Grab your popcorn. New movie theater opens Thursday
Moviegoers hoping to catch the latest blockbuster in the Tri-Cities will have 10 more screens to choose from starting Thursday.
Fairchild Cinemas is opening its fourth location — Southgate 10 — with the much-anticipated sequel, “Frozen II,” and a true story about Mister Rogers, “Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood.”
And the Frozen sequel stars Tony Award-winning Richland High grad Santino Fontana as evil Prince Hans.
The Kennewick theater is featuring four flicks on opening day.
And while people can make walk-up ticket purchases at the box office starting at 11 a.m., it appears from the theater’s website that the first showtime isn’t until 6 p.m.
“We are on the home stretch,” Mamie Gale, Fairchild Cinemas’ general manager, said Wednesday morning during a sneak peek of the movie house. “Over the last couple days, we’ve had dozens of people here working feverishly so that we can pull it all together and be open by Thursday morning.”
Online ticket sales at www. fairchildcinemas.com began Tuesday afternoon.
Gale didn’t have an updated number, but said they already had sold at least 700 tickets through Sunday for opening weekend.
Ticket prices range from $12.50 for seniors over age 60 and children ages 2 to 11, and $13.50 for adults. Matinee shows before 6 p.m. are $11.50 for all ages.
Tickets for “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” don’t go on sale until Dec. 3. The final installment hits theaters Dec. 20.
Theater in each city
Fairchild Cinemas, owned by Lisa and Jeff Fairchild of Kennewick, now has a movie house in each of the Tri-Cities, along with one in Moses Lake.
However, the 2823 S. Quillan St. location is the second in Kennewick. It joins AMC CLASSIC Kennewick 12, 1380 N. Louisiana St., near the Columbia Center mall.
Regal Cinemas used to have an eight-screen theater at the mall. It closed in July 2018 and was gutted to make way for Dick’s Sporting Goods.
Since Fairchild turned on its marquee lights at night, motorists have been seen driving slowly past the theater to check on its progress.
Gale said Southridge 10 near Walmart is very similar to their Richland property, Queensgate 12, with reclining leather seats and alcohol and food available for purchase.
The Kennewick theater may have two fewer screens, but “the difference in the screen size ... is great,” she said.
Seven feet was added to each auditorium, which resulted in more seats and larger screens, she said.
Additionally, Southridge Cinema is using new laser projectors versus the bulb projects at its sister locations.
“We’re really excited for the public to see just how fantastic these projectors are,” said Gale.
The two Dolby Atmos theaters seat about 170 people. Beer, wine and cocktails purchased in the lobby will not be allowed in those theaters due to Washington law restrictions.
The smaller auditoriums seat 80 to 95.
This story was originally published November 20, 2019 at 4:34 PM.