Galaxy Victorian
1250 Victorian Avenue,
Sparks,
NV
89431
1250 Victorian Avenue,
Sparks,
NV
89431
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This former big long closed Century 14 Victorian Theatre in Sparks Nevada re opens on Thursday Sept 20 2018 now run by Galaxy Theatres. The new name is the Galaxy Victorian Theatres. With a complete 2 year make over like all new seats, giant DFX curved screen, Dolby Atmos®, rugs, new neon marquee ect. It’s sister cinema a few miles away The Galaxy Legends IMAX will be cinemas #1-12. The new fixed up Galaxy Victorian Theatre will be cinemas #14-26. Maybe a new LUCKY #13 Theatre they can put in between the two other Galaxy Theatres and show horror/hell Grindhouse films and attract the supernatural gambling movie types in Sparks Nevada. Good luck to Frank at Galaxy Theatres for doing this remodel re opening and to my friend Ken who does all the movie intros a few miles away at the Galaxy Legends IMAX. Now their new cinema at Victorian SQ can program more art and festival films for the growing Sparks area with many hundreds of new built apartments and condos walking distance from the theatre.
Galaxy Theatres has their own huge curved screen It’s called DFX along with the Dolby Atmos® sound system in a few auditoriums. They will not have the old XD Century/Cinemark branded screen at this new remodeled location in Sparks. I hope they can really curve the screen in the large cinema space re name It GALAXYVISION !
Good news the Galaxy Theatre owners have signed a long term lease on this closed cinema in Sparks NV across from the Nugget Casino. They have one popular cinema now open in another part of Sparks this will give them 2 places to see first run movies in Sparks. A complete remodel is now going on with large curved screens with new seats ect. They hope to open around Dec 2017. If you have ever been to a Galaxy Theatre you know they do a great job both with picture and stereo surround sound. They show a Dolby® sound demo to show off their sound system before the movie starts. The staff is first rate, they are bringing showmanship back a little at a time. With their blue lights in one of their large auditoriums and a personal live person intro by Ken and others before the movie starts this now closed cinema will be a luxury space to see films around the Reno/Sparks Nevada area soon. Lets hope they can bring in more color LED lights or neon in the lobby and inside the refurbished cinemas. I am also hoping for a set of waterfall curtains in the largest auditorium? Watch for a new large neon sign coming soon out front. With all the new apartments and condos just in the same block this new movie multi palace will be a gold mine for people wanting to see films and other local live special events.
This cinema may have closed this last week but new people are coming in. The Syufy family owns the theatre. CineMark was leasing the theatre from Syufy and they chose not to renew the lease as they did not want to go into another long lease when the place needs some upgrades like new recliner seats ect. What is a strange twist Cinemark bought most of the Syufy/Century theatres many years ago but the Syufy brothers kept most of the drive ins and a few indoor spots like this one in Sparks NV. They still run the Rancho DI in Sparks under their many names they use like West Wind Drive In’s. CineMark/Century has had a big monopoly of cinemas in the Reno/Sparks NV area for many years. UA pulled out a long time ago. Now lets see what new chain will be coming into the area to shake things up. Will It be AMC, Regal, I Pic or even Drafthouse Cinemas. A new company Galaxy Theatres opened up a few years ago in Sparks with a giant new Imax screen the first in the area. I was at the soon to close Century 14 on the last day and the CineMark crew was fast is starting to remove bulk items from there candy counter even when the place was still open showing films for the last time under the CineMark/Century brand. They will probably strip the place out of equipment fast like they always do. This closed now cinema had a nice semi curved XD screen. A new company can come in with there brand X HD type screen. Maybe they will bring back some showmanship with curtains in the larger spaces. You know they will offer food,booze and reserved seats. The people I talked last week walking around outside with clipboards taking photos told me It will be closed almost a year for the changes to happen. The place is still in great shape, they need to get in before the holidays 2016 and at least open a few auditoriums up. Now the Galaxy is the only cinema open in Sparks NV.
I took a browse through the local papers to see if there was anything written about the last day of this theatre. There wasn’t, but I did come across this opinion piece in the Reno Gazette-Journal written by a young man who grew up with the Century Sparks 14 and was published the day it closed.
In addition to the link I am including the article, which I thought worth sharing.
One View: Goodbye, Century Sparks 14
“Paranormal Activity 2?”
“Uh … yeah. You wanna come?”
“I don’t know.” she said. “Isn’t it going to be scary?”
“Oh, not the way we watch it!” I yelled suddenly and nervously. “You see, we like to sit in the back and voice the ghost from his perspective? Like apologize for bumping into things and stuff like that? I know it might sound stupid but —”
“That’s awesome!” she said. “What time?”
And so that weekend three close friends of mine and a girl I had wanted to know a little better carpooled down to Century Sparks to a matinee showing of “Paranormal Activity 2.” We laughed the entire time and got the row behind us to even join in on our little game. At the end of the movie we went back to the parking lot and all went our separate ways. The girl and I hugged and agreed that we should do it again sometime.
I took my wife to that theater many times in our life. We’ve seen Disney movies, musicals, raunchy comedies and period dramas, and after each night we went back to the parking lot and laughed just as we did the first time.
I have plenty of great memories of Century Sparks. I saw nearly every Harry Potter movie in it, taking my youngest sister to the very last one (she had barely been born when the first one came out). My best friend and I saw “Superbad” every week it was out in that theater, among many other R-rated movies we probably shouldn’t have seen. I remember wearing graduation gowns months after our actual graduation just to sneak more snacks in (probably unnecessary but definitely fun). I saw my first PG-13 movie there (Jurassic Park III), my first 3-D movie there (Spy Kids 3), had my first date there, and spent hours at a Crazy Taxi machine I was certain was rigged. I spent many weekends grabbing gobs of people to cram into one movie after a week of planning and a few just going on a whim to see what’s playing. Growing up, it was probably my very favorite place in Sparks.
Of course we have the IMAX and Park Lane and Riverside, but it still kind of breaks my heart to hear this place is closing down. I always thought it was a beautiful part of our city and a prominent piece of my childhood, as well as my growing up. So farewell Century Sparks, I’ll always look back and remember your popcorn tasted the best, your fountain was the funnest on a hot day, I memorized all of your Coke trivia cards and you never failed to play “Kiss From a Rose” before every movie until Cinemark rolled in.
So long Century Sparks, and thanks for “Paranormal Activity 2.”
Ryan Costello is a local actor and writer in Sparks.
Last day of operation was September 29, 2016.
April 24th, 1998 grand opening ad in photo section.