Rio Rancho gets a new movie theater

RIO RANCHO (KRQE) - The big screen has come back to Rio Rancho with the opening of its first movie theater in 13 years.

Crews were busy putting the last minute touches on the building Thursday morning and getting it ready for the lines of movie fanatics that lined up outside the theater.

Meanwhile inside, concession stands were popping popcorn and getting everything ready for the full movie experience.

The Premiere Theater has 14 screens and is one of four in the country to be built 100 percent digital from the ground up with 2,600 seats. All the movies are run out of the digital command center from 14 hard drives with 7.1 surround sound.

This is also the only theater in the Albuquerque area to feature Dbox seating which actually moves the chair you're sitting in according to what's happening on the screen in the movie.

In celebration of opening day, all the movies showing until 9 p.m. at the theater near Unser and Southern are free.