Dinner, drink and a movie

Nearly 30 years after downtown Omaha's last movie palace closed its doors, Marcus Midtown Cinema revives the concept, 21st century style, when it opens Friday morning near 33rd and Farnam Streets.

The first commercial business to open in Midtown Crossing at Turner Park, the five-screen multiplex has four levels and includes two cocktail lounges, automated tickets kiosks and a full restaurant kitchen. It opens at 11:30 a.m. Friday.

Midtown Cinema is Marcus Theatres' first all-in venture into what it calls “CineDine” entertainment — complete drink and meal service before and during movies in all auditoriums.

Friday's opening is significant because it signals that the Midtown project is approaching completion, said Joseph “Omar” Andrietsch, director of food and beverage for the Milwaukee-based company.

“Overnight, it became a neighborhood,” said Andrietsch, who has spent the last few months in Omaha preparing the kitchen and training the 25-person staff.

Midtown Cinema's location is straight west of the last grand movie theater to operate downtown, the Astro at 20th and Farnam. Marcus nods to Omaha's movie-palace past by attaching names to its five auditoriums, such as the Palace, Rialto and Riviera.

The Astro closed in 1980 and stood vacant and in danger of demolition for the next decade. After donations by the Rose Blumkin family and a fundraising campaign, the building was purchased, refurbished and renamed the Rose Blumkin Performing Arts Center (now simply the Rose Theater).

The larger downtown area has not been completely bereft of cinematic entertainment. Film Streams, a nonprofit, art-house theater, opened a two-screen complex at 14th and Webster Streets in July 2007.

Midtown Cinema, which has 625 total seats, about 350 of which are devoted to restaurant seating, will be managed by Ken Kealey. He formerly was with Marcus Theatres' Mequon, Wis., property.

Street parking is limited, but an adjacent parking garage has 1,300 spaces. Movie patrons can park free for three hours; each hour after that is $1.

Bob Menefee, a vice president of Marcus Theatres, and Andrietsch provided a tour of the building earlier this week

Street level: A lobby contains cash and remote ticket machines, posters of coming attractions and flat-screen monitors showing movie trailers and other information. Menefee said moviegoers can reserve tickets from two to four weeks in advance, depending on studio rules. Escalators, stairs and an elevator take customers to upper floors.

Second floor: Etched glass walls form the entrance to the Glo lounge, whose curved bar pulses with colored neon lights. The lounge, which will employ 10 to 12 bartenders-servers, has upholstered seating in warm earth tones and a view onto Farnam Street below and Turner Park to the east. Customers can order from a menu that Andrietsch describes as “tapas, only larger,” with portions conducive to sharing. There also is a meeting room.

Third floor: The cinema level has ticket counters, a traditional concession stand and a lobby with a grand piano. Restaurant seating in the auditoriums features large chairs that can roll up to the counters on which food and drinks are placed.

Patrons can summon servers by pushing buttons on the counters, which activate call lights on a wall-mounted monitor in the kitchen. Optimal response time is within two minutes, Andrietsch said. Under-counter lighting in the theaters provides illumination for diners but doesn't interfere with images on the screens, Menefee said.

“Our goal is to replicate the restaurant experience” of a quick-casual establishment, he said.

The large auditorium also is designed to be used for corporate functions and events such as product introductions, Menefee said.

Fourth floor: The top level has another, smaller cocktail lounge called Vue, which has a limited appetizer and dessert menu. Also on this floor is entry into the VIP, reserved-seating balcony in the largest auditorium. This area, with 108 extra-large seats, also has a higher ticket price — $15 compared with $10 for other restaurant seating — but it includes a $5 coupon good for food or drink purchases anywhere in the complex.

“So you get the best seats in the biggest theater, and it really doesn't cost you any more,” Andrietsch said.

Contact the writer:

444-1050, pat.waters@owh.com