Sands Theatre

1017 New York Avenue,
Alamogordo, NM 88310

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Additional Info

Architects: Jack M. Corgan, William J. Moore Jr.

Firms: Corgan & Moore

Functions: Movies (Family), Recording Studio

Styles: Art Deco

Previous Names: White Sands Theatre

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News About This Theater

Sands Theatre

The White Sands Theatre opened in 1937 seating 456. The movie house continued with films until the late-1960’s. It then became a broadcast center which lasted until the mid-1990’s.

In the late-1990’s it got a facelift and the interior and exterior were restored to its Art Deco style. It then operated as a live performance venue. In 2012, it became a religious broadcast studio. It reopened on December 23, 2013 screening family movies.

Contributed by Chuck Van Bibber

Recent comments (view all 10 comments)

Don Lewis
Don Lewis on May 1, 2008 at 6:59 am

A 1974 view of the Sands Theater in Alamogordo.

Luis Vazquez
Luis Vazquez on September 15, 2010 at 9:23 am

I was in Alamogordo last week and drove past this theater. It looks like it is closed but I can’t be absolutely sure. The marquee was totally blank except for four letters in the lower left hand corner that said “PRAY”. Not a good sign. Is this now a church?

Luis Vazquez
Luis Vazquez on September 17, 2010 at 7:12 am

Yuk!!!! A storefront Church. What a shame.

Silicon Sam
Silicon Sam on September 17, 2010 at 7:17 am

Read their website, they are classified as a church, but in reality it’s a religion based broadcasting station and offices.

GE Street View pictures shows their roof loaded with dish antennas.

Dmckee66
Dmckee66 on December 15, 2013 at 7:02 pm

The Historic White Sands theatre is going to reopen December 23rd 2013. After thousands of volunteer hours the theater will reopen. This building will now hold the Sands Theater and KVBA Vision Broadcasting. KVBA is a Christian Broadcast Television station. The Sands Theatre will be showing family based films at a very low cost. We hope to see you at the movies.

Dmckee66
Dmckee66 on January 5, 2014 at 10:30 am

We are open and have done 10 shows. If you want to see a movie, stop by on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays.

mlclancy
mlclancy on April 12, 2014 at 6:33 am

Back in the 80’s my business The Upper Cut Beauty Salon made a commercial that was aired on the local Christian-pbs station. I was wondering if any copies of that might still exist. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on March 17, 2015 at 5:19 pm

Newsreels being shown at the White Sands Theatre were mentioned in the January 20, 1938, issue of the Alamogordo News. Though I haven’t found any earlier mentions of the White Sands, I’m sure the house opened sometime in 1937.

Justwideman
Justwideman on August 4, 2021 at 7:07 am

2021 it still seems to be used as Vision Broadcasting.

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