Monday, June 15, 2015

Carmike Double Feature Coming Soon to Snellville?

Click to enlarge 
"Dine-In" Theater planned for Snellville

Columbus, Georgia-based Carmike Cinemas is (again) planning a new movie theater in Snellville. Originally announced in March 2013 as a thirteen screen movie theater, the project was "nixed" by November of the same year.

Now, documents obtained by ToNeTo Atlanta reveal plans are again underway to bring a new theater to the area. The new eleven screen "Ovation" cinema will offer a "Dine-In" experience.  The new theater with have wait staff and feature luxury seating that will allow patrons to order from touch screen menus before or during the movie. The roughly 54,000 square foot theater will be built to the left of Hobby Lobby in the 1200 block of Scenic Highway at Snellville Exchange. 

Carmike has been enhancing existing theaters and opening new ones that offer more food and beverage options in an effort to attract more moviegoers.  Birmingham, Alabama-based Cobb Theatres and their CineBistro concept are seen by many in the industry as the benchmark operation in the "Dine-In" segment.  CineBistro has seven locations including one in Atlanta at TOWN Brookhaven, and an eighth slated to open this summer in Cary, North Carolina.   


A twelve screen theater that Carmike opened in 1999 in Athens closed last August.  After remaining closed for months, work began earlier this year to convert the older theater to the company's new "Ovation" banner.  Slated to open later this summer, the theater was completely gutted and rebuilt to include a higher quality movie experience as well as enhanced food and drink options.   To allow for the enhancements and dine-in service, each auditorium became slightly smaller but the number of theaters will reportedly stay the same.  

It's worth noting that Knoxville, Tennessee-based Regal Entertainment Group also operates in the area.  About four miles from the new Carmike Cinemas, Regal operates their Regal Snellville Oaks 14 on East Main Street.  Given its proximity to the upcoming theater, it's likely that they will be in a "split market" where they must share blockbuster films. Essentially, this policy prevents one theater from receiving every blockbuster film and instead sharing them on a rotation. For example, if Carmike were to get the latest Avengers film, perhaps Regal would receive the next Marvel film. 

The new Snellville theater will likely lead to the eventual closure of nearby Carmike 12 in Presidential Markets shopping center.  Representatives from both The Shopping Center Group, (who handles Presidential Markets leasing on behalf of owner Equity One) and Carmike Cinemas, deny  closure is imminent, but industry sources believe it is likely. The most probable outcome would be one in which Carmike continues to operate the Presidential Markets theater but with "second run" films at reduced prices, if both theaters are open at the same time.  When the lease expires at Presidential Markets, which reportedly will happen in less than three years, it's likely that will mark the end of Carmike at Presidential Markets unless a replacement tenant is found sooner to take over the lease. 

Interestingly, AMC Theaters continues to operate two theaters off North Point Parkway in Alpharetta.  One, AMC Mansell Crossing 14, operates in a stand alone building on North Point Parkway. The second, AMC North Point Mall 12, was added in 2013 and operates on mall property that was once the Parisian department store.  With the closure of Regal's 8 screen theater across the street from the mall, AMC basically controls the market.   

Current projections have Carmike Snellville "Ovation" 11 opening sometime in the first half of 2016.  


In addition to the Carmike Cinemas, a 55,000 square foot Hobby Lobby is already open in Snellville Exchange. Currently under construction in the center are a 15,000 square foot La-Z-Boy store as well as a 52,000 square foot Gander Mountain sports and outdoors store.

Snellville Exchange is located slightly north of The Shoppes at Webb Gin (fka The Avenue Webb Gin) and the upcoming Scenic Promenade center.  

13 comments:

Ham said...

Obviously with the ever increasing cost of going to the movies and the proliferation of home entertainment options theater companies are looking for a new hook and I suppose they think dining is the trick. I’ll wait and see how it all works out, but to me it sounds like a needless distraction.

BW said...

A couple of things to note...

A) Snellville Exchange is actually in unincorporated Gwinnett with a Lawrenceville address and zip code despite the shopping center name. It's located about equal distance from both cities' limits, so I'm surprised neither has made a land grab for it and tried to annex a path to eventually grabbing it and the adjacent Shoppes at Webb Gin.

B) Carmike 12 at Presidential Markets and Regal Snellville Oaks 14 are currently operating with a split market agreement...I wonder if Carmike Ovation 11 will be exempt from that split market agreement since it's technically in Lawrenceville (30044) versus Snellville (30078) like the other two theatres. I also wonder if the dine-in component will exempt Ovation 11 from any split market agreement with Regal 14 or the existing Carmike 12 since they're technically providing a different product and price point than the two existing theatres.

C) The far right outparcel in your site plan for Snellville Exchange is shown as a future Jim N Nick's BBQ restaurant on more recent marketing packages from the leasing company: http://dartretail.com/properties/SnellvilleExchange

Anonymous said...

Will ya take a gander at the size of that parking lot? I hope in 20 years, we look back at parking lots like that and laugh as they are destroyed.

Anonymous said...

Perhaps a story stays up until it achieves at least 5 comments?

Ok, so here is number 4.

Anonymous said...

And here is number 5.

Thank you.

Anonymous said...

And here is 5.

Anonymous said...

Good news for Snellville area movie goers. It will be nice not to have to travel to surrounding communities to see a movie in a clean and updated theater. Our family refuses to patronize Regal Oaks and the current Carmike is aging and no room to expand. Refuse to spend big bucks to sit in a grimy, sticky theater. Snellville officials need to find a way to get rid of the extended stay motel near the current Carmike.

Anonymous said...

Ok, so they have controlling mindset Hobby Lobby and high ass Lazy-Boy and now they are opening a theater. There needs to be something else more inviting there. Like something for kids to perhaps play at Dave and Buster's, Catch Air something.

Anonymous said...

Rumor is that Cabana Grill in Snellville will be converted into Pollo Tropical, apparently owned by the same company. Pollo Tropical had abandoned a potential site at Scenic Hwy & Dogwood Rd. Krispy Kreme was also to be built on that same parcel, any idea if they (KK) have nixed Snellville all together?

Unknown said...

A dine in theatre will be great in Snellville. You won't have to drive to Movie Tavern or Cinebistro in Brookhaven anymore !

Unknown said...

Can we apply early?

Anonymous said...

Any insight into how the AMC purchase of Carmike will affect this theater?
Also Jim & Nick's BBQ has started construction at the outparcel near the traffic light / in front of
Gander Mountain.

Atlantan99 said...

@Anon RE: AMC / Carmike merger,

The merger has not yet been finalized and may not happen as Carmike shareholders have been quite vocal in their opposition of the deal. That being said, I'm told the theater is expected to open as a Carmike branded theater, and should open by early September.

Thanks for your comments and readership.

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