Work set to begin this fall on former Grand Forks AMC theater
Jul. 6—GRAND FORKS — Renovation and expansion work on the former Grand Forks AMC theater is expected to begin this fall.
The theater — now called Odyssey Cinemas Grand Forks — was purchased last year
by Odyssey Entertainment, a Crystal, Minnesota-based company specializing in the revitalization of aging theaters.
Bryan Sieve, Odyssey president, said when work is complete, the theater will look like a new building.
"Every surface will be touched," Sieve said.
Odyssey has spent the last year drafting architectural plans and putting out bids for the project. Sieve said the company is now finalizing a deal with a general contractor who will take on the renovations. Details about the contract are not yet available.
The theater is expected to open to audiences sometime in 2025.
When completed, the building is expected to have a second level, a new exterior facade and a new parking lot with new landscaping. The lobby will be completely torn out and renovated, and theaters will have new stadium recliner seating. A three-story addition will also be built to house a new premium large-format screen.
Odyssey has envisioned the space as more than just a theater, Sieve said. He described it as more of a social gathering space.
Among the plans are a live stage for shows and open mic nights, and a 40-tap self-serve beer and wine wall.
The beer and wine wall will be accessed by purchasing a touch card that allows patrons to pour their own beverages. Taps cannot be activated without the touch card. Information about the taps will be displayed on a screen, including price per ounce. Because pours are charged per ounce, and the charge is displayed as the drink is poured, Sieve said it will be easier to sample the beers and wines before committing to a full glass.
Patrons will be able to drink in the bar near the stage, or bring their beer or wine into the theater with them.
The plans also include two levels of duckpin bowling, a variation of bowling with shorter lanes, smaller pins and smaller balls. Duckpin bowling has long been popular in the northeast, Sieve said, but Grand Forks' duckpin lanes will be among the first in the upper Midwest.
He expects the space will include other "adult social-oriented gameplay" as well, such as foosball and darts.
"Things are moving ahead," Sieve said. "Like any development, especially a complex development, it just takes time."
In addition to the Grand Forks theater, Odyssey operates seven theaters in Minnesota, Wisconsin, South Dakota and Iowa.
It most recently acquired the Luxury 5 Cinemas
in Mitchell, South Dakota, in May.
