Austin’s homegrown food and film chain, the Alamo Drafthouse, is opening a new location early next year in deep South Austin, at the corner of Slaughter Lane and MoPac. The eight-screen theater will have seating for 800 people. The Drafthouse says each screening room will include 3D projection equipment.
“We're excited to be expanding our locations inside the great city of Austin even while there's so much buzz about possible sites outside of Texas," Drafthouse founder and CEO Tim League said in a statement.
Perhaps borrowing a page from the recently opened Violet Crown Cinema, Alamo Slaughter Lane will include a separate cocktail lounge. It will have a wide selection of tequilas.
Drafthouse chefs will test new recipes at the Slaughter location for possible inclusion on menus at other theaters. You can read more about Drafthouse Slaughter Lane in this press release.
ALAMO DRAFTHOUSE ANNOUNCES A NEW STATE OF THE ART LOCATION IN SOUTH AUSTIN Austin, TX--- September 1, 2011---Alamo Drafthouse is pleased to announce its plans for a new Alamo Drafthouse location. Alamo Slaughter Lane will be located at the corner of Slaughter and Mopac in South Austin and is slated to open in early 2012. The new location is being developed by Stratus and will be an 8-screen theater with seating for over 800 moviegoers. Each of the auditoriums will be equipped with state of the art Sony 4K projectors and Real D 3D projection as well as excellent screen size to room ratio and amazing sound. In addition to the superior AV equipment, the layout of each screening room will eliminate the traditional front row, ensuring every seat in the house allows for a great viewing experience. One of the auditoriums will also be a "microcinema" with just 34 seats but still a very large screen. This room is perfect to support more niche films and will also be available to rent for private parties, screenings and meetings. The theater will also feature ample bike racks for neighbors who are close enough not to drive. Alamo Slaughter Lane will also boast a unique separate cocktail lounge with a focus on tequila, mescal and agave spirits called The 400 Rabbits. Award-winning Beverage Director Bill Norris will oversee the bar program at The 400 Rabbits. Bill Norris recently returned from a trip to Guadalajara, Mexico where he studied the production and distillation of agave (read more about that here). The bar at Alamo Slaughter Lane will provide a gathering spot for folks to relax before or after the movie as well as a standalone destination for the neighborhood. With the exterior patio seating, the bar will have seating for 138. The 400 Rabbits will be connected to the theater, and will have a selection of classic and new cocktails, beer and wine. This new cocktail lounge will serve as something of an R&D lab for future libations throughout the Alamo System. In addition to The 400 Rabbits space, the Alamo Slaughter Lane will feature an R&D food lab, which will be the test kitchen for all Alamo locations. Executive Chef John Bullington will spend time in the kitchen at this new location testing new menu items, specials and a host of mini-feasts. This new location will have an array of new offerings and we plan to engage guests in their feedback on future menu selections. "People are talking about the national expansion of the Alamo, and while we're excited about those opportunities Karrie and I have long declared that Austin will always be our home. We're excited to be expanding our locations inside the great city of Austin even while there's so much buzz about possible sites outside of Texas," said Tim League, CEO/Founder of Alamo Drafthouse. About Alamo Drafthouse The Alamo Drafthouse is a lifestyle entertainment brand with an acclaimed cinema-eatery, the largest genre film festival in the United Sates and an online collectible art store. Named "the best theater in America" by Entertainment Weekly, the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema has built a reputation as a movie lover's oasis not only by combining food and drink service with the movie-going experience, but also introducing unique programming and high-profile, star studded special events. Alamo Drafthouse Founder & CEO, Tim League, created Fantastic Fest, a world renowned film festival dubbed "The Geek Telluride" by Variety. Fantastic Fest showcases eight days of offbeat cinema from independents, international filmmakers and major Hollywood Studios. The Alamo Drafthouse's collectible art boutique, Mondo, offers breathtaking, original products featuring designs from world-famous artists based on licenses for popular TV and Movie properties including Star Wars, Star Trek & Universal Monsters. The Alamo Drafthouse Cinema is expanding its brand in new and exciting ways, including the launch of Drafthouse Films, a new film distribution label and plans to extend its theaters and unique programming philosophy to additional markets across the United States. More information about Alamo Drafthouse franchise opportunities are available on the official website. ###
