‘One Of The Coolest, Slickest Theaters’ Act Iii To Open 12-Screen Cinema Aug. 6 With State-Of-The-Art Sound

Spokane Valley moviegoers will soon be able to munch their popcorn in the “coolest theater around.”

That’s the word from Act III Theaters, the company that is building the $5 million Spokane Valley 12, the 12-screen cinema complex at the Spokane Valley Mall.

The Spokane Valley 12 opens August 6 - one week before the grand opening of the rest of the Spokane Valley Mall.

“It is truly one of the coolest, slickest theaters people have ever seen,” said Randall Blaum of Act III. “People in Spokane have never seen a movie theater like this.”

Every auditorium in the 40,000-square foot complex features three separate kinds of digital surround sound, said Blaum.

“Very few theaters, even in Los Angeles, New York and Chicago, are all THX and all digital,” Blaum said. “Spokane has something that many cities only dream of.”

THX is a California-based company that certifies theater sound systems across the nation.

The largest auditorium in the new complex can hold 400 people, and the smallest can seat 130. As many as 16 movies can play during peak movie seasons.

The theater will be decorated with flashing neon lights and moving poster cases. All the auditoriums will have dark red drapes and royal blue seats on a sloping floor.

Act III expects to employ 40 to 50 people at the new complex. Crews at the site are currently laying carpet and tile, hanging drapes and installing lights.

A grand opening movie festival is planned for August 6 and 7.

“We’ll be bringing in some older films for free, and we’ll have free popcorn and soda, just so everyone can give the theater a test drive and kick the tires,” Blaum said.

Portland-based Act III is the 10th largest theater circuit in the nation, with 800 screens in seven states. The company currently owns six other theaters in Spokane.

, DataTimes MEMO: See related story under headline: Mall to Mall activity