Sands Theatre
1017 New York Avenue,
Alamogordo,
NM
88310
1017 New York Avenue,
Alamogordo,
NM
88310
1 person
favorited this theater
Additional Info
Previously operated by: Griffith Amusement Company
Architects: Jack M. Corgan, William J. Moore Jr.
Firms: Corgan & Moore
Styles: Art Deco
Previous Names: White Sands Theatre
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News About This Theater
- Dec 18, 2013 — White Sands to reopen today
The White Sands Theatre opened on August 3, 1937 with Edward Arnold in “Easy Living”. It had a seating capacity of 625-seats. The movie house continued with films until closing in November 1971. It then became a broadcast center. It reopened on December 17, 1976 with Jeff Bridges in “King Kong”.
In the late-1990’s it got a facelift and the interior and exterior were restored to its Art Deco style. It closed as a movie theatre on July 11, 1985 with “The Muppets Take Manhattan”. It then operated as a live performance venue. In 2012, it became a religious broadcast studio. It reopened on December 23, 2013 screening family movies, but this soon closed and the building is vacant in summer of 2024.
Contributed by
Chuck Van Bibber
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Recent comments (view all 15 comments)
The Historic White Sands theatre is going to reopen December 23rd 2013. After thousands of volunteer hours the theater will reopen. This building will now hold the Sands Theater and KVBA Vision Broadcasting. KVBA is a Christian Broadcast Television station. The Sands Theatre will be showing family based films at a very low cost. We hope to see you at the movies.
We are open and have done 10 shows. If you want to see a movie, stop by on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays.
Back in the 80’s my business The Upper Cut Beauty Salon made a commercial that was aired on the local Christian-pbs station. I was wondering if any copies of that might still exist. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Newsreels being shown at the White Sands Theatre were mentioned in the January 20, 1938, issue of the Alamogordo News. Though I haven’t found any earlier mentions of the White Sands, I’m sure the house opened sometime in 1937.
2021 it still seems to be used as Vision Broadcasting.
July 30 2024, this theatre in no longer active. I asked the lady down at the Sierra / Flickenger Performing Arts Theatre and she mentioned someone had bought this theatre but as of now, it sits idle.. RAC Photography
On June 4, 1981, the Sands Theatre became national headlines when a station wagon (possibly a Pontiac) driven by 40-year-old Howard Thon of Alamogordo recklessly crashed into the side of the Sand Theatre’s auditorium during a showing of “Happy Birthday To Me”, killing a 17-year-old boy and injuring two others.
Griffith Amusement and Morris Robertson teamed up for an August 3, 1937 grand opening as the White Sands Theater (it may have had a late July soft launch). Commonwealth Theatres closed July 11, 1985 as the Sands Theatre with “The Muppets Take Manhattan.” Three weeks later, they would then close the Sierra Theatre.
Grand opening ad:
The Sands closed in November 1971 and reopened on December 17th, 1976. 1976 grand opening ad posted.