Photos by Vernand Media
IT TAKES a lot to stand out in the film presentation business, which, boiled down, is primarily about sitting. But don’t tell that to the folks behind Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, who just opened their first Indiana multiplex/eatery hybrid just west of Lafayette Square Mall. Take in a first-run flick while dinner, snacks, or cocktails are delivered to your seat.
While we have movie houses with a similar concept in the area—Living Room Theaters at Bottleworks District, Flix Brewhouse in Carmel, and the locally owned Kan-Kan Cinema and Restaurant in the Windsor Park neighborhood—Alamo brings unique amenities. These include a popcorn refill service, heated seats, blankets for purchase, baby-friendly matinees with a lower volume and the lights turned up, and a VIP room with a curated menu and state-of-the-art sound emanating from your seat. But the biggest improvement to the traditional movie experience may be the strictly enforced no-talking, no-texting policy.
Photos by Vernand Media
The Austin-based chain has built its reputation not only on such perks but also on special events, including multicourse film and food pairings, nostalgic revivals, mystery-movie nights, sing- and quote-alongs, interactive events complete with prop bags and cue cards, special outside screenings, and celebrity appearances. Nicolas Cage, Quentin Tarantino, and Sebastian Stan have each recently stopped by an Alamo.
“Moviegoers are no longer satisfied with a standard cinema experience,” notes Carlos Robles, the Indy location’s general manager. “Alamo’s curation of cult classics and fan-focused programming appeals to a generation that values nostalgia, interactive content, and deeper engagement.”
To be sure, theaters have taken a hit since Covid. By the time movie houses reopened, folks had grown accustomed to home viewing. Theaters have to up the ante to get them off their couches. Since Sony Pictures Entertainment purchased Alamo in June, they’ve been pumping money into the chain.
Fabio De La Cruz, CEO of Sojos Capital and developer of the Lafayette Square area, fell for Alamo when exploring companies that attracted and retained talent. Meanwhile, Alamo founder Tim League already had Indianapolis on his radar because of annual visits to Gen Con.
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Each Alamo tailors the decor to its location. Here, that means a custom racing simulator, Mario Kart, and an IndyCar photo op, plus race-related movie posters and an oval-shaped hot rod bar alongside 13 screening rooms. (A 14th, dubbed The Big Show thanks to its 66-foot-wide screen, is coming in 2025).
The theater complex is the largest evidence so far of the transformation of Lafayette Square. “Alamo aligns perfectly with our vision for this area,” says De La Cruz. “We are proud to have it as the cornerstone of our first commercial project in the neighborhood.”
