issues . please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page . learn how and when to remove these template messages this article needs additional citations for verification . please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources . unsourced material may be challenged and removed . april 2010 learn how and when to remove this template message this article needs to be updated . please update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information . june 2014 learn how and when to remove this template message alamo drafthouse cinema original alamo drafthouse cinema in downtown austin industry entertainment movie theaters founded 1997 headquarters united states number of locations 22 key people tim league website drafthouse.com the alamo drafthouse cinema is an american cinema chain founded in 1997 in austin texas usa that is famous for its strict policy of requiring its audiences to maintain proper cinemagoing etiquette . it has screens in 22 locations including fourteen with five more being built across texas in addition to locations in winchester and ashburn virginia ; 1 san francisco california ; kalamazoo michigan ; kansas city missouri ; littleton colorado ; la vista nebraska 2 and yonkers new york . others are planned to be built in los angeles ; 3 new york city ; 4 baton rouge louisiana ; and chandler arizona . 5 its headquarters is located in austin . 6 contents 1 history 2 company sold 3 locations 3.1 downtown theater 4 etiquette 5 events 6 rolling roadshow 7 drafthouse films 7.1 releases 8 see also 9 references 10 external links history edit the alamo drafthouse cinema was founded by rice university alumni tim and karrie league at 409 colorado st in an austin texas warehouse district building that was being used as a parking garage . 7 the company began as a second run movie theater and distinguished itself by the food and drink service offered inside the theater including cold beers . the seating is arranged with rows of cabaret style tables in front of each row of seats with an aisle between each row to accommodate waiter service . customers write their orders on slips of paper which are picked up by black clad waiters . soon after opening the original downtown theater began offering occasional unique programming such as silent movies scored by local bands playing live accompaniment food themed films such as like water for chocolate served with a dinner matching the meals shown on screen and retrospectives of various directors and stars . citation needed in 2001 the leagues renovated a four screen art house theater at 2700 anderson lane in north austin called village cinema which had recently closed and opened it as an alamo drafthouse which specialized in first run movies . with this new alamo drafthouse village the downtown location ceased showing second run movies and began to concentrate almost exclusively on unusual programming including classics cult classics independents documentaries special guest appearances and audience participation shows . citation needed in 2003 the alamo drafthouse under the direction of new ceo terrell braly opened on 13729 research boulevard in northwest austin . the alamo drafthouse lake creek had seven screens all dedicated to new movies . almost simultaneously the alamo granted their first franchise which opened in the west oaks mall in houston texas . in 2013 the lake creek location was closed upon the opening of the brand new larger lakeline location . citation needed company sold edit parknorth mall uptown san antonio texas in july 2004 tim and karrie league sold the brand including the brand name intellectual property and rights to all future alamo drafthouse expansion to the alamo drafthouse cinemas ceo terrell braly john martin and david kennedy but retained an irrevocable license for the austin locations village lamar downtown which includes their rolling roadshow . 8 in may 2003 travis doss opened the first alamo franchise location west oaks mall in houston texas with six screens . in august 2004 the largest alamo westlakes opened in san antonio texas with nine screens . since february 2005 the new company has purchased the original franchise unit from doss opened a theater in the katy area and in spring texas and has built a new build multi screen theater in the rio grande valley ; though it was announced in 2006 and scheduled to open in 2008 the building has remained unfinished since the original owner was foreclosed upon in november 2008 . 9 a second san antonio theater opened in 2009 park north with six screens . 10 a third san antonio location stone oak opened november 5 2010 with six screens . in 2009 the first outside of texas was opened in winchester virginia . 11 in june 2010 founder tim league was brought back in as ceo of the franchise operations . 12 locations edit arizona alamo drafthouse phoenix location undecided planned 8 screen location in chandler az abandoned due to construction issues development taken over by harkins theatres . alamo holdings llc is still seeking a location in phoenix metropolitan area . 13 california the bloc downtown los angeles planning under construction new mission theater san francisco opened december 17 2015 colorado alamo drafthouse at aspen grove littleton 14 alamo drafthouse sloan lake denver 15 michigan alamo drafthouse kalamazoo kalamazoo 10 screens 16 missouri alamo drafthouse mainstreet kansas city 6 screens ; took over operations from amc theatres june 21 2012 nebraska alamo drafthouse omaha la vista 8 screens ; opened october 31 2015 new york alamo drafthouse yonkers yonkers ny 6 screens ; opened august 5 2013 17 alamo drafthouse city point brooklyn ny 7 screens under construction for a 2016 opening 18 texas alamo drafthouse downtown austin single screen ; opened 1997 closed 2007 to move to ritz location alamo drafthouse village austin 4 screens ; opened july 2001 alamo drafthouse west oaks mall houston 6 screens ; opened may 2003 as first houston area location closed june 25 2012 alamo drafthouse lake creek austin 7 screens ; opened may 2003 ; closed july 2013 alamo drafthouse westlakes san antonio 9 screens ; opened august 2004 as first san antonio area location alamo drafthouse south lamar austin 6 screens ; opened march 7 2005 closed january 3 2013 as the 1950s era lamar plaza shopping center is demolished and rebuilt . reopened in third quarter 2014 in new building with 9 screens on the same site . 19 alamo drafthouse mason park katy area 7 screens ; opened february 2006 alamo drafthouse at the ritz austin 2 screens ; opened november 2007 alamo drafthouse park north san antonio 6 screens ; opened november 2009 alamo drafthouse stone oak san antonio 6 screens ; opened on or after november 5 2010 alamo drafthouse slaughter lane austin 8 screens ; opened on march 8 2012 alamo drafthouse vintage park spring 7 screens ; opened february 2013 alamo drafthouse lakeline austin 10 screens ; opened july 2013 alamo drafthouse richardson richardson 7 screens ; opened august 2013 as first dallas fort worth area location 20 alamo drafthouse marketplace new braunfels 11 screens ; opened december 20 2013 alamo drafthouse lubbock lubbock 8 screens ; opened april 25 2014 21 alamo drafthouse laredo laredo 7 screens ; opened september 4 2015 alamo drafthouse montecillo town center el paso 8 screens ; opening may 6 2016 alamo drafthouse cedars dallas 8 screens ; opened 2016 alamo drafthouse corpus christi corpus christi 7 screens ; opening tba 2016 alamo drafthouse las colinas las colinas opening summer 2017 alamo drafthouse at mueller austin texas 6 screens ; opening 2016 alamo drafthouse little elm little elm 8 screens ; tba 22 alamo drafthouse rolling roadshow mobile unit operates worldwide virginia alamo drafthouse winchester kernstown virginia 8 screens ; opened october 2009 alamo drafthouse one loudoun ashburn virginia 8 screens ; opened april 2013 alamo drafthuse charlottesville charlottesville virginia summer 2017 23 in august 2005 entertainment weekly named the alamo drafthouse cinema the 1 movie theater in the country doing it right . 24 downtown theater edit of the first seven theaters the downtown theater was unique for being the host of many important film events in austin such as the quentin tarantino film festival and harry knowles s annual butt numb a thon . in 2006 due to rising rent in downtown austin theater owners took steps to hand the theater over to a non profit group called the heroes of the alamo foundation operating the theater as a cultural arts center . however with the historic ritz theater on 6th street offered as an alternative location the original alamo was closed . the final event at the original location consisted of a special triple feature event the evening of june 27 2007 . the final movie shown was night warning with star susan tyrrell attending . at the conclusion of the movie audience members were allowed to disassemble their seats and take them home as mementos of the theater . after six months of construction the alamo drafthouse at the ritz opened on november 2 2007 with a triple feature of matango attack of the mushroom people with a five course mushroom feast ; a sneak preview of no country for old men ; and a terror thursday screening of war of the gargantuas introduced by quentin tarantino who flew out from los angeles for the night to attend the opening . etiquette edit alamo drafthouse is famous for enforcing a strict policy on behavior while in the theater . children under the age of two are not allowed except for showings on tuesdays before 6pm which are designated baby day showings where parents are encouraged to bring young children and rules around talking are relaxed . 25 unaccompanied minors are not allowed in showings except for members of the alamo drafthouse s victory vanguard rewards program which allows 15 17 year olds to attend showings unattended after their application to the rewards program has been submitted and reviewed . the application involves demonstrating an understanding of the theater s policies around talking texting arriving to the theater late and basic tipping etiquette . 26 the cinema also prohibits talking and texting during the film . anyone who violates this policy is subject to warning and potential removal from the premise . 27 alamo made national headlines in 2011 when the rantings of one angry customer who was ejected for texting were included in its don t talk or text psa shown before films . when we adopted our strict no talking policy back in 1997 we knew we were going to alienate some of our patrons tim league posted on the cinema s website . that was the plan . if you can t change your behavior and be quiet or unilluminated during a movie then we don t want you at our venue . 28 events edit this section does not cite any sources . please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources . unsourced material may be challenged and removed . april 2016 learn how and when to remove this template message every year in september the alamo south lamar location in austin throws a week long film festival called fantastic fest dedicated to the horror sci fi fantasy asian and cult film genres . alamo lake creek holds the annual zombie film festival dismember the alamo and the off centered film festival . the ritz and south lamar locations also participate in the sxsw film festival in march . other events include action pack patrons are armed with cap guns in order to shoot at the screen during fun action films often in house pyrotechnics are performed as well austin air guitar each competitor has 60 seconds to perform air guitar to a song of one s own choosing austin air sex same as the above except for sexual acts 29 big screen classics