Alamo Drafthouse to Open in Downtown Los Angeles in July

By Dave McNary

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – The Alamo Drafthouse Cinema chain is planning to open its first Los Angeles location with a “soft launch” in early July in the city’s downtown.

The Texas-based chain, which has 38 locations, specializes food and drink service with unique programming. It announced Wednesday that the Los Angeles site, located at the Bloc, would offer an opening slate of independent and blockbuster films, as well as repertory titles featuring classics and “hard-to-find” cult favorites.

The cinema chain also announced that it will expand its Alamo Season Pass subscription beta test in Los Angeles, under which members of the subscription plan will be able to watch a movie a day and reserve their seats in advance for one monthly fee. Pricing for the beta test in the L.A. theater has not yet been announced. Rachel Walker will be head of creative and programming at the location.

“The reason exists and continues to grow is to support the movies that we love,” says Alamo Drafthouse founder and CEO Tim League. “After so many years of planning and development, to be opening in Los Angeles with such a strong team of movie-lovers at the helm is absolutely thrilling.”

The Alamo Drafthouse Los Angeles will have 12 auditoriums, each with 4K laser projectors and one with 35mm film projection, along with a full bar and kitchen and the video store Video Vortex, where Blu-Rays and DVDs will be available for free rental.