View Full Version : Anyone know of any possible Warren Theater Expansion in Oklahoma



Clock4869
04-05-2008, 07:47 AM
Just went and saw Leatherheads at The Warrent Theater. Movie was okay, but the theater phenomenal! I wish they would open one in okc so you don't have to drive all the way to Moore (no offense, moore). I really hope they do. It looked fantastic inside, picture was the sharpest i've seen and the sound was really nice.. I must say this is the nicest theater i've ever been in. Anyway just thought i'd ask if anyone hear anything about any expansion. I heard Bill Warren was at the opening yesterday so maybe someone found him and asked that question?

Easy180
04-05-2008, 09:16 AM
As a Moore-on I sure hope not...Finally something that sets our fine city apart from the others

Landing the metro's first Dave and Busters will help even more :bright_id

Clock4869
04-05-2008, 09:38 AM
really? i didn't know there were rumors of a dave&busters in oklahoma.. any articles?

flintysooner
04-05-2008, 09:40 AM
Someone told me they looked at other sites before selecting the Moore location. I think somewhere in Edmond was considered first. I don't know why it was not chosen but probably economic issues.

As I recall Warren wanted to purchase 25 to 30 acres at a fairly low price. The site in Moore was obtained by a developer with some difficulty as I recall because of land ownership issues. Moore stepped in and performed a lot of site work to make the site viable.

Easy180
04-05-2008, 10:08 AM
really? i didn't know there were rumors of a dave&busters in oklahoma.. any articles?

No rumors unfortunately just wishful thinking...I do think Moore would be a pretty good fit for a D & B with the college crowd just a few miles down the road

Clock4869
04-05-2008, 10:24 AM
oh ok i see. i started searching to see if i could find something on it. I always thought that if they ever opened up one it would be in norman or downtown... seems weird that omaha has one and we don't... (unless i guess if they started there?)

kevinpate
04-05-2008, 10:53 AM
Is D&B really much more than Chili's meets Chuck E Cheese? Never been inside one, but that;'s what the commercial I've seen makes me think of.

dismayed
04-05-2008, 12:33 PM
I believe I read that the Warren Theater is the only theater in Oklahoma that is 100% digital.

John
04-05-2008, 02:08 PM
I believe I read that the Warren Theater is the only theater in Oklahoma that is 100% digital.

Supposedly the only theatre in the world to be 100% digital audio and video on all screens.

If I remember right, the other location they were thinking about was Memorial & McArthur.

It would have been better if they were chosen for Bricktown, but we all know Hogan doesn't like quality projects...

MikeOKC
04-05-2008, 02:23 PM
Warren in Moore just opened last night didn't it? We might give them at least a few more days to think about expanding. Reading the other thread about the Warren has me excited about our making a visit. Sounds great!

Easy180
04-05-2008, 03:45 PM
Is D&B really much more than Chili's meets Chuck E Cheese? Never been inside one, but that;'s what the commercial I've seen makes me think of.

It's not the greatest thing in the world but it's a pretty fun place to grab some drinks and act childish

Intrepid
04-05-2008, 04:55 PM
Just got back from the second visit to Warren.

This time I took the kiddo and her friend to see "Nim's Island" in one of the grand auditioriums.

The picture was nothing like I had ever seen, and the sound was even better than yesterday!

This time we ate in the diner, and while it was pricey, it was pretty cool to be able to take a burger and fries into the theater and eat during the movie.

My next foray into Warren will be to visit the lounge/balcony area.

BTW, in another post yesterday, I mentioned the computer terminals. There are two on the outside, two more on the inside and there is one "covered terminal outside. When you look at the front of the building, on the north end, you will see a big sign above some doors that reads "TICKETS". It is almost like going into a walk-in ATM machine. Unfortunately, all walk-up terminals are still down and you have to go to a sales desk (inside or out) to get your tickets...even if you have pre-purchased online. Also, there were at least 7 sales reps available inside.

I'm very proud of Moore for landing this theater. Mayor Lewis said in his first bid for Mayor that he would bring a movie theater back to Moore, and he finally did. ;)

Intrepid
04-05-2008, 04:57 PM
Oh..and in response to the expansion question.....I hope not.

I am going to be selfish and say that I want this theater and experience all to myself. For years the citizens of Moore have had to drive to Timbuktu for entertainment....now it's everyone else's turn. LOL :P

donbroncho
04-05-2008, 06:46 PM
Oh..and in response to the expansion question.....I hope not.

I am going to be selfish and say that I want this theater and experience all to myself. For years the citizens of Moore have had to drive to Timbuktu for entertainment....now it's everyone else's turn. LOL :P

Yeah, you all deserve it. Moore has been sandwiched between Norman and OKC for forever...

I like how they want to make it an enjoyable experience. The theaters that I frequent like to do the bare minimum on the experience. I also saw on the news about the Warren that they will not show commercials because of the curtains in every theater. I will make the drive to this place for sure...

At least if at this theater the movie is bad, you still can enjoy going. The same cant be said of AMC at Quail Springs...

pearlbluevtx
04-05-2008, 07:48 PM
As Flinty said, I heard similar information and also the $30MIL price tag is a big one. I think Warren is betting on an entire metropolitan area draw. To me, that would mean that it will only expand when our demographics reach another level ... to spend that much $s, they have to be able to get the return so it's not like building a McD's or 7-11s every other corner.

However, I know they have THREE of these dudes in Wichita and I hear they own that market but with competition already established in OKC Metro and their central location (well, maybe Edmond'ites and NW OKC'ers might not think it's too "central") in Moore ... it seems hard to just add another one without replacing or kicking a competitor to the ground first before they would go to another okc area. Tulsa could be in play but I have no idea about that market

InTrepid - those 2 large theaters are amazing aren't they!!!


...I must say this is the nicest theater i've ever been in. Anyway just thought i'd ask if anyone hear anything about any expansion. I heard Bill Warren was at the opening yesterday so maybe someone found him and asked that question?

xpertinfun
04-05-2008, 09:36 PM
From what I heard years ago, Warren first looked to building in Bricktown before the Harkins of course. It sure would have fit the decor a little better there, But just glad it ended up where it did.....Its MUCH closer.

PS Heres the link to the article from 2003: Guess Hogan DID blow it..lol

West Warren to expand - Wichita Business Journal: (http://wichita.bizjournals.com/wichita/stories/2003/02/10/story1.html?page=2)


Warren says overall expansion plans for his company may also include a new theater in Oklahoma City's Bricktown, a redeveloped part of downtown Oklahoma City that includes a waterway, shops, restaurants and entertainment.

In January, Warren says Oklahoma City mayor Kirk Humphreys and Bricktown developer Randy Hogan visited Wichita to tour Warren's theaters and talk about plans for a similar concept in Bricktown.

"They don't have theaters like this in Oklahoma, St. Louis and Denver," Warren says.

Warren has asked Spangenberg to develop a plan for the Bricktown site, which he says would be similar to his six-screen Old Town theater scheduled to open in early June.

"We're looking at a six- to eight-auditorium theater that would have balconies and food service similar to the main auditorium at 13th and K-96," Spangenberg says. "The Oklahoma City site is integrated to sit right on the river on the edge of Bricktown. Mr. Hogan is doing a sizable development of retail and specialty shops, so we're studying how the theater could fit in."

Humphreys says he hopes Oklahoma City can make a deal work for a Warren Theatre.

metro
04-05-2008, 10:15 PM
Oh..and in response to the expansion question.....I hope not.

I am going to be selfish and say that I want this theater and experience all to myself. For years the citizens of Moore have had to drive to Timbuktu for entertainment....now it's everyone else's turn. LOL :P

So you want the entire metro to drive to Moore and possibly run down the theatre quicker and make it more crowded? If anything, you'd wish for another nice Warren or two in town and keep the one in Moore more available to a more local crowd instead of consistently packing it out from folks all over the metro.

Intrepid
04-05-2008, 10:18 PM
So you want the entire metro to drive to Moore and possibly run down the theatre quicker and make it more crowded? If anything, you'd wish for another nice Warren or two in town and keep the one in Moore more available to a more local crowd instead of consistently packing it out from folks all over the metro.

Obviously the LOL and the :P didn't fully convey the humor and sarcasm of my post as I had intended.

Everything doesn't have to be taken THAT seriously, ya know. ;)

:tiphat:

venture
04-06-2008, 10:28 AM
Went yesterday and totally enjoyed it. The food wasn't bad, the service was like nothing I've seen from any other theatre, and the quality of the presentation was just amazing. You will never see a clearer picture anywhere.

I use to go to Harkins since I can't stand the run down Hollywood in Norman, and needless to say - the days of going to Bricktown are over. There is nothing left downtown that will attract me there that is different from what I can find anywhere else (I don't get into the local sports teams outside of OU). It will be interesting to see how the other local theatres react to this.

kevinpate
04-06-2008, 11:01 AM
Provided Warren can sustain the experience aspect folks are already describing, they can expand whenever they elect, whether that's taking larger share or three in this metro market, or expanding elsewhere in state, or both.

It'll have to be a truly sustained experience though, lest 18 per chair become a special event outing rather than a first choice for seeing a movie.

I wish them well, a rising tide effect is good for the market.

Easy180
04-06-2008, 12:05 PM
So you want the entire metro to drive to Moore and possibly run down the theatre quicker and make it more crowded? If anything, you'd wish for another nice Warren or two in town and keep the one in Moore more available to a more local crowd instead of consistently packing it out from folks all over the metro.

Yep...I enjoy the fact that we have the nicest theater by far in the entire state....Make the northsiders burn all that gas for a change

Karried
04-06-2008, 12:17 PM
Sounds like a nice experience.. I'm wondering though if the waitresses and people eating around you while you're watching a movie isn't distracting?
:Smiley171

I get distracted if someone has a rustling popcorn bag!


Make the northsiders burn all that gas for a change

I think a lot of Northsiders might save their gas and stick to their private Theater rooms ... j/k

I just knew there would have to be a Northside/Southside rivalry coming soon! I couldn't let it slide! :Smiley233 lol - I'm just playing with you Easy!

I'm happy for Moore residents ... good for you to get a movie theater. Enjoy!

Easy180
04-06-2008, 12:25 PM
Sounds like a nice experience.. I'm wondering though if the waitresses and people eating around you while you're watching a movie isn't distracting?
:Smiley171

I get distracted if someone has a rustling popcorn bag!



I think a lot of Northsiders might save their gas and stick to their private Theater rooms ... j/k

I just knew there would have to be a Northside/Southside rivalry coming soon! I couldn't let it slide! :Smiley233 lol - I'm just playing with you Easy!

I'm happy for Moore residents ... good for you to get a movie theater. Enjoy!

Good one karried!

Please come on down and spend some of that northside cash at the Warren and the world famous Furr's next door :welcome55

Clock4869
04-06-2008, 01:38 PM
To be honest sometimes it was a little distracting when the waiters/waitresses would walk by with food or take orders.... or when you would have to close your bill which would kind of detract from the movie(don't get me wrong they try to be discreet, but it's hard not to be slightly disruptive)... but the overall experience outweighed that easily and obviously they set themselves apart by offering this service anyway which is pretty neat...

Intrepid
04-06-2008, 02:19 PM
To be honest sometimes it was a little distracting when the waiters/waitresses would walk by with food or take orders.... or when you would have to close your bill which would kind of detract from the movie(don't get me wrong they try to be discreet, but it's hard not to be slightly disruptive)... but the overall experience outweighed that easily and obviously they set themselves apart by offering this service anyway which is pretty neat...

Outta curiosity, could you not just close it out when the movie is over?

Karried
04-06-2008, 02:53 PM
That reminds me of Dolly Pardon's Christmas Extravaganza in Myrtle Beach.. it was the most beautiful live Nativity scene, just awesome and I was really getting into it .... and these people walk up with flashlights and try to sell us our group pictures right in the middle of the best part! I bought some just to make them go away. Ugh. I thought that sort of ruined the show for me.

Intrepid
04-06-2008, 03:23 PM
That reminds me of Dolly Pardon's Christmas Extravaganza in Myrtle Beach.. it was the most beautiful live Nativity scene, just awesome and I was really getting into it .... and these people walk up with flashlights and try to sell us our group pictures right in the middle of the best part! I bought some just to make them go away. Ugh. I thought that sort of ruined the show for me.


Was Dolly playing the role of Mary?? ;)

Clock4869
04-06-2008, 03:30 PM
Outta curiosity, could you not just close it out when the movie is over?

I'm not sure about that. I guess you would have to mention it to the waiter/waitress before the movie and tell them not to disturb you with the check until afterwards... personally i think i would just rather do it in the last 15 minutes or so of the movie so that i can leave after it's over so i don't have to hang around... but it is a little distracting.. i'm not complaining though.. i like the whole concept and the idea i can eat a more or less restaurant quality meal while watching a movie.. so i guess the tradeoff is worth it.. i'm sure there might be some that would feel this is way more distracting than others..

Ginkasa
04-06-2008, 03:53 PM
It would have been better if they were chosen for Bricktown, but we all know Hogan doesn't like quality projects...


'Cause Harkins Theatres is such a crap hole [/end sarcasm]

Intrepid
04-06-2008, 04:05 PM
To be honest sometimes it was a little distracting when the waiters/waitresses would walk by with food or take orders.... or when you would have to close your bill which would kind of detract from the movie(don't get me wrong they try to be discreet, but it's hard not to be slightly disruptive)... but the overall experience outweighed that easily and obviously they set themselves apart by offering this service anyway which is pretty neat...

If I may ask, what did you eat/drink and what was the tab? I'm just trying to get an idea of what they have to offer and what the prices are like.

:tiphat:

Intrepid
04-06-2008, 04:08 PM
Oh...and another thing about the diner that I almost forgot.

When we got our drinks, we were given the smallest cup that was simply a white styrofoam cup, and it wasn't all that small. The nice thing is that in the diner, there's "all you can drink", with self-service fountains. As a test, I left the movie once and went to the diner to get a refill and then returned to the movie. Had no problems at all.

BG918
04-06-2008, 04:18 PM
Maybe this will get Harkins in Bricktown to provide some of the same services or renovate? I don't like that the nicest theater in the Metro is in Moore. Nothing against Moore but where it's located in Moore: by a giant parking lot next to I-35. When Moore finally gets a commuter rail stop in downtown they will wish they would've built it there, or at least close. There is a huge empty lot on the south side of 4th by the tracks in Moore, that would've been a better site IMO.

Ginkasa
04-06-2008, 04:19 PM
There's rumors that the Cine Capri's screen will be enlarged, but that's all there is and all I'd expect.

Spartan
04-06-2008, 11:19 PM
The only expansion plans for Warren in Oklahoma are to build a theater in the Jenks area. I believe it will go into the Tulsa Hills development off US 75 but they could have moved it to some other project.

sgt. pepper
04-07-2008, 08:26 AM
Yes, Tulsa has to get whatever OKC gets. Tulsa is always playing catch up w/ OKC.

Spartan
04-07-2008, 09:35 AM
They got an IMAX theatre ten years ago and hey, at least they have some Fudd's locations. WE don't have a single one. Oh and they also have a Saks, we don't quite have that, plus a Fleming's, yeah we don't have that either. Same goes for Wild Oats on Brookside, although their Wild Oats will be nicer once they finish up this alleged renovation of it. Whole Foods is proposed to go in next to Barnes & Noble in the CityPlex parking lot.

They do have everything we have, though, i.e., Cheesecake Factory.

metro
04-07-2008, 02:48 PM
Landing a few chain restaurants that we don't have IMO is not necessarily a win. I'm sure we have several chain restaurants they don't have (although I do like Fuddruckers). Their Saks isn't all that great and not a full fledged store. Wild Oats on the other hand, yes OKC would like to have one or something similar besides Akins.

Spartan
04-07-2008, 03:24 PM
I'm sure we have several chain restaurants they don't have (although I do like Fuddruckers).

Nope, not a single one in a few weeks once Toby Keith's opens up in Catoosa. Although Fudd's is for sure one thing we can definitely agree on my friend.

okclee
04-07-2008, 03:44 PM
Nope, not a single one in a few weeks once Toby Keith's opens up in Catoosa. Although Fudd's is for sure one thing we can definitely agree on my friend.



Without putting much thought into this, does Tulsa have a BJ's Brewhouse??

BJ's Restaurants (http://www.bjsrestaurants.com/locations.aspx?qst=ok)

Or an Old Chicago??

Old Chicago Website (http://www.oldchicago.com/RockBottomWeb/OC/index.aspx?PageName=/RockBottomWeb/OC/LocationFinder.ascx&SectionName=Root.LocationFinder)

Spartan
04-07-2008, 03:58 PM
No, there is no BJ's in Tulsa but El Paso, Temple, McAllen, and Amarillo have locations. I'm sure those are the kinds of places that highly-coveted establishments like Fleming's, Sak's, Cheesecake Factory, et all locate. Old Chicago is building in Owasso and there's one proposed to go in BA. And as for the Sak's at Utica Square being an undersized store.. if you've ever been in it, it still is better than Dillard's and Macy's. The developer of The River District which just broke ground last month in Jenks has named Crate and Barrel and Nordstrom's as retailers that he's been in talks with. I also heard something about a Ruth's Chris' Steakhouse on the river.

The Utica Sak's the only authorized retailer of Armani merchandise in the State of Oklahoma at the moment, although that will probably change fairly soon.

sgt. pepper
04-07-2008, 04:09 PM
It would be nice if OKC could get a Hard Rock Cafe.

kevinpate
04-07-2008, 04:47 PM
It would be nice if OKC could get a Hard Rock Cafe.

Nah, not unless the one in New Orleans is an abberation in the chain. I found it to be the typical reasonably tasty, though somewhat overpriced, generic grub one gets when you're surrounded by someone's themed stuff. Some of which can be impressive, some of which simply is not.

Give me a House of Blues on the level of the one in ATL's Underground anyday.

okclee
04-07-2008, 04:54 PM
No, there is no BJ's in Tulsa but El Paso, Temple, McAllen, and Amarillo have locations. I'm sure those are the kinds of places that highly-coveted establishments like Fleming's, Sak's, Cheesecake Factory, et all locate.

So what is your point??

You stated so confidently that Okc didn't have a single chain restaurant that Tulsa did not have, and you were wrong.

metro
04-08-2008, 09:00 AM
I know, there are probably dozens we have Tulsa doesn't and vice versa. Doesn't really mean anything though.

kevinpate
04-08-2008, 09:07 AM
As long as we've already hijacked the thread, I wonder if some legislator in the Tulsa area will want to rename the Arkansas river along the Riverwalk portion so it won't be left to the OKC area to bear such an 'honor' alone

MikeLucky
04-08-2008, 09:37 AM
No, there is no BJ's in Tulsa but El Paso, Temple, McAllen, and Amarillo have locations. I'm sure those are the kinds of places that highly-coveted establishments like Fleming's, Sak's, Cheesecake Factory, et all locate. Old Chicago is building in Owasso and there's one proposed to go in BA. And as for the Sak's at Utica Square being an undersized store.. if you've ever been in it, it still is better than Dillard's and Macy's. The developer of The River District which just broke ground last month in Jenks has named Crate and Barrel and Nordstrom's as retailers that he's been in talks with. I also heard something about a Ruth's Chris' Steakhouse on the river.

The Utica Sak's the only authorized retailer of Armani merchandise in the State of Oklahoma at the moment, although that will probably change fairly soon.

Wow, I had NO IDEA that tulsa was so much better than OKC..... A Fleming's you say?????? Wow...... Tulsa almost has a Nordstrom's and Crate and Barrel?????? Well, next time I need a overpriced scarf or a wedding gift, it's almost UP I-44 for me!!!!!!