Have you ever read reports from Butt-Numb-A-Thon or Fantastic Fest or any special screening at Austin, Texas’ Alamo Drafthouse and said to yourself, ‘I wish there was one of those near me’?
This is your lucky day. Tim League, who founded the Alamo in 1997, has returned to his role as CEO of the larger brand. League stepped down five years ago when he sold the company, retaining ownership of three theaters in Austin. Over those five years Tim has really finessed and fine tuned what the Alamo experience is, creating a brand that is known nationally. And now it will be going national.
See, that’s Tim’s dream for the Alamo – to rewrite the movie-going experience in a town near you. That’s the big deal about his ascension to CEO, that he’s going to bring the Alamo – with its great food, fun programming and strict no-talking policy – to your city.
I don’t know what Tim’s timeline is, but I hope it’s aggressive. And I hope that Los Angeles is one of his first destinations.
Here’s the complete press release:
(Austin, Texas)—The creator of what Texas Monthly has dubbed “the most important film festival in America” announces he is returning to his starring role as CEO of the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema brand, effective immediately. Tim League, founder of the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema and mastermind behind the nationally acclaimed Fantastic Fest film festival, will assume brand and creative leadership for the company after a five-year hiatus. He will replace former Alamo Drafthouse CEO John Martin. Martin is transitioning to the role of area developer and plans to continue the expansion of the concept outside of Texas.
Brand expansion has been a key growth strategy for Alamo Drafthouse Cinema since League founded the concept in 1997. Opening as a single-screen theater in downtown Austin, Texas, the company has grown to include nine locations throughout Austin, San Antonio, Houston, Texas and Winchester, Va., for a combined total of 55 screens with an average unit sales volume of $5.8 million per location. Average weekly same-store-sales grew 11.5% in 2009 versus 2008. Named best theater in America by Entertainment Weekly, the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema built a reputation not only by combining food and drink service with the movie-going experience, but also introducing unique programming and high-profile, star-studded special events.
And it’s those special events—such as the fantasy, horror and genre-driven film festival Fantastic Fest—that League hopes to give more national play.
“We are looking at expanding some of the signature programming that has been developed over the past few years in Austin and expanding it to our franchised locations,” League says. “There is the possibility of expanding programming opportunities and leveraging those events in new markets.”
League, 39, sold the company in 2004, but retained ownership and operation of three Alamo Drafthouse locations in Austin.
“When I decided to sell the company in 2004, I was more focused on the hands-on development of programming, preshow entertainment and the nuances of the Alamo experience. I have since grown the infrastructure of my creative team, and I feel ready to share the results of our Austin ‘incubator’ with the rest of the country,” he says.
In returning to his role as CEO, he will oversee the programming, creative vision and the next wave of expansion for the company. Currently, Alamo Drafthouse has additional locations under development in San Antonio and Austin and is actively seeking expansion beyond Texas and Virginia.
“The Alamo Drafthouse has a unique operating strategy different from any other exhibitor in the market today,” League says. “We have a direct relationship with our audiences, are intolerant of advertisements before movies, offer fresh food and demand technical excellence. I envision the Alamo Drafthouse making a significant change in what it means to go the movies.”
The new CEO adds that there has never been a more opportune time for his return to the company spotlight—especially since the movie industry clocked a record year of $10.6 billion tickets sales in 2009. His new role will allow him to capitalize on a fresh-styled cinema experience that is fun and, well—fantastic.
“The time is right to expand the Alamo brand and its unique programming to the appropriate markets across the United States,” League says.
The Alamo Drafthouse Cinema is currently seeking qualified franchise area-development partners in select markets. For more information about Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, please visit www.drafthouse.com.
36 comments
Try The Astor, in Melbourne, Australia.
It is a great cinema which shows double cult-classics across each year.
You can check it out here: http://www.astor-theatre.com
I can be followed at @pberttq on Twitter, if needed; but the Astor Crew should provide enough marketing! 😀
It sounds like In N' Out Burger is coming to Texas, so this is a fair trade.
this continues what has been a day full of good news for me.
LA gets all of the good stuff when it comes to movies to begin with. Time to start catering to your bread and butter and bring stuff like this more into the Midwest.
Eating junk and greasy food while watching a movie? No thanks. I´m sure it´s a lot of fun maybe once or twice, but…i´ll stick with the popcorn.
for the love of all thats good and true open one up here in DFW
I would love to get excited about this, but since there won't be am Alamo Drafthouse in Charlotte, Nc until 2045, all I can say is Bleah.
FUUUUUUCK YES!
Everyone who has gone to the Drafthouse in Austin knows how much of a big deal this is. It is not just about beer and food, its about the unique programming that caters to those who love film.
I live in Winchester, home of the newest (and most remotely located)Alamo, and having been to one in Austin as well, I can tell you that the experience has not been diminished at all from the original. The targeted ads before the movies (usually movie trailers from a similar genre as the feature) and the special screenings rock (Williy Wonka or Muppet Movie for 2 bucks on the weekends!). Ticket prices and even the food prices are reasonable especially compared to theater concessions. I can't recommend it highly enough to people that think that there are no more good theaters left.
We need this in northern NJ so bad. Let the mooks keep going to the multiplexes so they can text and talk their way through a movie while the true fans go someplace to actually sit and watch the fucking movie without distraction.
Here's hoping for Nashville!
Start a chain in the UK and replace the VUE cinemas, mainly in Plymouth they cant even get cold drinks right.
Chicago, please!!!!!!!!!!
I second Charlotte
@11 "true fans go someplace to actually sit and watch the fucking movie without distraction" This is the best thing about the Drafthouse beyond the drink and food (in that order). Seeing movies there robs you of the "shitty experience watching a movie in a theater" stories we could all do without.
Please, please, please expand to Montréal!
As a former resident of Austin and current resident of Houston, I can't say how excited I am for the rest of the US to finally be able to experience the Alamo Drafthouse. I live in central Houston now and drive 30 minutes to get to the Drafthouses on the edge of the city. If watching a movie the way it's meant to be seen matters to you, this is your theater.
I heard at some point in the last year that Tulsa was one place they were looking to franchise. I hope it happens, it would be a great fit and lord knows I'll be there all the time.
Looks like anyone can apply for a franchise, provided they have the assets and the location is deemed worthy of the Alamo brand. Time to pool you money, film fans.
I noticed they had a section for franchising on their website a while back. I wish I had some money to buy in. As much as I like the Ritz theater chain here in Philly, I think we could use something that has class, but still caters to the midnight movie crowd like the Alamo does, plus, no theaters around here serve beer.
They srarted building one in where i live about 5 years ago then all of a sudden contruction came to a halt. Maybe now it will resume and it will finally open.
Will I still have to take out a loan or sell a body part for a small size popcorn and soda combo?
If not, then count me in.
Westchester County Please, i'm the only broke dude here!
Hope they bring it to Dallas so I don't have to deal with the horrible traffic and road conditions on 35 anymore.
We have these kinds of theaters with the same programming all over San Francisco, except for the food… which just sounds kinda gross to me.
The Drafthouses here in Austin have lower ticket prices than regular multiplexes and the food is priced much more reasonably than regular theatres, when you consider the quality difference. And it's nice to be able to have a great organic burger rather than terrible greasy popcorn in a sack. Free drink refills, etc.
Seeing a movie without having to hear people around me add their commentary, or whatever they're yapping about, sounds too good to be true. Ditto that for texting, and bringing little kids into the theater. Families should go to family shows.
Does Harry Knowles come with the package or do we have to settle for Devin?
I'm not holding my breath for this to make it to Canada.
They started working on one in McAllen, TX, a few years ago. It was going to be the centerpiece of a massive shopping center. The developers of the property came to the company I was working for, asked me to design a complete surveillance, control/automation and audio distribution system for the complex, which was going to have a "waltzing water" system (like the Bellagio fountain, only smaller) out front. I was geeked to do the project, and spent a few weeks meticulously designing this system, only for them to turn us down and take my design to another firm, which gave them a cheaper quote for my goddamn design. As much as I would have loved to have had an Alamo Drafthouse here, I am probably more satisfied that the developers went bust and had to sell the property because they bit off far, FAR more than they could chew, financially. Also worth noting: there is an Alamo Drafthouse in San Antonio, and it's absolutely ghetto-rific. My wife and I walked into that place, took one look around, and split. Here's hoping other locations are held to some kind of standards.
Devin, I am so proud to be apart of the Original Alamo team today! Tim League, is about to bring awesomeness everywhere, hope you are ready!
-Devin
The newest one in Winchester is a couple hours away from me, but I haven't had a chance to visit yet. Glad to hear the experience hasn't changed – now we just need more events!
don't ever post on this site. they edit comments by not posting those that may reveal the author's blindness.
So how does it work? Do they co-opt and revamp old school theaters? If they do, San Jose has some amazing dome theaters that can use the Drafthouse touch.
Kansas City!!! Please!!!
i agree with #4 and #14. fuck LA and NY. they get everything, spoiled rotten and no appreciation for it either. bring it it to Chicago. yes, we have the portage and landmark, but have just lost the lake shore theater. (amazing venue that had top notch comedy acts). so open it at the lake shore.
Comments are shown as archived from the original site; new comments are closed.