It's launch day for a new movie theater in the Twin Cities. Golden Ticket Cinemas’ first Illinois location opens Friday evening in the former home of New Vision Theaters on Bloomington's far east side.
Golden Ticket's Ale House Bloomington is completely renovated, with a self-serve, all-you-can-eat popcorn and fountain drink bar, milkshakes and top-of-the-line audio and projection systems. A full slate of hot food items can be delivered directly to luxury heated recliners. And soon, there will by a 30-tap self-pour beer wall.
Director of Media Relations Joe Horton said the company’s existing presence in 14 other states is built on bringing modern, amenity-heavy cinemas to small and mid-sized markets.
“We have found a niche in the market where people love coming to the movies; there’s an experience to be had,” Horton said.
Cinemas have been slow to rebound since the pandemic. But Horton said the community’s reception to adding a fourth movie theater to the Twin Cities has been overwhelmingly positive.
“Here in Illinois, which we’ve driven through many times going to our other theaters, I don’t think I’ve found a market that’s been more accepting, more prepared for us to open,” Horton said. “The amount of reception we’ve gotten on Facebook, TikTok and Instagram—as well as people just driving up to our front door in the last couple of weeks saying, ‘When are you opening?’—the reception so far has been great.”
Opening day includes evening and late-night screenings of The Conjuring, One Battle After Another, Gabby's Dollhouse, Tron: Ares, Roofman, Black Phone 2, Truth and Treason, and Good Fortune.
For now, Horton said ticket prices will remain consistent with the former New Vision Theater’s prices. On Tuesdays, tickets start at $5.75. Standard tickets start at $12, with discounts for kids, seniors and military.
Horton said now that they’re open, Golden Ticket can shift focus to getting the tap wall up and running and ramping up community engagement. About three-quarters of the taps will be dedicated to local brews, with nearby breweries planning themed beers aligned with the theater’s films.
“We are very open to playing special films,” he said. “This is a great place to have meetings, a great place for the arts to have seminars. Right now, throughout the company we work with local elementaries, high schools, colleges to play local arts—whether it’s a film they’re making or films that are based on what they’re learning right now in schools.”
