Not a bad seat in the house
There will be little to spoil a night at the movies at Signature Theatres' new Stadium 14 Cinema, which is opening today at Hutton Ranch Plaza in Kalispell.
Tall people won't feel cramped, with each seat's 45 inches of leg room allowing space to stretch out, and with the seats on risers, no child will ever have the screen blocked by the head of an adult.
Couples more enamored of each other than what's on the screen can push back the armrest and snuggle to their hearts' content.
And if someone has to skip dinner to make it to a show, the expansive concessions menu means they don't have to settle for an evening meal of popcorn and candy.
"There's nothing better than this anywhere in Montana, no question about it," Phil Harris, managing partner of Signature Theatres, said.
Almost a year in the making, the 45,000 square-foot Stadium 14 is a state-of-the-art replacement for Kalispell's Gateway Cinemas, the Liberty and the Strand theaters, all owned by Signature.
Seating capacity is 2,200 total, with 14 screening rooms ranging from 230 to 80 seats each. With their plush cushioning, high backs and rocking movement, the seats themselves offer comfort akin to that of a personal recliner.
The sound in each auditorium is Dolby digital, with speakers behind the screen and surrounding the seating area. Each screen stretches across the width of the room.
Harris, who has been part of the creation of 15 stadium-theater complexes, predicts the $12 million Kalispell project is special enough to draw people who haven't experienced big-screen movies in a while.
"We've found that to be the case in any market we've been in," Harris said.
When stadium theaters were first introduced by AMC in 1995 with the Grand 24 in Dallas, Harris said many people in the business thought they were "crazy," spending so much money per square foot purely for the comfort level of their patrons.
"But this was something people had never seen, and they would drive 125 miles, past their neighborhood theaters, just to go there," he said. "Then everyone built stadiums."
Harris said his company hasn't constructed anything but stadium theaters since 1995 and converted many traditional multiplexes into stadium formats. Signature has since sold off 309 screens in California, Hawaii and Montana to Regal, and now owns operations only in Kalispell and Bellevue, Wash.
Harris took a personal interest in the Stadium 14 project. Two years ago he moved to Kalispell after spending his life in California.
"Since I live here, this one was really important to me," Harris said. "Pride of ownership is important to me."
The building has some Montana touches that aren't seen in his other projects, Harris said. Cedar beams frame indirect lighting in the halls and posters for soon-to-be-released films. Rock work adorns the exterior and the spacious lobby.
The heart of the lobby is the large concessions area. Hot dogs, Polish dogs and pizza will be available, as well as nachos with cheese sauce made from scratch, and McConnell's premium ice cream, sold in cups.
Even with all the extras, the price of admission will be only 25 cents more than at the old Kalispell venues, with regular adult tickets sold at $8. The price has increased 50 cents for seniors, children and matinees, at $6 a ticket.
"People told me they thought we'd be raising prices to $11 or $12," Harris said. "We're a little more sensitive to the market than that."
Whether the Signature movie slate expands to include more independent or arthouse-type offerings is more up to the film companies than Signature, Harris said. Currently, independent films are almost always tested in the bigger markets, and then either are withdrawn from distribution or expanded.
Sometimes, Harris said, it works best to run less-mainstream fare as part of a special series. This approach, managed with the assistance of a local art society, has worked in the past for Signature, he said.
Harris hasn't heard anyone lamenting the demise of the other three properties and for now Signature is holding onto the facilities. There are no immediate plans for either the Gateway or the Strand; the Liberty will be converted into a performing arts center.
Reporter Heidi Gaiser may be reached at 758-4431 or by e-mail at hgaiser@dailyinterlake.com