117-1750: The Alamo Drafthouse Cinema is an American cinema chain founded in 1997 in Austin, Texas , which is famous for serving dinner and drinks during the film, as well as its strict policy of requiring its audiences to maintain proper cinema-going etiquette . Sony Pictures Experiences acquired the chain in June 2024. The cinema chain has multiple locations across the United States , including 18 in Texas . There are five locations in Virginia ( Winchester , Charlottesville , Woodbridge , Crystal City , and Ashburn ), three locations in Colorado ( Denver , Westminster , and Littleton ), and four in New York ( Yonkers , Brooklyn , Staten Island , and Lower Manhattan ), two locations in Missouri ( St. Louis and Springfield ) and California ( San Francisco and Los Angeles ). There are eight additional locations: Chicago , Washington, D.C. , La Vista, Nebraska , Raleigh, North Carolina , Boston , Naples, Florida , Woodbury, Minnesota , and Indianapolis . Planned future locations include theaters in Glendale, Colorado ; Fayetteville, Arkansas ; Grand Prairie, Texas ; Mountain View, California ; and Santa Clara, California . The Alamo Drafthouse Cinema
234-714: A boil-water advisory which would last until water pressure was restored on February 23. Beginning January 30, 2023 the City of Austin experienced a winter freeze which left 170,000 Austin Energy customers without electricity or heat for several days. The slow pace of repairs and lack of public information from City officials frustrated many residents. A week after the freeze and when Austin City Council members were proposing to evaluate his employment, City Manager Spencer Cronk finally apologized. On Thursday February 16, 2023, Cronk
351-443: A cotton gin engine was located downtown near the trains for "ginning" cotton of its seeds and turning the product into bales for shipment. However, as other new railroads were built through the region in the 1870s, Austin began to lose its primacy in trade to the surrounding communities. In addition, the areas east of Austin took over cattle and cotton production from Austin, especially in towns like Hutto and Taylor that sit over
468-557: A 14-screen Edwards Theatres multiplex as a new anchor for the mall, replacing the Alamo Drafthouse cinema which continued to operate until the completion of construction on the Edwards multiplex that resulted in the demolition of much of the former Mervyn's wing, which was briefly anchored by Steve & Barry's before the latter chain went bankrupt in 2009. Other anchor changes during this time included Fortis College filling
585-635: A diverse mix of government employees, college students, musicians, high-tech workers, and blue-collar workers . The city's official slogan promotes Austin as "The Live Music Capital of the World", a reference to the city's many musicians and live music venues, as well as the long-running PBS TV concert series Austin City Limits . Austin is the site of South by Southwest (SXSW), an annual conglomeration of parallel film , interactive media , and music festivals . The city also adopted " Silicon Hills " as
702-592: A facility to produce its Selectric typewriters. Texas Instruments was set up in Austin two years later, and Motorola (now NXP Semiconductors) started semiconductor chip manufacturing in 1974. A number of Fortune 500 companies have headquarters or regional offices in Austin, including 3M , Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) , Agilent Technologies , Amazon , Apple , Dell , Facebook (Meta) , General Motors , Google , IBM , Intel , NXP Semiconductors , Oracle , Tesla , and Texas Instruments . With regard to education, Austin
819-485: A flood on April 7, 1900. In the late 1920s and 1930s, Austin implemented the 1928 Austin city plan through a series of civic development and beautification projects that created much of the city's infrastructure and many of its parks. In addition, the state legislature established the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) that, along with the city of Austin, created the system of dams along
936-571: 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, movie mockery and audience participation shows. In 2003,
1053-544: A freeze are December 1 and February 15, giving Austin an average growing season of 288 days, and the coldest temperature of the year is normally about 24.2 °F (−4 °C) under the 1991-2020 climate normals, putting Austin in USDA zone 9a. Conversely, winter months also produce warm days on a regular basis. On average, 10 days in January reach or exceed 70 °F (21 °C) and 1 day reaches 80 °F (27 °C); during
1170-423: A lineup of outlet retail and entertainment options, as well as from a resurgent Memorial City Mall that completed a multimillion-dollar renovation in 2002. Both malls effectively lured shoppers from the rapidly growing and prosperous Greater Katy area away, with Memorial City's resurgence also hastening the decline of Town & Country Mall which closed in 2004 and would be redeveloped as CityCentre . The openings of
1287-667: A major university. The 1970s saw Austin's emergence in the national music scene, with local artists such as Willie Nelson , Asleep at the Wheel , and Stevie Ray Vaughan and iconic music venues such as the Armadillo World Headquarters . Over time, the long-running television program Austin City Limits , its namesake Austin City Limits Festival, and the South by Southwest music festival solidified
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#17327796101101404-512: A nickname in the 1990s due to a rapid influx of technology and development companies. In recent years, some Austinites have adopted the unofficial slogan " Keep Austin Weird ", which refers to the desire to protect small, unique, and local businesses from being overrun by large corporations. Since the late 19th century, Austin has also been known as the " City of the Violet Crown ", because of
1521-683: A part of their land, created an immense motive for Sam Houston, the first and third President of the Republic of Texas, to relocate the capital once again in 1841. Upon threats of Mexican troops in Texas, Houston raided the Land Office to transfer all official documents to Houston for safe keeping in what was later known as the Archive War , but the people of Austin would not allow this unaccompanied decision to be executed. The documents stayed, but
1638-429: A plaque dated May 22, 1982. The mall itself opened in 1984 with a single-level floorplan designed in a "Mission style", and replete with earth tone interiors, numerous fountains and skylights. Originally, the mall targeted higher-end consumers on Houston's western fringes and surrounding suburban areas, with anchor tenants Foley's, Saks Fifth Avenue , Lord & Taylor , and Mervyn's , along with over 120 inline stores,
1755-449: A previously unreleased pornographic film by Ed Wood , to a "surprise" audience who had not been told about the film or its subject ahead of time. Austin, Texas Austin ( / ˈ ɔː s t ɪ n / AW -stin ) is the capital of the U.S. state of Texas and the seat and most populous city of Travis County , with portions extending into Hays and Williamson counties. Incorporated on December 27, 1839, it
1872-560: A renovation that removed several features including a tall clock at the intersection of the Arcade and the Dillard's/JCPenney concourse, an elevated seating area in the food court used as a smoking area, all of the mall's fountains, and the original dark brown tile in the mall's inline corridor. In July 2003, Somera Investment Partners and Coastwood Capital Group purchased the mall from an affiliate of CB Richard Ellis Investors. That same year,
1989-546: A restructuring support agreement to help guide them through their bankruptcy. In June 2021, the company announced that they had emerged from bankruptcy. In June 2024, all Alamo Drafthouse locations in the Dallas-Fort Worth area were permanently shuttered, as well as the company's only Minnesota location in Woodbury, as the operator that franchised these locations filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy . The franchisor, Two
2106-520: A sandy beach along the river, and a disc golf course. West Oaks Mall (Houston, Texas) West Oaks Mall is a regional shopping mall located in the Alief area of the west side of Houston , Texas, USA, that opened in 1984. With a trade area serving far western parts of Houston including a business clientele in the Energy Corridor and suburban neighborhoods west of George Bush Park in
2223-576: A set of zoning restrictions that preserve the view of the Texas State Capitol from various locations around Austin, known as the Capitol View Corridors . At night, parts of Austin are lit by "artificial moonlight" from moonlight towers built to illuminate the central part of the city. The 165-foot (50 m) moonlight towers were built in the late 19th century and are now recognized as historic landmarks. Only 15 of
2340-549: A severe lull in economic growth from the Great Depression , Austin resumed its steady development. Following the mid-20th century, Austin became established as one of Texas' major metropolitan centers. In 1970, the U.S. Census Bureau reported Austin's population as 14.5% Hispanic, 11.9% black, and 73.4% non-Hispanic white. In the late 20th century, Austin emerged as an important high tech center for semiconductors and software. The University of Texas at Austin emerged as
2457-628: A six-screen Plitt Theatres (later Cineplex Odeon ) cinema, and a food court dubbed the "Fiesta Food Court". West Oaks served as a direct competitor to nearby Town & Country Mall and Memorial City Mall in Houston's Memorial area – targeting shoppers in Houston's Energy Corridor and the Greater Katy area, as well as a newer alternative for shoppers in rapidly growing Fort Bend County who otherwise would have gone to Sharpstown Mall or Westwood Mall . In 1985, Macy's announced that it
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#17327796101102574-403: A special triple-feature event on the evening of June 27, 2007. The final movie shown was Night Warning , with star Susan Tyrrell attending. After the movie, audience members were allowed to disassemble their seats and take them home as souvenirs of the theater. Of the first seven theaters, the downtown Austin theater was unique for being the host of many important film events in Austin, such as
2691-526: A third of normal precipitation. This was a result of La Niña conditions in the eastern Pacific Ocean where water was significantly cooler than normal. David Brown, a regional official with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, explained that "these kinds of droughts will have effects that are even more extreme in the future, given a warming and drying regional climate." The drought, coupled with exceedingly high temperatures throughout
2808-487: A total of 12 Academy Award nominations. As of 2019, Tim League was reportedly not involved in the daily operations of Neon. Birth.Movies.Death. is a magazine and website formerly published by Alamo Drafthouse. The magazine and website provide news and commentary about films and the entertainment industry. The sale of Birth.Movies.Death to Dallas Sonnier 's Cinestate film studio was announced in May 2020 concurrently with
2925-500: Is One, One is None, LLC, blamed high leasing rents as part of the decision. On June 27, 2024, it was announced these locations would be acquired by Alamo Drafthouse and are set to resume operation in the summer. On June 12, 2024, Sony Pictures acquired Alamo Drafthouse for a sum which are yet to be disclosed. Sony Pictures had previously owned the Loews Theatres chain after the U.S. Department of Justice relaxed enforcement of
3042-497: Is a state park administered by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department , located at the confluence of Onion Creek and Williamson Creek. The park includes several designated hiking trails and campsites with water and electric. The namesake features of the park are the scenic upper and lower falls along Onion Creek. The Emma Long Metropolitan Park is a municipal park along the shores of Lake Austin , originally constructed by
3159-435: Is a popular summer swimming spot for visitors and residents. Hamilton Pool Preserve consists of 232 acres (0.94 km ) of protected natural habitat featuring a jade green pool into which a 50-foot (15 m) waterfall flows. In May 2021, voters in the City of Austin reinstated a public camping ban. That includes downtown green spaces as well as trails and greenbelts such as along Barton Creek. McKinney Falls State Park
3276-492: 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 specific days designated "Alamo For All", where parents are encouraged to bring young children, and rules around talking are relaxed. 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
3393-615: Is home to the tallest condo towers in the state, with The Independent (58 stories and 690 ft (210 m) tall) and The Austonian (topping out at 56 floors and 685 ft (209 m) tall). The Independent became the tallest all-residential building in the U.S. west of Chicago when topped out in 2018. In 2005, then-Mayor Will Wynn set out a goal of having 25,000 people living downtown by 2015. Although downtown's growth did not meet this goal, downtown's residential population did surge from an estimated 5,000 in 2005 to 12,000 in 2015. The skyline has drastically changed in recent years, and
3510-471: Is its highly variable humidity, which fluctuates frequently depending on the shifting patterns of air flow and wind direction. It is common for a lengthy series of warm, dry, low-humidity days to be occasionally interrupted by very warm and humid days, and vice versa. Humidity rises with winds from the east or southeast, when the air drifts inland from the Gulf of Mexico , but decreases significantly with winds from
3627-772: Is located within the middle of a unique, narrow transitional zone between the dry deserts of the American Southwest and the lush, green, more humid regions of the American Southeast. Its climate, topography, and vegetation share characteristics of both. Officially, Austin has a humid subtropical climate ( Cfa ) under the Köppen climate classification . This climate is typified by long, very hot summers, short, mild winters, and warm to hot spring and fall seasons in-between. Austin averages 34.32 inches (872 mm) of annual rainfall distributed mostly evenly throughout
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3744-472: Is most common during the spring. According to most classifications, Austin lies within the extreme southern periphery of Tornado Alley , although many sources place Austin outside of Tornado Alley altogether. Consequently, tornadoes strike Austin less frequently than areas farther to the north. However, severe weather and/or supercell thunderstorms can occur multiple times per year, bringing damaging winds, lightning, heavy rain, and occasional flash flooding to
3861-431: Is rare in Austin. A snow event of 0.9 inches (2 cm) on February 4, 2011, caused more than 300 car crashes. The most recent major snow event occurred February 14–15, 2021, when 6.4 inches (16 cm) of snow fell at Austin's Camp Mabry , the largest two-day snowfall since records began being kept in 1948. Typical of Central Texas , severe weather in Austin is a threat that can strike during any season. However, it
3978-561: Is the 26th-largest metropolitan area in the United States, the 11th-most populous city in the United States, the fourth-most populous city in the state after Houston , San Antonio , and Dallas , and the second-most populous state capital city after Phoenix , the capital of Arizona . It has been one of the fastest growing large cities in the United States since 2010. Downtown Austin and Downtown San Antonio are approximately 80 miles (129 km) apart, and both fall along
4095-523: Is the home of the University of Texas at Austin , one of the largest universities in the U.S., with over 50,000 students. In 2021, Austin became home to the Austin FC , the first (and currently only) major professional sports team in the city. Austin, Travis County and Williamson County have been the site of human habitation since at least 9200 BC. The area's earliest known inhabitants lived during
4212-683: Is water. Austin is situated at the foot of the Balcones Escarpment , on the Colorado River , with three artificial lakes within the city limits: Lady Bird Lake (formerly known as Town Lake), Lake Austin (both created by dams along the Colorado River), and Lake Walter E. Long that is partly used for cooling water for the Decker Power Plant. Mansfield Dam and the foot of Lake Travis are located within
4329-511: Is well-fed. Both range in temperature from about 68.0 °F (20.0 °C) during the winter to about 71.6 °F (22.0 °C) during the summer. Hippie Hollow Park , a county park situated along Lake Travis, is the only officially sanctioned clothing-optional public park in Texas. Hamilton Pool Preserve is a natural pool that was created when the dome of an underground river collapsed due to massive erosion thousands of years ago. The pool, located about 23 miles (37 km) west of Austin,
4446-660: The United States v. Paramount Pictures, Inc. federal ruling orders in 1985. Alamo Drafthouse will continue to operate their film festival, Fantastic Fest , which is included in the acquisition. Not long after the purchase by Sony, Alamo Drafthouse was revealed as the replacement tenant for two shuttered Showplace Icon locations in Santa Clara and Mountain View, California , expanding the company's Northern California presence to three locations. Italics indicate location has not officially opened yet. Alamo Drafthouse
4563-533: The 1980s oil glut , demand for upscale retail declined sharply and by the spring of 1990, Saks Fifth Avenue and Lord & Taylor closed their West Oaks locations, replaced respectively by Sears and JCPenney (both stores of which would fill a large gap in Greater Houston ) as part of a repositioning of the mall as a mainstream middle-class suburban regional mall. Macy's intended space at West Oaks would eventually be filled by Dillard's in 1991, making it
4680-629: The 2020 census . The city is the cultural and economic center of the Austin–Round Rock metropolitan statistical area, which had an estimated population of 2,473,275 as of July 1, 2023. Located in Central Texas within the greater Texas Hill Country , it is home to numerous lakes, rivers, and waterways, including Lady Bird Lake and Lake Travis on the Colorado River , Barton Springs , McKinney Falls , and Lake Walter E. Long . Residents of Austin are known as Austinites. They include
4797-480: The COVID-19 pandemic . In May 2020, Alamo announced that former Starbucks executive Shelli Taylor would become the new CEO of Alamo Drafthouse and that founder Tim League would transfer from his current role as CEO to become the chairman of the board of directors. The company announced the launch of the "Alamo on Demand" video streaming service on May 7, 2020. With a video-on-demand platform provided by Shift72 ,
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4914-776: The Civilian Conservation Corps . The 284 acres (115 ha) Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center is a botanical garden and arboretum that features more than 800 species of native Texas plants in both garden and natural settings; the Wildflower Center is located 10 miles (16 km) southwest of Downtown in Circle C Ranch . Roy G. Guerrero Park is located along the Colorado River in East Riverside and contains miles of wooded trails,
5031-422: The Greater Katy and Fulshear areas, the mall is located at Texas State Highway 6 and Westheimer Road and can easily be accessed south on Highway 6 via Interstate 10 . The anchors are Dillard's Clearance Center , Crazy Boss, The Outlet at West Oaks, and Fortis College . There are 2 vacant anchors, formerly housing Sears and Toby Keith's I Love This Bar & Grill . Pacific Retail Capital Partners owned
5148-555: The Houston and Texas Central Railway (H&TC) in 1871 turned Austin into the major trading center for the region, with the ability to transport both cotton and cattle. The Missouri, Kansas & Texas (MKT) line followed close behind. Austin was also the terminus of the southernmost leg of the Chisholm Trail , and "drovers" pushed cattle north to the railroad. Cotton was one of the few crops produced locally for export, and
5265-534: The Interstate 35 corridor. This combined metropolitan region of San Antonio–Austin has approximately 5 million people. Austin is the southernmost state capital in the contiguous United States and is considered a Gamma + level global city as categorized by the Globalization and World Cities Research Network . As of 2024, Austin had an estimated population of 984,567, up from 961,855 at
5382-784: The Quentin Tarantino Film Festival and Harry Knowles 's annual Butt-numb-a-thon . 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
5499-429: The blackland prairie , with its deep, rich soils for producing cotton and hay. In September 1881, Austin public schools held their first classes. The same year, Tillotson Collegiate and Normal Institute (now part of Huston–Tillotson University ) opened its doors. The University of Texas held its first classes in 1883, although classes had been held in the original wooden state capitol for four years before. During
5616-400: The 1880s, Austin gained new prominence as the state capitol building was completed in 1888 and claimed as the seventh largest building in the world. In the late 19th century, Austin expanded its city limits to more than three times its former area, and the first granite dam was built on the Colorado River to power a new street car line and the new " moon towers ". The first dam washed away in
5733-482: The 1991-2020 period recorded at least 1 day of the latter. The average daytime high is 70 °F (21 °C) or warmer between March 1 and November 21, rising to 80 °F (27 °C) or warmer between April 14 and October 24, and reaching 90 °F (32 °C) or warmer between May 30 and September 18. The highest ever recorded temperature was 112 °F (44 °C) occurring on September 5, 2000, and August 28, 2011. An uncommon characteristic of Austin's climate
5850-549: The 1991-2020 period, all Januarys had at least 1 day with a high of 70 °F (21 °C) or more, and most (60%) had at least 1 day with a high of 80 °F (27 °C) or more. The lowest ever recorded temperature in the city was −2 °F (−19 °C) on January 31, 1949. Roughly every two years Austin experiences an ice storm that freezes roads over and cripples travel in the city for 24 to 48 hours. When Austin received 0.04 inches (1 mm) of ice on January 24, 2014, there were 278 vehicular collisions. Similarly, snowfall
5967-508: The 31 original innovative towers remain standing in Austin, but none remain in any of the other cities where they were installed. The towers are featured in the 1993 film Dazed and Confused . In December 2023, amid rising home prices, the Austin City Council loosened the city's zoning rules to permit by-right development of triplexes on each lot and loosened restrictions on tiny homes. The central business district of Austin
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#17327796101106084-658: The Alamo Drafthouse Cinema "The #1 movie theater in the country doing it right". 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 built a new-build multi-screen theater in the Rio Grande Valley ; though it was announced in 2006 to open, the building has remained unfinished since the original owner
6201-515: The Alamo Drafthouse, under the direction of CEO Terrell Braly, opened on 13729 Research Boulevard in northwest Austin. The Alamo Drafthouse Lake Creek had seven screens, all dedicated to new movies. In May of that year, the Alamo granted their first franchise, which opened in the West Oaks Mall in Houston, Texas with six screens. In July 2004, Tim and Karrie League sold the brand, including
6318-720: The Austin Nature & Science Center, and the Zilker Zephyr, a 12 in ( 305 mm ) gauge miniature railway carries passengers on a tour around the park. Auditorium Shores , an urban park along the lake, is home to the Palmer Auditorium , the Long Center for the Performing Arts , and an off-leash dog park on the water. Both Zilker Park and Auditorium Shores have a direct view of
6435-728: The City of Austin issued a mandatory citywide boil-water advisory after the Highland Lakes , home to the city's main water supply, became overwhelmed by unprecedented amounts of silt, dirt, and debris that had washed in from the Llano River . Austin Water, the city's water utility, has the capacity to process up to 300 million gallons of water per day; however, the elevated level of turbidity reduced output to only 105 million gallons per day. Since Austin residents consumed an average of 120 million gallons of water per day,
6552-549: The CityCentre and LaCenterra lifestyle centers in the Memorial area of Houston and Cinco Ranch, respectively, also further contributed to the mall's decline in prominence. In 2009, the property's value was in steep decline. Pacific Retail Capital Partners bought the mall from LNR Partners Inc. for $ 15 million – $ 87 million less than it did when it was sold four years earlier. In 2011, Regal Entertainment Group agreed to open
6669-459: The Colorado River between two creeks, Shoal Creek and Waller Creek , which was later named in his honor. Waller and a team of surveyors developed Austin's first city plan , commonly known as the Waller Plan , dividing the site into a 14-block grid plan bisected by a broad north–south thoroughfare, Congress Avenue, running up from the river to Capital Square, where the new Texas State Capitol
6786-760: The Colorado River to form the Highland Lakes . These projects were enabled in large part because the Public Works Administration provided Austin with greater funding for municipal construction projects than other Texas cities. During the early 20th century, a three-way system of social segregation emerged in Austin, with Anglos, African Americans and Mexicans being separated by custom or law in most aspects of life, including housing, health care, and education. Deed restrictions also played an important role in residential segregation . After 1935 most housing deeds prohibited African Americans (and sometimes other nonwhite groups) from using land. Combined with
6903-590: The Comanches westward, mostly ending conflicts in Central Texas. Settlement in the area began to expand quickly. Travis County was established in 1840, and the surrounding counties were mostly established within the next two decades. Initially, the new capital thrived but Lamar's political enemy, Sam Houston , used two Mexican army incursions to San Antonio as an excuse to move the government. Sam Houston fought bitterly against Lamar's decision to establish
7020-785: The Downtown skyline. The Barton Creek Greenbelt is a 7.25-mile (11.67 km) public green belt managed by the City of Austin's Park and Recreation Department. The Greenbelt, which begins at Zilker Park and stretches South/Southwest to the Woods of Westlake subdivision , is characterized by large limestone cliffs, dense foliage, and shallow bodies of water. Popular activities include rock climbing , mountain biking, and hiking. Some well known naturally forming swimming holes along Austin's greenbelt include Twin Falls, Sculpture Falls, Gus Fruh Pool, and Campbell's Hole. During years of heavy rainfall,
7137-551: The Field of Dreams, IA, The Shining at the Stanley Hotel, CO, Poseidon Adventure on the Queen Mary, CA, Escape from Alcatraz on Alcatraz, CA, Bottle Rocket in Hillsboro, TX, just to name a few. In 2010, after the return of former co-founder Tim League as CEO, the company launched Drafthouse Films , a film distribution company named after, and inspired by, the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema chain. In 2017, then CEO Tim League founded another film distribution company with Tom Quinn in New York City called Neon , which has earned
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#17327796101107254-452: The Republic of Texas into the United States. In 1860, 38% of Travis County residents were slaves . In 1861, with the outbreak of the American Civil War , voters in Austin and other Central Texas communities voted against secession. However, as the war progressed and fears of attack by Union forces increased, Austin contributed hundreds of men to the Confederate forces. The African American population of Austin swelled dramatically after
7371-474: The Sharpstown and Westwood malls in Southwest Houston (the latter of which would close over one year later), the new mall drew away many of West Oaks' customers from rapidly growing Fort Bend County, but still continued to draw some shoppers from this area due to the presence of stores that did not have locations at the new mall including Sears and some specialty stores which did not open locations at First Colony Mall. To compete with First Colony, West Oaks underwent
7488-410: The Texas Congress formed a commission to seek a site for the new capital of the Republic of Texas to replace Houston . When he was Vice President of Texas, Mirabeau B. Lamar had visited the area during a buffalo -hunting expedition between 1837 and 1838. He advised the commissioners to consider the area on the north bank of the Colorado River (near the present-day Congress Avenue Bridge ), noting
7605-408: The area's hills, waterways, and pleasant surroundings. It was seen as a convenient crossroads for trade routes between Santa Fe and Galveston Bay , as well as routes between northern Mexico and the Red River . In 1839, the site was chosen, and briefly incorporated under the name "Waterloo". Shortly afterward, the name was changed to Austin in honor of Stephen F. Austin , the "Father of Texas" and
7722-421: The area. Spanish colonists, including the Espinosa - Olivares - Aguirre expedition, traveled through the area, though few permanent settlements were created for some time. In 1730, three Catholic missions from East Texas were combined and reestablished as one mission on the south side of the Colorado River, in what is now Zilker Park , in Austin. The mission was in this area for only about seven months, then
7839-460: 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. In August 2004, the second largest Alamo (Westlakes) opened in San Antonio , Texas , with eight screens. In August 2005, Entertainment Weekly named
7956-434: The capital in such a remote wilderness. The men and women who traveled mainly from Houston to conduct government business were intensely disappointed as well. By 1840, the population had risen to 856, nearly half of whom fled Austin when Congress recessed. The resident African American population listed in January of this same year was 176. The fear of Austin's proximity to the Indians and Mexico, which still considered Texas
8073-403: The capital would temporarily move from Austin to Houston to Washington-on-the-Brazos . Without the governmental body, Austin's population declined to a low of only a few hundred people throughout the early 1840s. The voting by the fourth President of the Republic, Anson Jones , and Congress, who reconvened in Austin in 1845, settled the issue to keep Austin the seat of government, as well as annex
8190-418: The city's limits. Lady Bird Lake, Lake Austin, and Lake Travis are each on the Colorado River. The elevation of Austin varies from 425 feet (130 m) to approximately 1,000 feet (305 m) above sea level. Due to the fact it straddles the Balcones Fault , much of the eastern part of the city is flat, with heavy clay and loam soils, whereas the western part and western suburbs consist of rolling hills on
8307-454: The city's place in the music industry. Austin, the southernmost state capital of the contiguous 48 states, is located in Central Texas on the Colorado River . Austin is 146 miles (230 km) northwest of Houston , 182 miles (290 km) south of Dallas and 74 miles (120 km) northeast of San Antonio . Austin occupies a total area of 305.1 square miles (790.1 km ). Approximately 7.2 square miles (18.6 km ) of this area
8424-482: The city. The deadliest storm to ever strike city limits was the twin tornadoes storm of May 4, 1922, while the deadliest tornado outbreak to ever strike the metro area was the Central Texas tornado outbreak of May 27, 1997. From October 2010 through September 2011, both major reporting stations in Austin, Camp Mabry and Bergstrom Int'l, had the least rainfall of a water year on record, receiving less than
8541-673: The clay-rich types, are slightly to moderately alkaline and have free calcium carbonate . Austin's skyline historically was modest, dominated by the Texas State Capitol and the University of Texas Main Building . However, since the 2000s, many new high-rise towers have been constructed. Austin is currently undergoing a skyscraper boom, which includes recent construction on new office, hotel and residential buildings. Downtown's buildings are somewhat spread out, partly due to
8658-404: The colorful glow of light across the hills just after sunset. Emerging from a strong economic focus on government and education, since the 1990s, Austin has become a center for technology and business. The technology roots in Austin can be traced back to the 1960s, when defense electronics contractor Tracor (now BAE Systems ) began operations in the city in 1962. IBM followed in 1967, opening
8775-651: The edge of the Texas Hill Country . Because the hills to the west are primarily limestone rock with a thin covering of topsoil, portions of the city are frequently subjected to flash floods from the runoff caused by thunderstorms. To help control this runoff and to generate hydroelectric power, the Lower Colorado River Authority operates a series of dams that form the Texas Highland Lakes . The lakes also provide venues for boating, swimming, and other forms of recreation within several parks on
8892-697: The enforcement of the Emancipation Proclamation in Texas by Union General Gordon Granger at Galveston, in an event commemorated as Juneteenth . Black communities such as Wheatville , Pleasant Hill, and Clarksville were established, with Clarksville being the oldest surviving freedomtown ‒ the original post-Civil War settlements founded by former African-American slaves ‒ west of the Mississippi River . In 1870, blacks made up 36.5% of Austin's population. The postwar period saw dramatic population and economic growth. The opening of
9009-484: The first Alamo Drafthouse in Houston opened in the mall after Alamo Drafthouse's Austin-based owners granted the franchise location in the former Cineplex Odeon cinema. In 2004, the mall was renovated at a cost of ~$ 9.3 million in a "Texas ranch style" to compete with recent renovations at the Galleria and Memorial City Mall, as well as the impending expansion of First Colony Mall (which completed in 2006).The interior
9126-505: The first such store in Houston to be built as a Dillard's (the rest having been converted from the former Joske's in 1988). By the early 1990s, West Oaks emerged as one of Houston's top performing regional malls, in large part due to the decline of Town & Country and rapid suburban growth in the aforementioned areas. The mall would receive its first serious challenge in 1996 when First Colony Mall opened in nearby Sugar Land . Though First Colony's opening had done more economic damage to
9243-624: The former JCPenney anchor space (which closed in 2005) and Dillard's converting its store to a clearance center only utilizing the first floor in 2010. Palais Royal opened one of the anchor slots in November of 2011 and closed it along with the rest of the chain on September 5, 2020. On January 4, 2017, Macy's announced it would close its West Oaks Mall store after 35 years. The store closed on March 27, 2017. On January 4, 2018, Sears announced it would close its West Oaks Mall store after 28 years. The off-site Auto Center closed in late-January 2018 and
9360-412: The infrastructure was not able to keep up with demand. In February 2021, Winter Storm Uri dropped prolific amounts of snow across Texas and Oklahoma, including Austin. The Austin area received a total of 6.4 inches (160 mm) of snowfall between February 14 and 15, with snow cover persisting until February 20. This marked the longest time the area had had more than 1 inch (25 mm) of snow, with
9477-493: The lake for canoeing and fishing. The 10.1 miles (16.3 km) Ann and Roy Butler Hike and Bike Trail forms a complete circuit around the lake. A local nonprofit, The Trail Foundation, is the Trail's private steward and has built amenities and infrastructure including trailheads, lakefront gathering areas, restrooms, exercise equipment, as well as doing Trailwide ecological restoration work on an ongoing basis. The Butler Trail loop
9594-437: The lake shores. Austin is located at the intersection of four major ecological regions, and is consequently a temperate-to-hot green oasis with a highly variable climate having some characteristics of the desert, the tropics, and a wetter climate. The area is very diverse ecologically and biologically, and is home to a variety of animals and plants. Notably, the area is home to many types of wildflowers that blossom throughout
9711-507: The late Pleistocene (Ice Age) and are linked to the Clovis culture around 9200 BC (over 11,200 years ago), based on evidence found throughout the area and documented at the much-studied Gault Site , midway between Georgetown and Fort Cavazos . When settlers arrived from Europe, the Tonkawa tribe inhabited the area. The Comanches and Lipan Apaches were also known to travel through
9828-475: The mall as a joint venture with Square Mile Capital Management, and was managed by PRCP Management. In 2017, it was sold to Mehta Investments, Ltd. West Oaks Mall has its roots in the opening of a branch of Houston-based department store chain Foley's in 1982 – two years before the mall opened. In the foyer of the north entrance to the store, on both walls, there are handprints of children on terra-cotta tiles with
9945-640: The matter. Later in September 2017, several women accused Harry Knowles of sexual harassment and sexual assault at events sponsored by Alamo Drafthouse or in professional workplace settings. Subsequent to these revelations, Alamo Drafthouse and Fantastic Fest severed business ties with Knowles. League did not attend Fantastic Fest, opting instead to visit Alamo Drafthouse locations around the country to discuss workplace environment issues with employees. Also in 2017, Alamo Drafthouse exhibited Take It Out in Trade ,
10062-608: The much larger Mansfield Dam was built by the LCRA upstream of Austin to form Lake Travis, a flood-control reservoir. In the early 20th century, the Texas Oil Boom took hold, creating tremendous economic opportunities in Southeast Texas and North Texas. The growth generated by this boom largely passed by Austin at first, with the city slipping from fourth largest to tenth largest in Texas between 1880 and 1920. After
10179-530: The night to attend the opening. In 2009, the first outside of Texas was opened in Winchester, Virginia. A second San Antonio theater opened in 2009 (Park North), with six screens. In June 2010, founder Tim League was brought back as CEO of the franchise operations. A third San Antonio location (Stone Oak) opened on November 5, 2010, with six screens. In 2013, the Lake Creek location was closed upon
10296-526: The opening of the brand new, larger Lakeline location. In June 2017, the current largest Alamo opened in Springfield, Missouri with 14 screens seating 1,050 people. In late 2017, Alamo purchased the historic Baker Center from Austin ISD . They had promised to convert the building into public housing for teachers, but have yet to do so. The Baker Center is now Alamo Drafthouse’s corporate headquarters and
10413-470: 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. This includes location-based food options depending on the film setting. In 2001, the Leagues renovated
10530-427: The peak of the blackouts an estimated 40% of Austin Energy homes were without power. Starting on February 15, Austin Water received reports of pipe breaks, hourly water demand increased from 150 million gallons per day (MGD) on February 15 to a peak hourly demand of 260 MGD on February 16. On the morning of February 17 demand increased to 330 MGD, the resulting drop of water pressure caused the Austin area to enter into
10647-551: The previous longest time being three days in January 1985 . Lack of winterization in natural gas power plants , which supply a large amount of power to the Texas grid , and increased energy demand caused ERCOT and Austin Energy to enact rolling blackouts in order to avoid total grid collapse between February 15 and February 18. Initial rolling blackouts were to last for a maximum of 40 minutes, however lack of energy production caused many blackouts to last for much longer, at
10764-511: 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." Alamo Drafthouse hosts 35mm screenings of famous movies in famous places all over
10881-455: The republic's first secretary of state. The city grew throughout the 19th century and became a center for government and education with the construction of the Texas State Capitol and the University of Texas at Austin . Edwin Waller was picked by Lamar to survey the village and draft a plan laying out the new capital. The original site was narrowed to 640 acres (260 ha) that fronted
10998-440: The residential real estate market has remained relatively strong. As of December 2016 , there were 31 high rise projects either under construction, approved or planned to be completed in Austin's downtown core between 2017 and 2020. Sixteen of those were set to rise above 400 ft (120 m) tall, including four above 600', and eight above 500'. An additional 15 towers were slated to stand between 300' and 399' tall. Austin
11115-406: The rewards program has been submitted and reviewed. The application involves demonstrating an understanding of the theater's policies around talking, texting, arriving late, and basic tipping etiquette. The cinema also prohibits talking and texting during the film. Anyone who violates this policy is subject to warning and potential removal from the premises. Alamo made national headlines in 2011 when
11232-536: The river's calm waters, nearly 6 miles (9.7 km) length and straight courses are especially popular with crew teams and clubs. Other recreational attractions along the shores of the lake include swimming in Deep Eddy Pool , the oldest swimming pool in Texas, and Red Bud Isle, a small island formed by the 1900 collapse of the McDonald Dam that serves as a recreation area with a dog park and access to
11349-576: The stepping down of founder Tim League as CEO of Alamo Drafthouse. In October 2016, Devin Faraci resigned from Birth.Movies.Death. after allegations of sexual assault surfaced. Less than a year later, Tim League re-hired Faraci to write film blurbs for the 2017 Fantastic Fest. Upon discovery of Faraci's re-hiring, Todd Brown resigned as Fantastic Fest's director of international programming in early September 2017. Faraci resigned from writing for Fantastic Fest, and League made several public apologies regarding
11466-402: The store closed in early-April 2018. In May–June 2018, The Outlet moved in to fill the former Macy's location. The Palais Royale location closed in 2019. The West Oaks Bed Bath and Beyond closed in 2020. In September of 2022, Regal closed at the mall due to Cineworld 's bankruptcy. By June of 2023, only Dillards, The Outlet, Fortis College, Crazy Boss and two inline tenants remained open with
11583-610: The streaming service will have films from Drafthouse Films, its film distribution arm, as well as partner with name-brand studios like Sony Pictures Classics and Lionsgate . On March 3, 2021, Alamo Drafthouse filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection . As part of its restructuring, locations across the southern U.S. were closed, and plans to open an Orlando, Florida location were cancelled. The debtors were represented by Young Conaway Stargatt & Taylor as counsel and Houlihan Lokey as investment banker. With $ 100 million to $ 500 million in both assets and liabilities, Alamo entered into
11700-609: The summer of 2011, caused many wildfires throughout Texas, including notably the Bastrop County Complex Fire in neighboring Bastrop, Texas. In the fall of 2018, Austin and surrounding areas received heavy rainfall and flash flooding following Hurricane Sergio . The Lower Colorado River Authority opened four floodgates of the Mansfield Dam after Lake Travis was recorded at 146% full at 704.3 feet (214.7 m). From October 22 to October 29, 2018,
11817-450: The system of segregated public services, racial segregation increased in Austin during the first half of the twentieth century, with African Americans and Mexicans experiencing high levels of discrimination and social marginalization. In 1940, the destroyed granite dam on the Colorado River was finally replaced by a hollow concrete dam that formed Lake McDonald (now called Lake Austin ) and which has withstood all floods since. In addition,
11934-408: The water level of the creek rises high enough to allow swimming , cliff diving , kayaking , paddle boarding , and tubing . Austin is home to more than 50 public pools and swimming holes . These include Deep Eddy Pool , Texas' oldest human-made swimming pool, and Barton Springs Pool , the nation's largest natural swimming pool in an urban area. Barton Springs Pool is spring-fed while Deep Eddy
12051-538: The west or southwest, bringing air flowing from Chihuahuan Desert areas of West Texas or northern Mexico. Winters in Austin are mild, although occasional short-lived bursts of cold weather known as " Blue Northers " can occur. January is the coolest month with an average daytime high of 62.5 °F (17 °C). The overnight low drops to or below freezing 12 times per year, and sinks below 45 °F (7 °C) during 76 evenings per year, mostly between mid-December and mid-February. The average first and last dates for
12168-898: The world with their traveling portable projection system and a blow-up screen. Past events include: Fistful of Dollars at Cortijo el Sotillo, Spain, A Christmas Story in Cleveland, OH, The Lost Boys in Santa Cruz, CA, It Came From Outer Space 3D in Roswell, NM, The Goonies in Astoria, OR, Close Encounters of the Third Kind at Devil's Tower, WY, The Warriors in Coney Island, NY, Clerks in Red Bank, NJ, Jaws at Martha's Vineyard, MA, Field of Dreams at
12285-512: The year but especially in the spring. This includes the popular bluebonnets , some planted by "Lady Bird" Johnson , wife of former President Lyndon B. Johnson . The soils of Austin range from shallow, gravelly clay loams over limestone in the western outskirts to deep, fine sandy loams, silty clay loams, silty clays or clays in the city's eastern part. Some of the clays have pronounced shrink-swell properties and are difficult to work under most moisture conditions. Many of Austin's soils, especially
12402-424: The year, though spring and fall are the wettest seasons. Sunshine is common during all seasons, with 2,650 hours, or 60.3% of the possible total, of bright sunshine per year. Summers in Austin are very hot, with average July and August highs frequently reaching the high-90s (34–36 °C) or above. Highs reach 90 °F (32 °C) on 123 days per year, of which 29 days reach 100 °F (38 °C); all years in
12519-450: Was added to the NRHP in 2023. In March 2019, Business Insider reported that Alamo Drafthouse's movie-ticket subscription service, Alamo Season Pass, will launch nationwide at all Drafthouse theaters by the end of the year with the unlimited plan costing $ 20 a month in most regions of the country. In March 2020, Alamo Drafthouse announced that all locations were closed temporarily due to
12636-408: Was building a fifth Houston store at West Oaks Mall, which would have been located on the mall's last remaining anchor pad directly opposite Lord & Taylor and would have opened in late 1987, a year after the flagship Houston Galleria store (now dubbed "Macy's at Sage" after the 2006 merger) opened. The proposed Macy's ultimately never materialized. As Houston's economy suffered in the aftermath of
12753-594: Was completed in 2014 with the public-private partnership 1-mile Boardwalk project. Along the shores of Lady Bird Lake is the 350 acres (140 hectares) Zilker Park , which contains large open lawns, sports fields, cross country courses, historical markers, concession stands, and picnic areas. Zilker Park is also home to numerous attractions, including the Zilker Botanical Garden , the Umlauf Sculpture Garden , Zilker Hillside Theater,
12870-515: Was established in 1992 to develop and improve parks in and around Austin. APF works to fill the city's park funding gap by leveraging volunteers, philanthropists, park advocates, and strategic collaborations to develop, maintain and enhance Austin's parks, trails and green spaces. Lady Bird Lake (formerly Town Lake) is a river-like reservoir on the Colorado River. The lake is a popular recreational area for paddleboards , kayaks , canoes , dragon boats , and rowing shells . Austin's warm climate and
12987-589: Was extensively renovated, including the filling of the sunken part of the Park Court with concrete and the addition of a fireplace to the food court, and replacement of the tile from the 1996 renovation with marble, and the mall would be sold again in 2005 to Investment Properties of America, which bought the mall from the Somera/Coastwood partnership. By this time, West Oaks faced increasingly stiff competition from Katy Mills which opened in 1999 with
13104-834: Was fired by the Austin City Council for the city's response to the winter storm. Former City Manager Jesus Garcia was named Interim City Manager. The Austin Parks and Recreation Department received the Excellence in Aquatics award in 1999 and the Gold Medal Awards in 2004 from the National Recreation and Park Association . To strengthen the region's parks system, which spans more than 29,000 acres (11,736 ha), The Austin Parks Foundation (APF)
13221-412: Was foreclosed upon. 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 site consisted of
13338-527: Was founded by Rice University alums Tim and Karrie League at 409 Colorado St, in an Austin, Texas warehouse district building on Colorado St. (between 4th and 5th) that was being used as a parking garage . It was their second attempt at operating a movie theater; the Leagues had relocated to Austin after spending two years operating the Tejon Theater in Bakersfield, California . The Tejon
13455-506: Was moved to San Antonio de Béxar and split into three missions. During the 1830s, pioneers began to settle the area in central Austin along the Colorado River . Spanish forts were established in what are now Bastrop and San Marcos . Following Mexico's independence , new settlements were established in Central Texas . In 1835–1836, Texans fought and won independence from Mexico . Texas thus became an independent country with its own president, congress, and monetary system. In 1839,
13572-659: Was to be constructed. A temporary one-story capitol was erected on the corner of Colorado and 8th Streets. On August 1, 1839, the first auction of 217 out of 306 lots total was held. The Waller Plan designed and surveyed now forms the basis of downtown Austin. In 1840, a series of conflicts between the Texas Rangers and the Comanches , known as the Council House Fight and the Battle of Plum Creek , pushed
13689-585: Was unsuccessful, but the Leagues learned important lessons and tried their luck again in Austin. The company began as a second-run movie theater . It distinguished itself by the food and drink service offered inside the theater, including cold beers, which continues to set Alamo Drafthouse apart from many other cinemas. 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 waitstaff service. Customers write their orders on slips of paper, which black-clad servers pick up. Soon after opening,
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