Syufy Theatre
2985 S. Virginia Street,
Reno,
NV
899502
2985 S. Virginia Street,
Reno,
NV
899502
1 person
favorited this theater
Additional Info
Previously operated by: Century Theatres
Architects: Vincent G. Raney
Previous Names: Century 21 Theatre, Century 21 & 22
Nearby Theaters
News About This Theater
- Mar 31, 2013 — "2001: A Space Odyssey" 45th Anniversary – The Cinerama Engagements
- Jul 9, 2007 — TRON...Happy 25th!
The Syufy Theatre was a multiple domed theatre in Reno which was across the street from the Peppermill. Each auditorium was in it’s own dome. Other screens were added later.
Opened April 19, 1966 as the single screen, 968-seat, Century 21 Theatre presenting Max von Sydow in “The Greatest Story Ever Told” in Cinerama. It was later divided to make two screens and named Century 21 & 22. Other additional screens were added later. The original sign outside said Century Theatres. This was one of only a few places to see a movie in Reno for a long time.
The theatre fell into disrepair, even as mobs of people still went. At one point, the toilets were out of service and port-a-potties were erected outside for patrons to go to the bathroom.
The theatre site is now a part of the Peppermill Hotel parking lot.
Contributed by
Mike Abrams
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Recent comments (view all 13 comments)
I used to work at Century Theater back in the early 80’s. Saw lots of free films. I actually shot a Super 8 film in the lobby one time. I also knew someone who would spike the soda syrup tanks with booze and sell it to customers, unbeknownst to them.
I remember when the dome was just one huge theater, then they split it in two, and I saw stuff like Papillon and Blazing Saddles. Then they added two smaller screens in 76, two more in 79, and more and more as time went on.
Ten years ago this month, I saw Boogie Nights for the first time at this theater.
The architect was Vincent G. Raney, who designed all the theaters built by the Syufy brothers' Century Theatres chain from 1964 into the early 1990s. Their Reno theatre opened in 1966. The original name (as brucec noted above) was Century 21 Theatre, which was the standard name with which most of the Syufy domed theatres of that era opened.
The style, though, was not Atmospheric. All the Century 21 domed houses looked pretty much the same inside as the prototype in San Jose.
bugnuts…………
I as well worked at the very same theater, although I worked there from 86-88. Was Bud the manager at the time you were there he and his wife Sadie I believe. Along with a few of the assistant managers like Paul Gray and John cole? I started work there before they updated it by adding the extra screens and relocated the snackbar as well as the gameroom.
April 19th, 1966 grand opening ad in photo section.
March 20th, 1970 grand opening ad as Century 21 22 in photo section.
It was so sad when Ray Syufy cut the big C21 theatre down the middle to make more money. You could hear all the bass sound from the other side of the wall plus the screen was way smaller and the seats not placed well. It’s all dust now.
There were NOT originally 8 theatres…just the one dome and then it was divided in half, and additional theaters were added later…I don’t recall there ever being 8, maybe 6….on that I could be wrong
A chronology of 70mm presentations at Reno’s Century 21 / Century Dome complex has recently been published for those interested in that aspect of this venue and city’s history.
This theater closed as the Century 11 Theatres on August 13, 1998 just a few days shy of its 32nd anniversary.
I found something listing the final seating capacities and opening dates for each screen. It doesn’t seem likely that the original dome wound up seating only 122 people but, having never been inside, I can only assume it was cut up a bunch of times over the years. Either that, or there is some confusion in the document I found.
1=153 (07/17/87)
2=156 (07/17/87)
3=368 (04/07/76)
4=208 (04/07/76)
5=248 (08/03/79)
6=250 (08/03/79)
7=122 (4/19/66)
8=115 (3/25/70)
9=95 (12/20/91)
10=560 (12/20/91)
11=561 (12/20/91)
Names as it expanded were as follows: Century 21 Century 21 & Century 22 Century 21-22-23-24, then later Century 4 Century 6 Century 8 Century 11
Scott Neff: Thank you for the information. In my 70mm Presentations in Reno article I cite a figure of 968 seats in the original “21” (later “7”) auditorium.