Movies, Bowling, Kid Friendly Theater In New Missouri Multiplex

B&B Theatres, which manages the Galaxy 10 Theater here in Sedalia, is bringing what I'd call their movies plus entertainment concept to suburban St. Louis.

While those of us in small-town Missouri are once again left with our noses pressed up against the lobby glass wishing B&B, AMC, or anyone would think about updating their smaller market theaters with any kind of amenity that came after the invention of stadium seating in the late 90s.

B&B Theatres is getting set to debut the B&B Theatres Creve Coeur West Olive 10 on May 18, in what used to be the AMC West Olive 16 according to St. Louis Sprout & About. Let me tell you, this may very well be a look at what all movie theaters will look like in the future.

First, the theater in Creve Coeur has been shrunk from 16 screens to ten. However, B&B Theatres, I'd assume is making excellent use of the space for other things.

First is what the chain calls ScreenPLAY! ScreenPLAY! is a theater designed for families with small children and it includes a playground in the theater. B&B will offer children the opportunity to show up 30 minutes prior to showtime to enjoy employee-supervised playtime. Additionally, there will be a custom preshow with music, games, and tips for how to be a great movie-goer which will air before the playground closes.

The largest auditorium in the complex will be for B&B Theatres Grand Screen with ScreenX and DTS:X.  Those into a premium cinema experience probably know what all that brand name marketing mumbo-jumbo means.

For those, like myself, that need a translation. Think of watching blockbuster films on a huge curved screen with a massively immersive sound system. Also, in that auditorium, they'll be able to play films in ScreenX, that's a multi-projection platform that projects the film in front of you, and on either side of you, it's an immersive viewing experience.

The theatre will also contain a throwback, The Lyric. It's a high-end intimate auditorium designed as a rentable venue for private events. The theatre chain plans on running a mix of indie films, classics, and first-run movies in this space.

In addition to the movies, the theater will include an arcade, the theatre's B-Roll bowling concept with 10 bowling lanes, dining, and a rock climbing wall called ValoClimb which combines motion tracking and projected graphics to turn the rock climbing wall into an arcade game all it's own.

I believe this is where the movie theater experience is heading. More amenities. More activities to make going to the movies a night out. An experience. Something beyond going to the movies. Yet, for now, for anything like this experience, you'll need to head to the city to find anything like it.