Work is well underway for Showbiz Cinemas, a 12-screen theater with 18 bowling alleys, an arcade, restaurant and bar.

The City of Edmond gave the company and the project's developers $4.8 million in sales tax rebate incentives.

You can see in the photos the theater auditoriums are starting to take shape.

The project is immediately adjacent to the new Edmond Convention Center and hotel on the north side of Covell between I-35 and Sooner road.



http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/showbizcinema4.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/showbizcinema6.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/showbiz052818a.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/showbiz052818b.jpg

Is that Edmond's "official" convention center or just a general "hotel and convention center"?

If official, they missed an opportunity with their currently bustling and growing downtown.

Is that Edmond's "official" convention center or just a general "hotel and convention center"?

If official, they missed an opportunity with their currently bustling and growing downtown.

It is their official convention center.

It was a collaborative effort with the City of Edmond.

Is the gorilla going to be singing lead vocals on the main stage?

I so miss Showbiz Pizza!

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/showbiz100618a.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/showbiz100618b.jpg

Do you know when it will open?

Do you know when it will open?

I haven't heard a date but by the looks of construction, I'd say maybe March next year.

I haven't heard a date but by the looks of construction, I'd say maybe March next year.

I had heard they were shooting for the holiday season, but with our wet summer they fell behind quite a bit.

I haven't heard a date but by the looks of construction, I'd say maybe March next year.

My understanding is mid December. Looks unlikely but that is the target opening projection.

Looking at other Showbiz locations it appears ticket prices are slightly higher than Tinseltown but cheaper than AMC or the Warren/Regal.

I see only 10 screens (not 12) in the blueprint.

https://kfor.com/2018/12/13/grand-opening-postponed-for-new-edmond-theater/

SHOWBIZ CINEMAS TO RAISE WALLS OF EDMOND BOWLING, MOVIES AND MORE! ENTERTAINMENT CENTER THIS WEEK

This ShowBiz Cinemas Bowling, Movies and More! Entertainment Center is scheduled to open to the public by Thanksgiving 2018 and will feature 14 boutique bowling lanes; a lane side café with expansive food and drink options; 10 state-of-the art movie screens with electric leather recliner seating; full bar with beer, wine and cocktails; cutting edge modern arcade with redemption center; multiple party rooms for every occasion; and an SDX, Superior Digital Experience, auditorium featuring a 70-foot, wall- to-wall, ceiling-to-floor screen, 4K digital projection and immersive Dolby Atmos surround sound.

MoJo's Rock 'n Bowl Grill in Stillwater featured 4 bowling lanes. But from the lack of business that restaurant had to close after a two year try. Maybe the food was more at fault than the appeal of the bowling. But can Edmond support 14 bowling lanes?

They pushed the opening to Tuesday Dec. 18th, with the Chuck Norris VIP thing the night before:

https://www.okgazette.com/oklahoma/thats-entertainment/Content?oid=5272300

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/showbiz121218a.jpg

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/showbiz121218b.jpg

MoJo's Rock 'n Bowl Grill in Stillwater featured 4 bowling lanes. But from the lack of business that restaurant had to close after a two year try. Maybe the food was more at fault than the appeal of the bowling. But can Edmond support 14 bowling lanes?

i just question how developments like this work in the Age of Netflix. i can't even remember the last time i went to the movies. must have been like 2012.

i just question how developments like this work in the Age of Netflix. i can't even remember the last time i went to the movies. must have been like 2012.

That explains why you question it. The movie theaters are packed, especially with the monthly blockbusters DisMarvLucas has been putting out lately. Lots of folks don't want to wait for a movie to finally hit Netflix, and the fracturing of publisher owned streaming services (Such as Disney's new one they're starting), mean that lots of the big movies won't end up on Netflix at all. There may be a critical mass moment where people get sick of paying for multiple providers.

As for the viability question... I think a restaurant in Stillwater isn't even apple to oranges to an entertainment complex in Edmond. Main event does very well, and doesn't have the theaters. The Warren, Harkins, AMC, and such don't seem to be hurting. This will be for a bit the only high end theater complex in Edmond, and will pull folks from Jones, Arcadia, Wellston, Guthrie, etc, in addition to folks in Edmond, plus the UCO crowd. My college age son does a movie night almost weekly, and ends up bowling or something afterwords. He's already been talking about him and his friends being excited to have the variety of options in one facility.

If we end up with a Warren off of 122nd, and another theater along Memorial, we might end up seeing some saturation issues, but the AMC at Quail is aging (poorly IMO), and Showbiz is getting a head start on other theaters. I'm also interested in checking out their big screen. At 70 ft, it will be one of the largest screens in the state, I believe (and I think the largest in the metro).

I do wonder how long Kickingbird cinemas will hold on.

i just question how developments like this work in the Age of Netflix. i can't even remember the last time i went to the movies. must have been like 2012.
Movies theatres are alive and well with box offices reporting record profits. I personally hate Netflix and don’t see the appeal of it. Tried watching it the other night and you had to scroll through like 20 films just to find a decent one.

That explains why you question it. The movie theaters are packed, especially with the monthly blockbusters DisMarvLucas has been putting out lately. Lots of folks don't want to wait for a movie to finally hit Netflix, and the fracturing of publisher owned streaming services (Such as Disney's new one they're starting), mean that lots of the big movies won't end up on Netflix at all. There may be a critical mass moment where people get sick of paying for multiple providers.

As for the viability question... I think a restaurant in Stillwater isn't even apple to oranges to an entertainment complex in Edmond. Main event does very well, and doesn't have the theaters. The Warren, Harkins, AMC, and such don't seem to be hurting. This will be for a bit the only high end theater complex in Edmond, and will pull folks from Jones, Arcadia, Wellston, Guthrie, etc, in addition to folks in Edmond, plus the UCO crowd. My college age son does a movie night almost weekly, and ends up bowling or something afterwords. He's already been talking about him and his friends being excited to have the variety of options in one facility.

If we end up with a Warren off of 122nd, and another theater along Memorial, we might end up seeing some saturation issues, but the AMC at Quail is aging (poorly IMO), and Showbiz is getting a head start on other theaters. I'm also interested in checking out their big screen. At 70 ft, it will be one of the largest screens in the state, I believe (and I think the largest in the metro).

I do wonder how long Kickingbird cinemas will hold on.

Netflix has pretty much peaked at this point. It's going to be extremely difficult to get affordable content with other on demand streaming services and Amazon has bigger pockets to develop new original content. Their just now opening up their pocket book.

The movie theaters are packed, especially with the monthly blockbusters DisMarvLucas has been putting out lately. Lots of folks don't want to wait for a movie to finally hit Netflix, and the fracturing of publisher owned streaming services (Such as Disney's new one they're starting), mean that lots of the big movies won't end up on Netflix at all. There may be a critical mass moment where people get sick of paying for multiple providers.


The movie theater sure wasn't packed with I went to see Bohemian Rhapsody. I suppose you have to go at the right times to find those places packed.

The movie theater sure wasn't packed with I went to see Bohemian Rhapsody. I suppose you have to go at the right times to find those places packed.

Ah, the debate of anecdotal experience vs actual box office numbers and revenues.

Ah, the debate of anecdotal experience vs actual box office numbers and revenues.

Also depends on where you go. We go weekly to AMC crossroads and if there are 20-30 people in the theater.....it is crowded for them. The same movie at Penn Sq or Warren would be packed and 2 or 2.5 times the price.

It looks like it will be a nice facility. We would be all over it, if we were younger.

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/showbiz121418.jpg

Sticking purely to that example, it made close to 6x its budget in box office. Seems like movies are doing fine.

Anybody know how the SDX screen size (70ft) compares to whatever the Warren/AMC/Harkins equivalent is?

Harkins Ciné Capri is 70x30, so sounds about the same. I think this is going to be pretty typical for most "premium large format" screens.

It's a great facility for Edmond. We went to the VIP night and were really impressed. No longer having to drive out of town for a decent movie experience will make a lot of people happy.

I'm surprised that it's taken this long for Edmond to get a movie theater. The only other option is the oldish Kickingbird Cinema.

I stopped by and watched Spiderman in SDX. Maybe it's unique to this weekend, but I also found it odd that there are no movies showing in SDX this weekend?

Everything in general is cheaper relative to AMC/Warren. Didn't go too deep in the arcade, but it looked like it geared for teen/adult games more than kids. Bowling alley looked nice, and there wasn't any issues hearing bowling noises while in the theater.

Popcorn/drinks are cheaper than AMC. However, unless you get the souvenir bucket there are no refills. In addition the sizes are smaller. Chairs are more comfy than the renovated AMC chairs. I haven't seen a movie in the AMC dolby option, yet. Catching Aquaman on Friday at Quail and can compare later. For now I'll probably stick it out with AMC cause it's closer to me.

Thanks for review. It sounds like a great get for Edmond! Hopefully the area around it infills sooner rather than later.

They have closed again.

They have closed again.

yep they closed at the end of the day on July 7th

Hopefully they'll be able to open after this Pandemic. Fauci saying at least another year, so they probably ain't going to make it. Sad deal all around.