After two decades at Tysons Corner Center, AMC Theatres has decided it could make movies even better with some upgrades.
The exhibitor submitted plans to Fairfax County on Monday (Sept. 22) for an interior renovation of the 16-screen movie theater, which has been operating on the mall’s third floor since 2005.
Expected changes include a replacement of the stadium-style, fabric-covered seats found in most auditoriums with reclining chairs. Two rooms that house IMAX and Dolby screens will be exempted because their seating was already updated, according to the Washington Business Journal, which first reported the renovation plans.
AMC also wants to install “new floor and wall finishes throughout” the theater and move its bar area to a new location within the lobby, per an online summary of the permit application.
An AMC spokesperson told FFXnow that the company typically doesn’t comment on renovations until they’re complete, but more information will be shared once customers can experience the changes “in person, which we expect to be some time in 2026.”
According to the WBJ, the nearly $5 million renovation will be implemented in phases starting in 2026, and the theater will remain open throughout the process.
The AMC spokesperson says the WBJ’s report is accurate, though he’s unable to confirm how much the project will cost.
“We do not share or confirm renovation cost information,” he said.
AMC Theatres arrived at Tysons Corner Center in fall 2005 as part of a massive mall expansion that also included the third-floor food court and a two-story Barnes & Noble bookstore, which relocated earlier this year to a downsized space.
Filling a gap left in the mall’s retail offerings when Sony Theatres closed in 1997, AMC touted the size of the new location’s auditoriums, including two that can seat up to 500 people, and its “comfortable, stadium seating and digital sound,” the Connection reported at the time.
Now, however, AMC is working to keep up with a trend accelerated by the pandemic toward more upscale, boutique experiences, as cinemas seek to lure moviegoers from their couches and phones with technology updates, expanded dining options and cushy seating.
That trend can be seen in the chains that have popped up in the Tysons area recently to compete with AMC, including Look Dine-In Cinemas at The Boro, Tysons Galleria’s CMX CineBistro and most recently, Paragon Theatres in Falls Church.
