Red Oak, located just north of Waxahachie and east of Mansfield, is getting a new upscale, state-of-the-art theater complex. Midwest chain B&B Theatres and Waxahachie-based Victron Group have announced a new theater complex to serve Ellis County and the surrounding communities. The review process by Red Oak City Council is underway and construction is slated to begin in early 2020, according to the company. Located with great visibility off of Interstate 35E, the new theatre will be a major addition to the dining, shopping and entertainment development known as Red Oak Legacy Square. Projected opening date is spring of 2021.
The facility itself will feature 12 theaters and some of B&B’s most innovative theatrical concepts, including the company’s own signature GRAND SCREEN premium large format with specialized wall-to-wall curved screens, 28-inch stadium seating, RealD 3D and High Frame Rate (on select films), DTS-X immersive surround sound, and digital projection. The Grand Screen will be 70 feet wide, making it one of the largest screens in the nation.
But it’s not just movies, B&B Theatres Red Oak will also be home to sixteen lanes of B-Roll Bowling and an Outtakes Arcade, featuring both classic games of yesteryear and today’s cutting-edge hits, complete with ticketing and prize redemption. The amenities will round off with reserved recliner seating in every auditorium and the Marquee Bar and Grille, offering extended menu options, plus wine, beer, and cocktails for guests of age.
The concession stand will offer traditional theater fare, and the expanded menu includes hot food items such as mozzarella sticks, gourmet burgers, chicken tenders, funnel cake fries, and more.
“Victron is excited to present Red Oak Legacy Square, a mixed-use development anchored by B&B that will include retail, office, and high-end apartments as part of the largest development to ever come to the City of Red Oak,” said Mohamed Sharaf, a Victron Group representative. “ We are honored to have B&B as an anchor and are excited to announce many more additions to the development in the near future.”
B&B Theatres President and CEO Bob Bagby said, “We love our current Texas operations, and the expansion into Red Oak is a natural fit. We are pleased to be moving forward with the project and are confident that Legacy Square will become an area with tremendous energy with people coming and going, shopping and dining…and we want to provide them the best entertainment experience possible! Building a new theatre is a huge undertaking and we couldn’t be more excited about working with the Victron Group, especially since the Red Oak theater will offer sixteen lanes of bowling in addition to cutting-edge cinema presentation, reserved recliner seating, delicious Food-to-Go extended menu options, a full-service bar, and so much more. Being in touch with the community, developing strong relationships, and exceeding guest expectations have become hallmarks of our growth over the last few years, and we’re very excited to bring B&B Theatres to Red Oak.”
B&B Theatres also has a location in Wylie.
“Our citizens have been asking for development that will allow them to have more entertainment, dining, and shopping right here in our own town,” said City of Red Oak Mayor Mark Stanfill. “I’m excited that this project is going to provide a venue that will do not only that, but draw others to our fabulous city. It’s a great win for Red Oak.”
B&B Theatres has been family owned and operated since 1924 when Elmer Bills Sr. opened a movie house in Salisbury, Missouri where the future Mrs. Bills played the piano for silent movies. During the company’s 95 years, and four generations of family involvement, it has seen the coming of sound, color, Technicolor, stadium seating, multiplexes, recliners and digital cinema. B&B Theatres is the 6th largest theatre chain in North America and operates 407 screens at 50 locations in Kansas, Florida, Missouri, Mississippi, Iowa, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Texas.
Victron Group is a commercial real estate developer, food franchisee, and branded fuel distributor headquartered in Waxahachie, Texas. Victron began when its late founder, Ali Sharaf, built his first convenience store in Red Oak and has grown to one of the largest fuel distributorships in the United States. Victron has developed many successful projects that have been key to the history of Red Oak, including the Red Oak Town Village apartments and the southeast quadrant of I-35 and Ovilla Rd. Red Oak Legacy Square is named in honor of Ali’s vision to one day develop a movie theatre in Red Oak and continue to invest in his community.