The former AMC Classic Westdale 12 movie theater building in southwest Cedar Rapids was sold for $750,000 in a two-day online auction that concluded Dec. 4.
The LoopNet page for the online auction indicated that the $750,000 sale price was above the minimum required to sell the 46,181-square-foot theater building, but didn’t provide information on the buyer or other details.
The property was valued at $1,844,000 as of January 2024, according to the Cedar Rapids assessor website, including $1,370,000 for the land and $474,000 for the improvements.
However, that value included the parking lot in front of the theater itself. That parking lot is now being redeveloped as a new location for Texas Roadhouse.
Ground has already been broken for the new location, according to Chris Scheck, owner and franchise operator, and plans call for the foundation to be poured this week. Mr. Scheck said he plans to open the new restaurant in April 2025.
AMC officials confirmed in February 2023 that the theater was permanently closed.
Carmike Cinemas opened the theater as the Wynnsong 12 in February 1999, with a grand opening featuring movies such as “Varsity Blues,” “My Favorite Martian” and “A Bug’s Life.” It was acquired by AMC in 2016, and was first closed in March 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite company assurances that the theater would reopen when the pandemic subsided, it never did.
Two movie theaters remain in the Cedar Rapids metro area – the 16-screen Marcus Cedar Rapids Cinema at 5340 Council St. NE, originally opened as the Wehrenberg Galaxy 16 Cine, and the locally-owned, five-screen Collins Road Theatres at 1462 Twixt Town Rd. in Marion.
