AMC Mainstreet gets new operator: Alamo Drafthouse

The AMC Mainstreet 6 in Downtown Kansas City is switching operators.
Alamo Drafthouse, a movie theater operator based in Austin, Texas, announced this weekend that it was taking over the theater, which AMC Entertainment Inc. opened in the Kansas City Power & Light District in 2009.
The announcement didn’t say when the takeover will happen and provided few details of planned changes to the theater, which also includes screens with full food and drink options.
“For the time being, the Mainstreet will continue to operate business-as-usual on its own while signature Alamo touches are implemented — touches like our ad-free custom preshows, ironclad no-talking/no-texting policy, and the elimination of the traditional front row for a better viewing experience,” the company said on its website.
AMC officials said they were not legally able to discuss the change yet.
The Alamo website did say it planned to keep the theater’s interior bar, which it will rename The Chesterfield Club and emphasize Kansas City’s jazz history, with dancing and live entertainment.
The Mainstreet is jointly operated by AMC and The Cordish Co. Last year, AMC CEO Gerry Lopez said his company and Cordish were in arbitration proceedings because the two differed on the theater’s future.
Two weeks ago, Lopez said the joint venture was coming to an end but provided few details. Neither side has said what will happen to the Midland by AMC, a downtown theater and concert location that’s also part of the joint venture.
Alamo is known for its unusual programming, including nights devoted to cult hits of the 1980s and 1990s, action movies where the audience gets free cap guns, movies paired with wine tastings, and events where the audience is encouraged to yell out favorite movie lines or make fun of the film.
The company has 18 locations opened or under construction in Texas, Virginia, California, Colorado and New York. It also has a mobile unit that holds screenings on a portable projection system throughout the country and overseas.
It has set up a Facebook page to update plans for Mainstreet.