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UA concentrated its 1994-1997 growth with 9-to-11 screen builds that were more destination theaters then the generic, neighborhood 8-plexes that it had built in the early to mid-1990s. United Artists stepped up with a smaller-sized concept theater that would serve as a blueprint for its expansion within DFW over the next several years. AMC walked away from the 20-screen Lewisville project leaving an opening for another operator to build a megalplex in that spot. In May of 1993, AMC turned its attention to a 24-screen AMC Stemmons Crossroads project that would become the game-changing AMC Grand 24 opening in 1995. So in January 1993, AMC announced an exterior multiplex across the highway down from Corporate Drive that would be a 48,000 sqaure feet 20-screen multiplex the likes of which the DFW area hand’t seen. Because the shopping complex drew people from a wide circle including Lewisville, Flower Mound, Carrollton, Coppell, Lake Dallas, Corinth and Highland Village, there was room for another theater.
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When Vista Ridge Mall opened in 1989, Lewisville received its second 10-plus screen theater with Cinemark Theater’s Vista Ridge 12 inside the mall. The Studio Movie Grill Lewisville was originally going to be AMC’s first 20-screen super-megaplex.
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