Saratoga.com logo
Saratoga.com logo
  • Places to Stay
  • Things To Do
  • Food & Drink
  • Events
  • Businesses
  • Travel Guides
Saratoga Business Journal
  • Home
  • New Businesses
  • Business News
  • Business Reports
  • Business Briefs
  • Business Registrations
  • Personnel Briefs
  • Contact Us
Home  »  New Businesses  »  Movies Return To Downtown Saratoga As Bow Tie Opens Luxury Theater Complex
New Businesses

Movies Return To Downtown Saratoga As Bow Tie Opens Luxury Theater Complex

Posted onNovember 11, 2013November 8, 2017
bowtie-wm.jpg
This is one of the 11 luxury theaters at the new Bow Tie Criterion Theater in downtown Saratoga Springs, featuring custom leather chairs, and Dolby digital 7.1 surround sound

By R.J. DeLuke

The Bow Tie Criterion Cinema, a new
multi-screen movie theater complex in
downtown Saratoga Springs is up and running.
The city now has a cinema since the
Community Theater on Broadway closed
in 1980.

“We specialize in running theaters downtown,”
said Joe Masher, chief operating
officer, Bow Tie Cinemas, at a media tour
of the facility in mid-October. The tour was
just days before the facility, at 19 Railroad
Place, at the corner of Church Street,
opened to the public.
“They really become an important part
of the community,” he added.

The Bow Tie company has also opened
another set of deluxe cinemas at the Wilton
Mall, refurbishing the area where theaters
once existed, but closed last year.

The downtown theater, on the first floor of a grand three-story structure built by Bonacio Construction, boasts 11 luxurious auditoriums including one large-format, dubbed by the company as “BTX – Bow Tie Xtreme.”

Informz, an e-mail marketing company currently on Congress Street in Saratoga Springs, has already announced plans to move its operation to the third floor of the building. At the cinema tour, Sonny Bonacio, president of Bonacio Construction, said most of the second floor office space has also been rented. He said he could not yet release the name of the company that will occupy it.

But he noted that of 58,000 square feet of space in the building, only 4,000 is available. “We could not be happier” with that situation, Bonacio said.

The 11 new screens at the Criterion downtown are part of an $18 million building on Railroad Place. All are luxurious, but the gem is the BTX – Bow Tie Xtreme features a 2,000-square-foot screen, custom leather rocking chairs, and enhanced Dolby Digital 7.1 surround sound.

All auditoriums feature full stadium seating with luxury leather rocking chairs, wallto- wall screens, and Dolby Digital surround sound. The theater also has a selection of hot food, like chicken tenders, hamburger sliders, French fries, and personal pizza.

“We do not intend to compete with the many fine restaurants in the city,” noted Masher, but it gives customers extra options besides the usual movie theater snacks. A beer and wine cafĂ© will also be part of the experience.

“Movie theaters have become entertainment centers,” said Craig O’Connor, vice president of marketing and concessions for Bow Tie Cinemas. He said there will be different kinds of movies shown downtown.

At the Mall, it will be the usual first-release films ranging from action to popular and all the genres. It has deluxe eight screens, including one BTX – Bow Tie Xtreme.

The downtown theater, “more of an upscale, sophisticated theater,” said Masher, will have art films, concert films and even opera selections. It will have first-release popular movies as well.

Masher said people will be able to use their smartphones to buy tickets and scan them in the spacious lobby. One of the projection areas with its digital equipment is visible from the lobby. Movies are received via satellite and downloaded on the complex’s server. “There’s never a scratch and the sound is always great,” said O’Connor.

Bow Tie Cinemas’ popular “Movies & Mimosas” classic film series will be presented every Saturday and Sunday morning, featuring classic films on the big screen. “Insomnia Theater” will feature cult hits late night every Friday and Saturday.

Bow Tie Cinemas debuted the all-new Wilton Mall Cinemas on Route 50 in late October. The Wilton Mall Cinemas features the same selection of foods as the downtown facility.

Both sites have a private birthday party room available for rent at the theaters. About 30 people are employed at each site, downtown and at the mall.

Before opening to the public, the downtown Criterion Cinemas was the site of a gala fundraiser to benefit for the Saratoga Hospital Foundation, which raised some $2,400, Masher said.

Bow Tie Cinemas is a four-generation, family owned company. Founded in 1900 by vaudeville impresario B.S. Moss, the company is the oldest theater circuit in North America, and is the eighth largest. Bow Tie Cinemas operates 382 screens at 62 locations in five states.

In New York state, the company operates 113 screens at 22 locations, including Movieland in Schenectady, the world-famous Ziegfeld Theater and Chelsea Cinemas in New York City.

Previous Article The Kensington At Halfmoon Will Have 200 Luxury Apartments By Spring 2014
Next Article Saratoga Hospital $31M Expansion And Renovation Plan Will Soon Get Underway
Subscribe to Our Newsletter
View the Latest Virtual Edition

Categories

  • 50-Plus
  • Banking
  • Banking / Asset Managment
  • Building Trades
  • Business Briefs
  • Business News
  • Business Registrations
  • Business Reports
  • Commercial / Residential Real Estate
  • Community Services
  • Construction
  • Construction Planning
  • Corporate Tax / Business Planning
  • Cyber / Tech
  • Dining Guide
  • Economic Development
  • Economic Outlook 2016
  • Economic Outlook 2017
  • Economic Outlook 2018
  • Economic Outlook 2019
  • Economic Outlook 2020
  • Education/ Training/ Personal Development
  • Entrepreneurial Women
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Environment / Development
  • Financial Planning / Investments
  • Fitness / Nutrition
  • Health / Community Services
  • Health & Fitness
  • Health & Wellness
  • Healthcare
  • Holiday Guide
  • Holiday Shopping
  • Home / Energy
  • Home / Insurance
  • Home & Real Esate
  • Insurance / Employee Benefits
  • Insurance / Medical Services
  • Legal / Accounting
  • Meet The Chef
  • New Businesses
  • Non-Profit
  • Office / Computer / New Media
  • Office / HR / Employment
  • Office/ Technology/ E-Commerce
  • Personnel Briefs
  • Retirement Planning
  • Senior Living / Retirement
  • Summer Construction
  • Uncategorized
  • Wellness
  • Women In Business
  • Workplace / Security / Legal
  • Year-End Tax Planning

Archives

  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • September 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • June 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • March 2015
  • February 2015
  • January 2015
  • December 2014
  • November 2014
  • October 2014
  • September 2014
  • August 2014
  • July 2014
  • June 2014
  • May 2014
  • April 2014
  • March 2014
  • February 2014
  • January 2014
  • December 2013
  • November 2013
  • October 2013
  • September 2013
  • August 2013
  • July 2013
  • June 2013
  • May 2013
  • April 2013
  • March 2013
  • February 2013
  • January 2013
  • December 2012
Connect With Us

Follow, like and subscribe to Saratoga.com on social media

Account Sign In Submit An Event
Saratoga.com logo
  • Home
  • Places To Stay
  • Things To Do
  • Food & Drink
  • Events
  • Real Estate
  • Businesses
  • Guides
  • Contact Us
  • Blogs
  • Sweepstakes
  • Advertising
Visit Saratoga.com For Everything Saratoga
Full-Service Internet Marketing: Search Engine Optimization, Website Design and Development by Mannix Marketing, Inc.
Mannix Marketing, Inc. is headquartered near Saratoga Springs in Glens Falls, New York
Saratoga.com All Rights Reserved © 2021
Disclaimer & Privacy Policy / Terms of Use / Copyright Policies

We strive to insure accuracy on Saratoga.com however accuracy cannot be guaranteed. Information is subject to change.
Please alert us if there is any inaccurate information here.

Having trouble using this site? Accessibility is our goal, please contact or email us with site improvements.