Amigoland Cinema 1 & 2

dallasmovietheaters on December 9, 2025 at 4:52 am

This is the Amigoland on the Rio Grande project as conceptualized in 1966-1972. It was designed as a Disneyland marriage of harmony and history at the Texas / Mexico border in a different era and through a different lens. It was also in response to the Six Flags Over Texas project in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

At upper left, the Amigoland entry signage is conceptualized and the working logo is provided. To the right and also shown in the bottom right corner is the original footprint (1966-1969) for the Amigoland project. In 1970, the project was enlarged signficantly to include the Melvin Simon Mall and readied for condominiums and hotels (add in light blue at right) that were drawn up with contractors assigned. The revised plan is found in another photo with the cinema functions.

The original Amigoland on the Rio Grande had 8 “worlds” - later reduced to 7 planned worlds. Aztecland was one of the seven worlds and its is shown in bottom left after Bovay Engineers of Houston entered the project providing that drawing. Another drawing is found on the right edge.

Some accounts say that Amigoland morphed into the Amigoland Mall which is inaccurate. Satellite views from that era show that the area was readied and, very technically, the building showing at top right and at left under the logo is the office and welcome center for the Amigoland Amusement Park. A spiral staircase took visitors to the top of that circular building and had the seven worlds of Amigoland. The amusement park was scheduled to open in 1971 with the Amigoland Mall and its Cinema opening in 1972. Four high rise condos by Condo-Rio were to be built and planned for launch in December 1974.

The Amusement Park stalled not long after the visitor building was constructed. The Mall opened partially in 1973 with the UA Cinema 1&2 opening on February 20, 1974 and the Amigoland Mall celebrating its official grand opening the next day. The Amigoland logo was trademarked in 1974. Amigoland had spurts of activity in 1974, 1977 and 1981 that brought no noticeable improvements.

Amigoland, Inc. dissolved and the trademark fell into public domain after non-usage and non-renewal. Amigoland, Inc.’s final stand was its condemnation of the non-Mall properties which were to be associated with Amigoland on the Rio Grande in January of 2010 - a move which appears to more or less have liberated the unimproved property elements for future use.