AMC Fitchburg 18
6091 McKee Road,
Fitchburg,
WI
53719
6091 McKee Road,
Fitchburg,
WI
53719
3 people
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Opened on December 17, 1999 with 14 screens.
The theater reopened as the AMC Fitchburg 18 on June 4, 2021:
Fitchburg, WI: Former New Vision Fitchburg 18 + IMAX Reopens as the AMC Fitchburg 18 [Jun 7, 2021]
As of April 1st, 2021. This theater will be reopening as AMC Fitchburg 18 in June
AMC to reaquire and reopen this location. https://variety.com/2020/film/news/amc-merger-take-over-carmike-theaters-1234752346/
In 2017, the theatre was part of the force sale of AMC locations following its merger with Carmike. New Visions Circuit took on the location. It closed the location on March 17, 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic along with theatres all over the world.
Though hoping to reopen and connecting with its audience through social media into July of 2020, the theatre was closed permanently on July 13, 2020 when New Visions Circuit went out of business. All of its other locations were closed permanently, as well.
Status should be closed. New Vision Theatres is closing this location and all its others. Story here: https://www.channel3000.com/new-vision-theaters-fitchburg-imax-to-close/
An interesting story here. The AMC Fitchburg 18-screen theatre has been sold to a small New Jersey-based theater chain called New Vision Theatres. The theatre has been rebranded Fitchburg 18. The sale was prompted by AMC’s purchase of Sundance Cinemas. Under the U.S. Department of Justice’s terms for approving the sale of the Carmike Cinemas chain (which included five Sundance theaters) to AMC, the DOJ required that AMC sell off one of the two theatres in markets where it already had a theater, including Madison. Many assumed that meant AMC would sell the six-screen Sundance Cinemas since the chain, largest in the world, is not known for managing smaller arthouses like Sundance. But instead, AMC opted to sell its Fitchburg theatre to New Vision, which appears to be a new company that now owns 10 theaters in six states. “We are excited to welcome you and help you get to the movies and more of what you love!” the website announces. AMC recently completed a major remodel of this theatre, including adding reclining seats and a bar in the lobby along with AMC’s distinctive bright-red soda machines. New Visions’s website said that its theatres will offer live sporting events and interactive video games and on its website, New Vision said it will not honor the AMC Stubs loyalty program in which customers earn points towards discounts on movie tickets and concessions. Instead, the theater will offer its own New Neighbor discount card. All AMC passes and coupons will be honored at the theater through the end of July. Also, New Vision sells a “Refillable Popcorn Bucket” for $21 that entitles the owner to $4.25 refills for an entire year.
Now operated by New Vision Theatres: Website: http://www.newvisiontheatres.com/index.html
Status should also include: Movies (East Indian)
The Star is currently installing power reclining seats to 5 of its auditoriums. Once this is completed, the remaining screening rooms will receive the upgrade, with the exception of the IMAX. A liquor license is also being sought to bring about the cinepub experience.
With Marcus opening the Palace in Sun Prairie and upgrading the nearby Point, this multiplex seems to be struggling. Was here for a matinee last week and was the only person in the auditorium. They are holding onto movies longer and also showing a mix of indie and Bollywood films. Never a good sign.
On all of the occasions that I went to this multiplex, I found the experience to be annoying. I have since vowed to not return my business to the chain.
Advertisements are blared at obscene levels before shows start, and the showings consistently started 10-20 minutes late (excluding IMAX showings, which start on time without ads). I made the mistake of catching Prometheus on the opening night, and arrived about 20 minutes early. This resulted in 40 minutes of painfully loud ads.
The projection quality is very poor as well, except for the IMAX showing which was fine. Each time I went here, the picture was either slightly blurry or too dark.
This theatre is now named AMC Star Fitchburg 18
[url]http://www.amctheatres.com/Fitchburg/[/url]
December 16th, 1999 grand opening announcement (as a 14-plex) is at View link
June 20th, 2000 ad to answer Marcus’s Ultrascreen is at View link
I worked at this theatre for 8 years and I am happy to answer questions about it.
This theatre is 18 screens… 17 plus the IMAX. When Kerasotes renamed it, they were clearly confused. The original name was Star Cinema-Fitchburg.
Theatre was constructed and opened for business in December 1999 as a 14 screen theatre with 12 station concession stand and 6 station box office. We ran exclusively Christie projectors with 4 THX certified auditoriums and half of them running DTS and the other half running Dolby Digital sound systems. The only significant change to the look of this building is the carpeting and hallways, which were changed to match the scheme in the IMAX addition. Street sign was also changed when IMAX was built. Mural above the concession stand was painted by a family member of the ownership, Mark Adamany of Rockford, IL.
I don’t remember the exact date (December 2006?) we added the IMAX addition, but it was opened with 3 additional 150 seat auditoriums to accommodate long first-runs and an additional 8 station concession stand and set of bathrooms. Was previously owned and operated by the Adamany family of AGT Enterprises in Prairie Du Chien, who still own and operate their original location there.
Kerasotes is obviously now AMC at the end of the month, so this information will be changing.