KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Mainstreet 6 movie theater in the Power & Light District is getting a new operator, and a new way of doing business.
AMC Entertainment Inc. says that it will cease operating the theater at 14th and Main Street in Downtown on Wednesday, clearing the way for Texas-based Alamo Drafthouse Cinema to take over control of the theater.
The move comes after months of negotiations between AMC and The Cordish Co., which manages the Power & Light District. Those negotiations ended with Cordish acquiring AMC’s interest in the Mainstreet Theater. Cordish will also be taking over management of the nearby Midland Theater from AMC.
The Mainstreet Theater was first built as the Empire Theater, a 3,200 capacity vaudeville house in 1921, and recently underwent a $30 million renovation that culminated in its reopening in 2009 as a joint venture between Cordish and AMC.
Founded in Austin by CEO Tim League, Alamo has carved out a niche in the theater industry with its unique film programming, full dining service at each theater seat, star-studded special events and film festivals and zero-tolerance attitude toward texting and talking during movies.
