Is a new IMAX theater coming to downtown Merced? Here’s what we know

It would be the latest in a flurry of big development projects that have transformed the face of downtown

The Regal Hollywood Cinema on West Main Street in downtown Merced is shown at left. At right, Regal Edwards Fresno ScreenX, 4DX and IMAX in River Park. PHOTO BY VICTOR A. PATTON/CVJC

By Victor A. Patton

July 14, 2023

MERCED (CVJC) — Film fans in the Merced area who want to see the latest big releases on the really big screen may soon be able to stay local to experience movies on a giant IMAX screen rather than drive to Fresno or Riverbank.

Preliminary plans are in motion to develop part of the existing 13-screen Regal Hollywood theater in Merced’s downtown into an IMAX theater, according to Dan Del Real, a commercial real estate agent with Merced-based Del Real and Company.

Del Real, who affiliates with KW Commercial, handles sales and leasing for Main Place Merced, the block-long structure in the heart of downtown that includes the Regal Hollywood Theater. The building, owned by Encina Investment Group, extends from 403 to 439 West Main St.

Del Real told CVJC an agreement was recently signed by Regal and the landlord to transform one of its screens into an IMAX theater. While renovation plans for the theater have not yet been submitted to the city, Del Real says they could be filed before the end of this year.

Regal, based in Knoxville, Tenn., did not respond to calls made by CVJC seeking comment from the company as of Friday. 

IMAX theaters use giant screens and special projectors to create high-resolution visuals which, combined with top-notch audio technology, provide audiences with a viewing experience that is more immersive than standard movie theaters. Ticket prices for IMAX showings can be up to double those of regular admission. 

In order to compete with streaming and other at-home movie options, the film industry is banking on IMAX being part of the formula to get audiences in seats. For example, the upcoming Christopher Nolan-directed film “Oppenheimer,” which is scheduled for release July 21, was shot entirely on 70mm large format film, which according to entertainment website Looper, provides 10 times the resolution of an average 35mm theater projector. 

The timeline for bringing IMAX to Merced is unclear. Besides the city’s permitting process, there are other considerations at play before work on the project can begin.

Regal’s British-based parent company Cineworld filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in September but it could emerge with a court-approved restructuring agreement by the end of July, according to the entertainment industry website Deadline.

“When that happens, that’s kind of the domino that needs to fall to trigger the buildout of the IMAX theater,” Del Real said. “There’s an agreement in place between Regal and the landlord to make that happen as soon as Regal officially emerges from bankruptcy.”

An IMAX theater would be the latest in a flurry of big development projects that have transformed the face of downtown Merced. Just a few blocks west of Regal Hollywood, the Hotel El Capitan and Hotel Tioga both underwent multi-million dollar renovations. Once considered old and dilapidated, those buildings are now hallmarks of the city’s Main Street. 

New life was also breathed into the Roaring ‘20s-era Art Deco Mainzer Theater, which was given a significant makeover that included a new restaurant. Plus, Fresno-based Tioga-Sequoia Brewing Company recently opened a taproom in downtown Merced.

Those developments and others recently helped Merced be designated as one of the “coolest small downtowns” in America, according to travel website Thrillist.

Frank Quintero, deputy city manager for the City of Merced, said Thursday while he did hear Main Place Merced’s owner expressed interest in bringing an IMAX to downtown, “truth be told we have not seen any plans,” he acknowledged.

“Because we don’t have an application for it and they haven’t turned in building permits I can’t say that it’s a done deal. I just heard that (the owner) was thinking about doing that,” Quintero added.

If an IMAX did come to Merced, Quintero said it would fit with the city’s vision to make the downtown region into an entertainment, arts and cultural district.

“That includes movies and performing arts. We’re very strong on the performing arts side, anchored by the Merced Theatre, Playhouse Merced, (Merced) Multicultural Arts Center, and The Mainzer Theater. Transitioning Regal into an IMAX offers a different variety that we don’t have right now. People (now) go to Riverbank and to Fresno for that experience,” Quintero said. “So for us, it would be a game changer.”

The IMAX would be a boon for the city, given that plans for a new theater at the Merced Mall still have not come to fruition, years after the project was revealed. Santa Rosa-based Codding Enterprises, which owns most of the mall, recently listed the property for sale.

An IMAX in downtown could draw foot traffic from UC Merced’s ever-expanding student population, which is inching closer to 10,000.

Merced Mayor Matthew Serratto said he’s heard whispers of an IMAX possibly coming to downtown, though he “didn’t know if it was just talk.” Still, Serratto said it would help “take Merced to another level” with more excitement and amenities for downtown. “It’s a prime spot,” Serratto said. 

Outside of Regal’s bankruptcy issues, the proposed project would have to contend with the ever-evolving – and sometimes fickle – viewing habits of audiences. 

Theater operators nationwide are still recovering from the disastrous impacts of the COVID pandemic, which shuttered movie houses, including the Regal UA Regency 7 theater near the Merced Mall, which closed in December 2021. 

Del Real says he’s very hopeful that an IMAX theater will become a reality for Merced. 

“As a movie-goer who lives in Merced and grew up in Merced, to me it would be huge,” Del Real said. “I’ve talked to a lot of UC Merced students, people who have grown up here as well. The consensus is there’s a demand for new retail, restaurants (and) entertainment experiences. So having an IMAX theater in Merced is something that we’ve never had before.”  

This story was reported and edited by the Central Valley Journalism Collaborative, cvlocaljournalism.org, a nonprofit newsroom based in Merced, CA.