College Station Theaters debuts in downtown Springfield

The College Station development in downtown Springfield has a movie theater again with the launch of College Station Theaters.

A sneak peek week that started with film showings this weekend marked the start of operations for College Station Theaters ahead of a planned Nov. 22 grand opening, according to the theater's Facebook page. Tillman Redevelopment LLC, which owns the theater building and College Station, previously announced this year it was bringing its own theater concept to the spot left vacant nearly two years ago by Regal Cinemas.

"We're independent, but we're still a first-run theater," said Curtis Killingsworth, assistant general manager for College Station Theaters, in a promotional video with Tom Trtan of KOLR 10 posted to the movie theater’s Facebook page.

Killingsworth said the first films to play at College Station Theaters include "Gladiator II," "Red One" and "Wicked."

He also spoke of unique offerings via area businesses.

"We're doing a lot of things with local partnerships," Killingsworth said, pointing to a brick-and-mortar Pineapple Whip shop, pizza from The Big Slice, coffee from The Coffee Ethic LLC and a planned arcade area from 1984.

College Station Theaters is now the second movie theater operating downtown, along with arthouse movie theater Moxie Cinema. Elsewhere in Springfield are Alamo Drafthouse Cinema and AMC Springfield 11. The theater building has been considered the anchor tenant to the College Station development that includes Blue Room Comedy Club across the street.

Paul Tillman, property manager of Tillman Redevelopment LLC, told Springfield Business Journal in August that planned features included heated, reclining seats, laser projectors and four rooms with Dolby Atmos technology. Ten of the 14 existing screens are being utilized to start, he told SBJ.

"Ultimately, we felt like nobody's going to care as much as we do," Tillman said of opening College Station Theaters. "We hope to provide a really great amenity here for folks."