Diamond Point Theatre
Cobbs Drive and N. Valley Mills Drive,
Waco,
TX
76710
Cobbs Drive and N. Valley Mills Drive,
Waco,
TX
76710
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Cinemas Southwest Theatre Circuit opened the Diamond Point Theatre on September 27, 1974 with “That’s Entertainment” and “Walking Tall.” It was the first twin and the first theater built in Waco since 1965. The circuit would open the Ivy Square twin three weeks later in Baylor. The seating capacity of each Diamond Point screen was identical at 273 in the 6,500 square foot facility. Waco Mayor Oscar DuConge was there for the opening along with Z.F. Cook, head of Cinemas Southwest. Both the Diamond Point and Ivy Square theaters were automated and were originally supposed to have opened under the American Automated Theatres Circuit out of Oklahoma City.
Cinemark took on the Diamond Point as the Cinemark Diamond Point Theatres 2 on December 12, 1979. Plitt Theatres took on the location on March 14, 1980 when it purchased the Cinemark chain as it was at that point renaming here as the Diamond Point Theatre I & II. It then moved from Plitt to Cineplex Odeon when Cineplex bought Plitt in December of 1985. Cineplex renamed the venue as the Diamond Point Twin Cinemas I & II.
Carmike took over the Waco Square Six and Cinema Richland Mall 1 & 2 in 1992 leaving Cineplex with the Richland Mall 3&4 and the Diamond Point. Cineplex closed up the Diamond Point after Labor Day 1992 with the managers of the Cineplex Odeon venue taking it on independently as the Diamond Point Theatre. The independent operators closed the Diamond Point permanently on January 16, 1994 with “My Life” and “Jurassic Park.” And Cineplex Odeon had left the marketplace in July of 1993 leaving the Richland Mall 3&4 behind.
Once operated by Cineplex Odeon.
Closed permanently on January 16, 1994 with “My Life” and “Jurassic Park.”
Reopened on October 9th, 1992 by its former managers
Diamond Point cinemas reopens 09 Oct 1992, Fri Waco Tribune-Herald (Waco, Texas) Newspapers.com
Closed in January 1994 after too many leaks
The Diamond Point Cinemas became a Cinemark (old chain) theatre on May 1st, 1979. ad posted
Throughout the last four months of 1974, Waco had a boom of twin-screen theaters opening all across the city. The Diamond Point Theatre was the first twin-screen and multi-screen theater to open in all of Waco. The Diamond Point Theatre(s) was first operated by CSW Theatres, and later operated by Plitt. Plitt also operated the Cinema 1 & 2 and Cinema 3 & 4 in the Richland Mall and the Lake Air Cinema 1 & 2.
I was the projectionist at Diamond Point in the mid 80s. I was around 16 at the time. I think I was working that day when mad max was playing and indeed I forgot to put on the anamorphic lens lol. I also remember one time I sliced the movies backward for pew wee big adventure and during the middle of the movie it was inverted. Oops lol… A bunch of people came out of the movie theatre yelling.. haha… I remember lots of my coworkers, Bob was the manager, I remember Lori D. Melissa, Wendy, Charlie, Janie Dewall (spelling), and many more. I have a memory like an elephant haha The good ole days ;–) We had the best of times back in the 80s listening to 80s music at work, partying hard and running up and down valley mills drive like a bunch of dorks lol..
I saw movies there when I was a child living in Waco between 1984 and 85'(I was 8 and then 9) . I recall seeing PLACES IN THE HEART there in the Summer on a dark and stormy night with my mom and brother. I saw THE NEVERENDING STORY with my family and I remember that theater auditorium being packed that night with rowdy teenagers and children and then the movie started and they all lost themselves in it. Everyone shut up. I remember seeing MAD MAX BEYOND THUNDERDOME at a quiet matinee during the Summer of 85'. It was just me, my dad and my brother and maybe one other person was in there. But I remember something being wrong with the image and wondering if it was just me. My dad had worked at theaters before and he leaned over and whispered, “They forgot to put on the Anamorphic lens.I will be right back.” He rushed off and came back and the image widened to it’s proper 2:35:1 scope aspect ratio and I was swept away.
I remember it being a tiny theater. And yes the snack bar was in between the two screens.
But I always wish I had a Diamond Point theater in walking distance from where I live.
I was the City Manager for Plitt Theatres in Waco in 1980 to early 1982. The Diamond Point was one of the theatres, along with the new twin inside Richland Mall, the twin “on the hill” overlooking the mall, and the 25th Street theatre.