1=153 (07/17/87)
2=156 (07/17/87)
3=368 (04/07/76)
4=208 (04/07/76)
5=248 (08/03/79)
6=250 (08/03/79)
7=122 (4/19/66)
8=115 (3/25/70)
9=95 (12/20/91)
10=560 (12/20/91)
11=561 (12/20/91)
Names as it expanded were as follows: Century 21 Century 21 & Century 22 Century 21-22-23-24, then later Century 4 Century 6 Century 8 Century 11
Last day of operation was September 4, 1991
Opened in 1982 by ECA Theatres (Entertainment Centers of America). The entire mall has now been demolished, including the theater.
The theater was closed January 27, 2008. Am also curious what makes us think Cinemark took it over, I believe they built it from the ground up.
This photo is actually the photo for Premiere Cinemas Hollister, CA.
Confirming the final day was September 17, 1995. Demolition began in February 1996.
If you look at Google Earth imagery from 9/2005 it does look as though the building was demolished. It doesn’t make sense that they would have torn it all the way down since the RH is the roughly the same footprint.
@robboehm – if my comment about the Cinema 70 being remodeled into the Galaxy is clouding that at all, I do not have first hand knowledge of this. My comment was on the back of the description stating this to be true. However, if we are to keep this as a combined listing then the last operating name was the Galaxy 6 Cinemas, and if you’re going to put a chain name in front it was the Century Galaxy 6 Cinemas.
@ 50sSNIPES – Century did not reopen this theater in 1991, that was done by CinemaCal Enterprises. Century did not start operating this theater until 4/27/2001.