Weighing the pros and cons of popular Las Vegas movie theaters…
Several years ago, I was on an inbound flight, chatting with a Sin City resident. During our lengthy conversation, I asked him why he thought Las Vegas had so many movie theaters. “We locals love the movies”, he answered. “Most of us avoid the Strip but still want to be entertained. So we attend live shows at local casinos…and LOTS of movies.”
This dedicated moviegoer is now in my sixth year as a Sin City resident. I attend at least two mainstream films per week, sometimes as many as four. This list covers my favorite major players, their high-tech auditoriums, best deals, ease of access/parking, loyalty programs, and more.
Brendan Theaters 14 at Palms Casino –
Brenden Theaters has seven locations that span California, Nevada, and Arizona. Straddling the line between “corporate” and “family-run”, this chain operates over one hundred screens. Brenden Theaters thinks big while adding a personal touch. Owner Johnny Brenden continues a legacy started by family patriarch Ted Mann of Mann’s Chinese Theater in Hollywood.
Brenden Theaters 14 at Palms Casino offers premium formats like IMAX, Dolby ATMOS, DTS-X, and JB-X, an exclusive Brenden Theaters system. JB-X offers reclining king-size leather chairs, razor-sharp BARCO projectors, curved screens, and QSC Audio technology.
In 2022, the theater received a bit of a renovation. Ticketing was combined with concession sales into one location, and the lobby was transformed into a swanky “ultra lounge”. The walls became a gallery for local graffiti artists, lending a hip, urban vibe to the moviegoing experience.
Above photos by offthestrip.com
Pros –
- Free indoor and outdoor parking, a relatively short walk to the theater from your car.
- $5 Mondays for all seats, including premium formats.
- Discounts on all shows before 5 pm Tuesday-Thursday.
- Full bar and hot foods are available. Pepsi is the preferred soft drink brand.
- Friendly staff. Clean theaters and common areas.
Cons –
- Restrooms are located outside the concession area, shared with a food court. They are FAR and you will miss a significant portion of the film if you have to “go”.
- Poor overall floor plan. Smaller auditoriums are extremely far from the lobby. You will walk down a lengthy corridor, turn right, walk down another corridor, then turn again before reaching your theater. Forget about grabbing a snack or visiting the restroom once the feature begins.
- No free refills on large popcorn or soft drinks
- MOVIE CLUB loyalty program is offered, but perks are unclear and not listed on the website.
Brenden Theaters 14 is located at 4321 W. Flamingo Road. Click here for showtimes and online ticketing.
Cinemark Century South Point 16 –
Cinemark Century 16 is this writer’s personal favorite. It offers nearly everything you could hope for in a modern chain cinema. Their hot, buttery popcorn is made nonstop and is out of this world. The choice of soft drinks and other beverages is near-limitless thanks to Coca-Cola Freestyle.
The two largest South Point movie auditoriums are reserved for XD format, a Cinemark exclusive. XD offers an upgraded viewing experience via THX-certified visuals and sound on their biggest screens. Unfortunately, XD is the only format that provides reclining seats at this particular multi-plex.
Pros –
- Fantastic ticket prices. Discount Tuesdays are $5.75, and even cheaper if you’re a Cinemark Rewards member. South Point Slot Club cardholders over 50 receive $4 movies on Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday (excluding opening nights).
- Unlimited same-day refills on large soft drinks. One-time same-day refill on XL-size popcorn.
- Concession stand is well-staffed and efficient. Employees are friendly, attentive, and courteous.
- Restrooms, common areas, and theater auditoriums are always spotless.
- Alcoholic drinks and hot foods are available.
- Free indoor and outdoor parking.
- Restrooms are near to all auditoriums.
- CINEMARK MOVIE REWARDS program offers a limited-benefit free option and a subscription service with generous savings, freebies, and perks.
- Classic films and marathons of beloved franchises are frequently on the schedule.
Cons –
- Lengthy walk from the parking garage.
- Reclining seats only available in two of 16 auditoriums.
South Point Casino is located at 9777 S. Las Vegas Boulevard. Cinemark Theaters is on the second level above Steak and Shake. Click here for showtimes and online ticketing.
Regal Red Rock 16 –
You may have noticed by now that movie theaters inside a casino are a “thing”. More often than not, they’re located next to a food court or bowling alley. Regal Cinemas Red Rock 16 happens to be sandwiched between both.
The best thing about Regal Red Rock is that it’s the only theater in the valley to offer 4DX. If you’re a diehard fan of adrenaline-fueled films, the 4DX format is a must. It is, without question, the most immersive way to watch a movie.
Seats vibrate, tilt, swoop, and bounce in sync with onscreen happenings. Blasts of light, wind, fragrance, moisture, “snow”, and other sensory amplifiers come at you from the front, behind, and above. If the film is available in 3D projection, the overall experience is even more intense.
While not for those prone to motion sickness or epileptic reactions, 4DX is worth the additional ticket price. And I dare say, a lot more enjoyable than POSTCARD FROM EARTH at the SPHERE.
Pros –
- Combined ticketing/snack line is fast and efficient.
- Hot foods and alcoholic beverages are available. Free refills on large soft drinks (Pepsi products) and large popcorn.
- IMAX and 4DX viewing formats
- Regal Unlimited is a subscription service that allows you to see unlimited movies.
- Free Regal Crown Club allows you to earn free popcorn, drinks, movies, and other perks.
Cons –
- Regal Red Rock shares the same layout flaw as Brenden Theaters. Snack bar and restrooms are very far from the theaters. You walk, and walk, and walk to get to your seat.
- Guest Services counter and box office are rarely staffed. If you have a ticketing issue, you’ll deal with a snack bar attendant.
- Individual auditorium cleanliness can be spotty. Restroom maintenance could be improved (broken faucets, empty soap and paper dispensers).
Cinebarre Palace Station 9 –
Cinebarre is a subsidiary of Regal Cinemas, combining in-theater dining with the atmosphere of your favorite local pub. Before or after the movie, you can shoot pool, hang out at the bar, and even have a complete dinner. Reclining theater seats have individual swing-away “tables”, and each auditorium is assigned at least one server to bring your food, drinks, and snacks.
Indulge your sweet tooth with cheesecake, warm donut holes, a salted caramel waffle sundae, and ice cream floats. Are you in the mood for adult libations? Then dive into Boozy Shakes like the Drunken Oreo, gulp down a Peach Whiskey Smash, or cool your pipes with a Tito’s Blue Raspberry Spiked Lemonade.
Entertainers Jarrett and Raja and the gang at Cinebarre Palace Station (photo via Facebook)
While children are welcome for certain features and showtimes, Cinebarre is designed for adults. The word “bar” is in its name for a reason. So bring your friends, leave the rugrats at home, and enjoy the latest releases in a new way.
Pros –
- Full menu of food and drinks delivered directly to your seat during the film.
- Free refills on popcorn and large soft drinks.
- Reclining seats in all auditoriums.
- Regal Crown Club and Boyd Gaming loyalty cards are honored for discounts.
- Meticulous facilities and conveniently located restrooms.
- Free parking (with a caveat, discussed below).
- Each theater is staffed, reducing the likelihood of customer interruptions. Bringing children is discouraged.
Cons –
- Ticket prices are higher than the competition. Convenience comes at a price.
- Nearest parking is outdoor-only, so you’ll return to a scorching car during the summer.
- No large screen premium formats.
- Fewer auditoriums means fewer film titles to choose from.
Cinebarre 9 is located at 2411 W. Sahara Avenue inside Palace Station Casino. For showtimes and online ticketing, follow this link.
AMC Town Square 18 – The One to Avoid
Consider everything wrong with modern moviegoing and you’ll find it by the dumpster-full at AMC Town Square 18. This is a very busy cineplex but ranks as the absolute worst. What makes me an authority? I’m a former AMC THEATERS manager and a graduate of the AMC Management Academy (yes, it’s a real thing…or at least it was).
Filthy concession stand
What’s wrong with AMC Town Square 18? Nearly everything you’d want to avoid when going to the movies. I hate this place, which is filthy, understaffed, and run down. “Out of Order” signs cover as much space as movie posters on the walls. Toilets, sinks, doors, seats, cash registers, soda vending machines, and ice machines are always broken.
Would you eat from here?
Movies are frequently canceled without explanation, and late starts are a problem, too. The rowdy clientele this dump attracts ensures your film will be spoiled by SOMETHING. Rude patrons, texting, phone conversations, arguments, and physical altercations are the norm.
Ushers NEVER check auditoriums to ensure a pleasant environment. Homeless people come in to escape the heat and sleep, unnoticed by staff members who are too busy doing….something. It’s worth mentioning that most employees look, dress, and act like homeless people, too.
Ushers never monitor the auditoriums
Turnover at AMC Town Square is constant. Ordering at the snack bar is an ordeal, with only one or two people to serve dozens of patrons. You’ll inevitably encounter someone with no idea what they’re doing and nobody else to guide them.
The lobby is always filthy, with sticky floors, greasy counters, and unsanitary conditions no matter where you look. How the Health Department hasn’t shut this place down is a mystery.
The once-popular “annual bucket” which offered discounted popcorn refills after buying an expensive plastic bowl, was discontinued in 2024. Popcorn servings have been downsized, yet prices have soared. Coca-Cola Freestyle machines are inadequately maintained, meaning you’ll have fewer choices. Ice dispensers are usually empty, too.
Self-serve butter-flavor dispensers were removed after COVID. Now the yellow gook is squirted indiscriminately from a plastic bottle by the same folks who can’t speak properly or look up at you when taking your order. This place employs the lowest of the low. They’re rude, cocky, lazy, and do the absolute minimum to get a check.
Six out of eight flavors are empty…
Can you count the number of broken soda machines?
Pros –
- AMC Stubs A-List program is like Netflix for cinemas. Pay one price and enjoy up to three movies per week, including premium formats.
- DOLBY CINEMA and IMAX formats are available. Only the Dolby Cinema auditorium offers reclining seats. All others including IMAX are stationary.
- Free refills on large popcorn and soft drinks.
- MacGuffins Bar serves alcoholic drinks in a 21-and-over separate area.
- Programming includes a decent selection of low-budget, foreign, and art films among the blockbusters.
Cons –
- Everything else about this place is bad bad bad bad bad, from the facilities and projection problems to the staff and customers it attracts.
- Outdoor parking is a long walk, and covered parking is even farther. The theater complex is on the third level of Town Square, so you’ll be riding escalators/elevators or climbing two sets of stairs after the lengthy stroll from your car.
- At least twenty minutes of trailers for upcoming films, followed by two AMC Theater promos (as if you don’t already know what cinema chain you’re sitting in). One is a creepy Nicole Kidman advertisement that Saturday Night Live spoofed so well. Four years since it started, Ms. Kidman is still claiming that AMC “Makes Movies Better”. Sorry lady, but that’s bullshit. How about spending less money paying millionaires to lie and a few bucks on cleaning up your dumps? I’m ashamed to admit that I once had a career with this failing company.
AMC Town Square 18 is located at 6587 S. Las Vegas Boulevard. For ticketing and showtimes, click here. But don’t say you weren’t warned.