New Movie Theater Coming to Center City

An exciting new addition to the much-anticipated Fashion District Philadelphia was announced recently: an AMC multiplex movie theater. For those looking forward to the shopping, dining, and entertainment hub in Center City, this is great news indeed. The theater will have eight screens and show first-run Hollywood films, the only place in the downtown core to do so since the Sameric Theater closed in 2002. A spokesperson for PREIT and Macerich, the two companies behind the Center City redevelopment project confirmed the dish about the theater coming to East Market Street, a corridor for retail that was recently deemed to be the hottest in the United States.

Patrons will be able to dine at their seats at the new AMC theater coming to Center City.

Dan Ellis, AMC’s senior VP of domestic development, told the Philadelphia Inquirer that the new movie theater “is a sign of renewed interest in the growing population of urban cores, where theater chains believe they can capture audiences that would otherwise be left to retreat to their suburban strongholds.” It’s true that movie theaters are often located in bedroom communities, but companies like Target are starting to invest in the small-format, urban-customer store concept, and it seems that AMC is following that trend.

The theater will be located on the third floor of the former Gallery at Market East and will be of the hot and popular “cinema bistro” variety, where patrons can order food to be delivered to their seats during the showing. The new theater will additionally feature two premium auditoriums and a MacGuffin’s Bar.

Much of the rest of Fashion District Philadelphia remains shrouded in mystery, as the only other tenant confirmed for the space is a large H&M store and a Burlington. The shopping hub is expected to open next year, so most of Center City is eagerly awaiting news of who the other occupants will be. The movie theater is scheduled to open in 2019.