Malco Theatres purchased the former Amp in early June with plans to transform it into a family entertainment center. The center will include a bowling alley, bumper cars, laser maze and 10 movie screens.
Malco Theatres Inc., a Memphis-based Mid South movie theatre chain, plans to double the size of the former Amp, which was a 10-screen movie theatre, for the new accommodations. Malco purchased property adjacent to the old movie theatre from Kenlan Development Co. in order to expand the building.
The new family entertainment center is located on Sisk Avenue off Highway 7 in the Oxford Commons development. The development, a 480-acre area zoned for mixed commercial and residential communities, is home to two hotels, Della Davidson Elementary School and the future Oxford High School. After remaining dormant due to the economy, prosperity is looking up for the Oxford Commons development. It plans to accommodate a residential community that will add 1,000 new homes.
Along with regular film showings, Malco has big plans for movie goers.
“The additional screens in the market will allow Malco to offer a wide range of independent, foreign and smaller films that it was not previously able to show in Oxford,” said Karen Scott, Malco’s director of marketing.
Senior psychology major Sam Lyons is excited for the addition of foreign and independent films.
“I think it will be great to have more variety in Oxford,” Lyons said. “I only get to see independent films on Netflix. The showings will definitely add to the movie watching experience.”
The new movie theatre plans to open on Labor Day, but the rest of the entertainment center will not open until next year.
The addition of the bowling alley will return an old form of entertainment to Oxford. After decades of having a bowling alley in Oxford, the bowling alley off of West Jackson Avenue was destroyed in a fire in September of 2010.
“I was extremely upset when I learned that the bowling alley had burned down in 2010 because it was such a fun activity to do with your friends,” said junior accountancy major Jessica McKenzie. “I’m excited that a new one is being developed because it will be so much more convenient than having to drive to Memphis just to bowl.”
Malco, who currently runs an eight-screen movie theatre on West Jackson Avenue, intends to keep its location in spite of its new expansion.
“We are very excited about the second location and look forward to both theatres being an integral part of the Oxford community,” Scott said.
