Columbia Center 3
Willamette Avenue and Columbia Center Boulevard,
Kennewick,
WA
99336
Willamette Avenue and Columbia Center Boulevard,
Kennewick,
WA
99336
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Additional Info
Previously operated by: Act III Theatres, Cineplex Odeon, Regal Entertainment Group, SRO Theaters
Previous Names: Columbia Center Cinema
Nearby Theaters
The Tri-City Herald announced the opening of the Columbia Center Mall on November 21, 1969 when Sterling Recreation Organization (SRO) opened their first single screen, seating 850, outside the main mall called Columbia Center Cinema. On May 26, 1976 the grand opening was held for two more auditoriums with 440 and 220 seats and a name change to the Columbia Center 3.
Cineplex-Odeon assumed control in December 1986. In 1997, Act III Theaters, its operators, built an eight-screen theatre at the center, which the Herald said was to serve as a replacement for the original cinema, which would close. In 1998 Act III became Regal. The original theatre building was outside the mall between J.C. Penney and the railroad tracks and was destined for demolition after an expansion of the mall began in 2006. Today Regal Entertainment provides the entertainment at the mall, with a Carmike Cinema within walking distance.
(As of 2009, a good view of the shuttered cinema could still be seen on Microsoft Bird’s eye view, between J.C. Penney and the tracks, but it was demolished in 2010).
Contributed by
Ron Pierce
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Recent comments (view all 5 comments)
Jan.5 1970 Residents, showing the good taste in films,“OLIVER” has a long run here .
The theater complex I knew as “Columbia Center 3” was finally demolished about 3-4 years ago. In its place: nothing. Just empty space in the shadow of Famous Dave’s and P.F. Chang’s. The only thing that remains is the theater marquee in the JCPenney parking lot, always covered up (with a banner) by whatever the mall is promoting at any given time.
The original seat counts were 839 seats in #1, 239 in #2 and 424 in #3, there were only 3 auditoriums at this location.
Cineplex Odeon took over the Columbia Center 3 alongside other SRO operated theaters in December 1986. Act III began taking control of all indoor theaters in the tri-cities in 1992.
Grand opening ad 21 November 1969 In photos with a double feature of “The Undefeated” and “TDYMITFM.” The facility was designed to go from a single screen to two in the original drawings. It would reach three screens and stop.
On December 13, 1986, SRO sold its 110 screen operation to Cineplex Odeon for $45 million. But the forthcoming megaplex era wiped out most of the twin and doubles. Act III acquired theaters from Cineplex Odeon in the Pacific Northwest in 1992 and this became an Act III venue.
They decided to build an 8-plex to replace the triple. It opened on Nov. 14, 1997 but Act III was convinced to keep the original three plex going in a surprise fourth act.
KKR took on Act III in 1998 that came under the Regal nameplate here. Regal declared bankruptcy in 2001 making it much easier to close out older twins, triples and quads. The last day here was September 30, 2001. “Summer Catch” and “American Outlaws” were the final two films shown that night.