Santa Cruz Cinema

1405 Pacific Avenue,
Santa Cruz, CA 95060

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Related Websites

West Wind Drive-Ins (Official)

Additional Info

Operated by: West Wind Drive-Ins

Previously operated by: Regal Entertainment Group

Firms: Uesugi & Associates

Functions: Movies (First Run)

Previous Names: Santa Cruz 9, Regal Santa Cruz 9

Nearby Theaters

Regal Santa Cruz 9

Opened by Signature Theatres on May 19, 1995. Regal Cinemas began operating this theatre in September of 2004. It was closed on March 16, 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Briefly reopened again, it was closed on October 9, 2020. It was announced in February 2021 that the closure would be permanent. However, it was reopened as the Santa Cruz Cinema on March 25, 2021 by the operators of West Winds Drive-In’s.

Contributed by Lost Memory

Recent comments (view all 10 comments)

GaryParks
GaryParks on September 14, 2007 at 5:29 pm

The vertical sign tower of this theatre, while a completely original and unusual piece of metal scultpture and neon, nods its head slightly to the 1930s tower which was once on the “old” Santa Cruz Theatre down the street (1920, remodeled 1939, changed to office and retail by the 1970s). The crescent moon on one side of the Santa Cruz 9’s sign tower and the star on the other side, as well as the stepped structure crowning the tower pay tribute to motifs on the old tower applied during the 1939 remodeling of the earlier theatre.

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on November 10, 2007 at 10:32 pm

The Santa Cruz 9 was designed by the San Francisco architectural firm Uesugi & Associates, which did quite a bit of work for the Signature Theatres chain before it was taken over by Regal.

rivest266
rivest266 on July 26, 2015 at 12:42 pm

This opened on May 19th, 1995. Grand opening ad in photo section.

greenth1ng
greenth1ng on August 24, 2015 at 6:14 pm

New seating capacities at this theater following the installation of Regal’s new “king-size” recliners (via Fandango’s reserved seating service):

  • Theater 1 – 77 seats

  • Theater 2 – 79 seats

  • Theater 3 – 115 seats

  • Theater 4 – 147 seats

  • Theater 5 – 45 seats

  • Theater 6 – 48 seats

  • Theater 7 – 83 seats

  • Theaters 8 & 9 – 55 seats

terrywade
terrywade on December 10, 2016 at 5:33 pm

Good news the new manager ‘Kyle’ will again start putting up on the giant neon marquee what is playing in side the Regal 9. The retro nice plastic letters have been missing the last month. A new letter changing pole is on It’s way to the cinema. No more lift each week to change all the letters on the marquee. This will take a little longer but may be safer to use. The movie times for this cinema will soon also be in the Good Times free magazine each week again. Now when you go by the giant lighted sign you can see what is playing and buy a ticket.

terrywade
terrywade on February 19, 2021 at 7:36 pm

Sad news like so many movie theatres the Regal 9 Santa Cruz CA has closed for good. Lets hope some new movie theatre people can move in as Regal has pulled the plug after being closed almost a year! This is a college tourist town so some new circuit will do well when they re open If it remains a movie theatre. Regal in my opinion wrecked the seating a few years ago by putting in huge recliners and taking away too many seats. There are 3 large type spaces inside this now closed downtown Santa Cruz CA Theatre just ripe for a first for Santa Cruz IMAX, Screen X, 4DX or a large curved screen plus food service. The other 6 auditoriums are very small but good for art type movies. The only other cinema in town is run by Landmark the DelMar 3 and The Nick Theatres they play mainly art type fare and are temp closed. Time for Alamo, Maya or CineLux Theatres to take over this prime spot, a great location downtown when movies can open again soon! Please change from open to closed. The front marquee was blown off last year during a wind storm so whoever takes over this former cinema they will have to replace as Regal did nothing about It.

Scott Neff
Scott Neff on March 13, 2021 at 9:01 am

This theater reopened briefly after the initial shutdown, closing again around 10/8/2020.

Scott Neff
Scott Neff on March 27, 2021 at 3:41 pm

This theater reopened on THU 3/25, operated by the same people that operate West Wind Drive-Ins.

terrywade
terrywade on March 31, 2021 at 10:03 pm

Thanks to the Syufy family at West Wind Drive In’s for taking over the old Regal Cinema 9 in downtown Santa Cruz. After being closed for a year Regal moved out. Syufy still kept many of their old outdoor theatres under the ‘West Wind’ brand now It seems the two Syufy brothers are getting back into the indoor cinema business back again in Santa Cruz CA after selling their Century Theatres to Cinemark many years ago. Their dad Raymond made a fortune when he sold off many of the drive in land outdoor theatres to build malls with indoor cinemas on the same spot the old drive In’s played films. Lets hope the tourist and college local crowd will support the Syufy ‘West Wind’ Santa Cruz 9 Theatre in downtown Santa Cruz CA. Regal never bothered to even advertise. I think the Syufy family will change things around in Santa Cruz moviegoing for the better!

terrywade
terrywade on February 28, 2024 at 6:05 pm

The red neon sign above the candy counter that said REFRESTMENTS fell last month off the mirror and broke. Almost hit a popcorn server. Mark the manager tells me they are having the sign re made. The West Wind Syufy gang is spending money to fix up the place. A good tax rite off for them as the Syufy’s mainly own malls these days were their former drive Inns were. West Wind had to buy a new ice machine also they are re doing the lobby elevators and a new LED marquee will be coming soon. New laser projectors have been put in space #3 & #4. They are replacing the light bulbs in the marquee tower to color LED bulbs. Hope new glow rugs will be put in soon and some neon lobby ceiling lights repaired. Santa Cruz needs a 4DX or Screen X installation this is the cinema to have them in downtown Santa Cruz CA.

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