Lake Air Cinema I & II
5201 Bosque Avenue,
Waco,
TX
76710
5201 Bosque Avenue,
Waco,
TX
76710
8 people
favorited this theater
Additional Info
Previously operated by: Cinemagic Stadium Theatres, Cineplex Odeon, Plitt Theatres
Architects: Maurice D. Sornik
Previous Names: Cinema at Lake Air Center, Lake Air Cinema Dollar Movies I & II
Nearby Theaters
News About This Theater
- Jun 18, 2004 — Lake Air Cinema Demolished
Built in the 1960’s in a very modern design, with an all-glass lobby. The 822-seat Cinema at Lake Air Center was opened November 9, 1965 with Steve McQueen in “The Cincinnati Kid”. It was twinned by General Cinema on October 12, 1977. It was taken over by Plitt Theatres on March 23, 1984. It was closed by Cineplex Odeon on November 15, 1990. Reopened as a discount theatre on November 23, 1990. Closed on May 9, 1991, it was taken over by CineMagic and on March 19, 1993. Last operated by an independent operator, it was closed on April 25, 1999.
Another piece of Waco cinematic history fell victim to cracker-box megaplexes when the Lake Air was demolished in May-June 2004.
Contributed by
Jake Vanek, CharlesVanBibber
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Recent comments (view all 10 comments)
The Hollywood Video is on the opposite end of the block that the theatre was located….. the theatre was located behind what is now Dunlaps (formerly Goldstein-Migel). Sadly this theatre was demolished in summer 2004. The 700 or so red and white theatre seats were salvaged as well as the 2 projectors, and are intended to be reused in another historic Waco Theatre soon facing renovation.
http://cinematreasures.org/news/11713_0_1_0_C
This was opened by General Cinemas
The Lake Air Mall opened theatre-less on March 16, 1961. But three years later, the mall would rectify that was General Cinema leased what would become an outparcel building behind the mall for a single screen theater. The Cinema at Lake Air Center missed its May 30, 1965 opening by five months but finally made it November 9, 1965 opening with “The Cincinnati Kid.” The theater had 822 with a 50x22 screen.
Later known as the Lake Air Cinema I & II when it was twinned in 1980. General Cinema operated the Lake Air Cinema until April 12, 1984, when it was taken over by Plitt Theatres. Cineplex Odeon later took the theater over from Plitt.
The Lake Air Cinema closed for a couple of years in the mid-1990s, but reopened by Cinemagic Theatres in 1997 until closing for the final time in 1999.
Reopened as Cinema I & II on October 12th, 1977. Grand opening ad posted.
Closed by Cineplex Odeon in 1990 and reopened by Cinemagic on March 19th, 1993. Another ad posted.
Closed by Cineplex on November 15th, 1990.
Closed on April 25th, 1999 per end of this article
The Lake Air Mall opened theatre-less on March 16, 1961. But three years later, the mall would rectify that was General Cinema leased what would become an outparcel building behind the mall for a single screen theater. The Cinema at Lake Air Center missed its May 30, 1965 opening by five months but finally made it November 9, 1965 opening with “The Cincinnati Kid.” The theater had 822 with a 50x22 screen.
General Cinema twinned the venue on October 12th, 1977 as the GCC Lake Air Cinema I & II. On March 23, 1984, Plitt took over the Lake Air venue. Cineplex Odeon bought Plitt in December of 1985. Cineplex Odeon decided against a renewal of its 25-year lease in November of 1990 moving on from the property on November 15, 1990.
Waco’s Herman DeLeon reopened the venue after Cineplex Odeon . DeLeon relaunched November 23, 1990 as the Lake Air Cinema Dollar Movies I & II with “Flatliners” and “Postcards from the Edge.” It flatlined quickly but former Cineplex Union Projectionists reopened it on March 8, 1991 with “Ghost” and “Hunt for Red October.”
The Lake Air Cinema closed again on May 9, 1991. only to be relaunched by Arlington, Texas-based CineMagic Theatres on March 19, 1993 with a new look lobby. CineMagic vanished in June of 1998. Henry Harlow took the baton breathing life into the Lake Air until April 25, 1999 when it finally closed permanently with “A Bug’s Life” and “Prince of Egypt.” The Lake Air Cinema building joined the parking lot brigade - demolished in May and June of 2004 to make way for Target parking.