Emagine Theaters and Star Lanes opens in Downtown Royal Oak.

**Danny** · May-23-11, 11:56 AM

Emgine Theater with its first corporate owned bowling alley Star Lanes has been opened on the corner of 11 Mile Rd and Main St at Downtown Royal Oak, MI. The bowling alley is nice and beautiful with digital video projection screens. flat screen score boards 12 lanes with AMF/ Qubica synthetic boards. Go out the give it try.

**Hypestyles** · May-24-11, 02:12 PM

neat... how expensive is parking?

**Danny** · May-25-11, 10:31 AM

about 5 to 10 dollars a hour

**gencinjay** · May-25-11, 11:37 AM

It's a flat fee not an hourly rate. It's also pay by space so you'll pay before going to the movie.I believe its $3 or $5 depending on the day/time.

**Bham1982** · May-25-11, 11:41 AM

This is the developer's first urban cinema, so let's see if this works.

I'm skeptical largely due to the parking. Why pay so much for parking when you can go elsewhere for free? Doesn't make sense.

And if you want a "downtown environment", Birmingham [[in my biased opinion) has a better urban environment and better cinemas, with free parking.

I find the Royal Oak parking situation rather annoying. You have to come armed with a stack of quarters, and then nervously eye the time all night long.

**dtowncitylover** · May-25-11, 11:47 AM

I absolutely HATE the "luxury" seating. A friend and I went on Sunday, our first time there. We knew better not to sit there, but other people didn't. And this poor 16 year old girl had to tell some people they can't sit her if they don't have the "luxury" seating they can't sit. One couple was bitching at her as if it was her fault. I felt bad for her. And an extra $2.50 for what? Leather seats? Food delivery? Big woop!

**Fury13** · May-25-11, 11:53 AM

Originally Posted by Bham1982

This is the developer's first urban cinema, so let's see if this works.

I'm skeptical largely due to the parking. Why pay so much for parking when you can go elsewhere for free? Doesn't make sense.

And if you want a "downtown environment", Birmingham [[in my biased opinion) has a better urban environment and better cinemas, with free parking.

I find the Royal Oak parking situation rather annoying. You have to come armed with a stack of quarters, and then nervously eye the time all night long.

Ahhh, not so difficult to get around that. Just park for free in the neighborhood a few blocks away and walk to the theater. Or use one of the metered lots, or the parking structure on Center St.

**gencinjay** · May-25-11, 01:19 PM

The charge for parking was required by the city. Birmingham is only free for the first two hours, but will still be cheaper even if you have a long movie.

**JBMcB** · May-25-11, 02:55 PM

Originally Posted by Bham1982

I'm skeptical largely due to the parking. Why pay so much for parking when you can go elsewhere for free? Doesn't make sense.

Here here. It's nice when cities realize that the purpose of parking meters is to prevent people from parking in a spot forever, not to generate revenue.

Birmingham and the Pointes have the right idea - lot parking is plentiful and metered parking is cheap. Royal Oak used to be this way, until they decided to tax people for the privilege of coming to their city and spending money. At least the parking tickets are still reasonable, for now.

I remember reading somewhere that when the Berkley theater went in, they lowered the maximum time on the meters near the theater so people watching movies would run out of time and they could hand out parking tickets easily. Nice.

**BrushStart** · May-25-11, 03:23 PM

Not to shake the keg, but parking itself is the problem, and the solution is not creating more parking space, lowering fees, or pulling back on enforcement. This is an urban movie theater and bowling alley. It is designed first and foremost to satisfy the entertainment needs of Royal Oak residents within walking distance of the facility. Convenience for everyone else should be a secondary consideration, if at all. If we are to truly embrace such urban businesses in this region and the benefits that they confer, we have to understand that things will no longer be designed for the convenience of the meandering, car-oholic masses.

ferntruth · May-25-11, 03:30 PM

Originally Posted by BrushStart

Not to shake the keg, but parking itself is the problem, and the solution is not creating more parking space, lowering fees, or pulling back on enforcement. This is an urban movie theater and bowling alley. It is designed first and foremost to satisfy the entertainment needs of Royal Oak residents within walking distance of the facility. Convenience for everyone else should be a secondary consideration, if at all. If we are to truly embrace such urban businesses in this region and the benefits that they confer, we have to understand that things will no longer be designed for the convenience of the meandering, car-oholic masses.

How do you know this to be true?
Most [[if not all) of Royal Oak businesses depend on revenue from people living outside of RO. There are not enough residents in RO to keep all of the businesses afloat without revenue coming in from others visiting the city.

I think you are letting your anti-car attitude influence your thinking.

**rjlj** · May-25-11, 03:43 PM

Well said.

And to add to this, there is plenty of parking in Royal Oak for visitors. If they are too lazy to walk a little, I guess it is their loss. How is this Detroit related topic anyway?

Originally Posted by BrushStart

Not to shake the keg, but parking itself is the problem, and the solution is not creating more parking space, lowering fees, or pulling back on enforcement. This is an urban movie theater and bowling alley. It is designed first and foremost to satisfy the entertainment needs of Royal Oak residents within walking distance of the facility. Convenience for everyone else should be a secondary consideration, if at all. If we are to truly embrace such urban businesses in this region and the benefits that they confer, we have to understand that things will no longer be designed for the convenience of the meandering, car-oholic masses.

**Johnlodge** · May-25-11, 03:49 PM

Originally Posted by rjlj

Well said.

And to add to this, there is plenty of parking in Royal Oak for visitors. If they are too lazy to walk a little, I guess it is their loss. How is this Detroit related topic anyway?

Where all things great and small regarding the
Fabulous Detroit-Windsor metropolis are discussed.

..........

**Bham1982** · May-25-11, 03:51 PM

Originally Posted by BrushStart

Not to shake the keg, but parking itself is the problem, and the solution is not creating more parking space, lowering fees, or pulling back on enforcement.

LOL

This is Royal Oak, not Midtown Manhattan.

And obviously a mega-multiplex/party time bowling extravaganza is a regional attraction, not a neighborhood one.

Practically 100% of their target audience comes by car. Why would it benefit the movie theatre if parking were more restricted and/or expensive?

**iheartthed** · May-25-11, 03:55 PM

Originally Posted by Bham1982

Practically 100% of their target audience comes by car. Why would it benefit the movie theatre if parking were more restricted and/or expensive?

I don't think he's advocating from the theatre's perspective. I think he's viewing it from the perspective of the city of Royal Oak.

**Hypestyles** · May-26-11, 01:04 PM

some investors need to recreate this model in detroit.. midtown or downtown..

**Danny** · May-26-11, 01:18 PM

Originally Posted by BrushStart

Not to shake the keg, but parking itself is the problem, and the solution is not creating more parking space, lowering fees, or pulling back on enforcement. This is an urban movie theater and bowling alley. It is designed first and foremost to satisfy the entertainment needs of Royal Oak residents within walking distance of the facility. Convenience for everyone else should be a secondary consideration, if at all. If we are to truly embrace such urban businesses in this region and the benefits that they confer, we have to understand that things will no longer be designed for the convenience of the meandering, car-oholic masses.

You're right on the money,BrushStart.

Emagine Theater and Star Lanes is a suburban entertainment complex NOT an ex-urban setting. Folks are not going to find FREE PARKING close or far from the area. That complex will be competing against The Paladium and the Birmingham Theater. Star Lanes will have to compete against mom and pop and franchise bowling houses that have extremely EVIL WAL-MART-LIKE low prices and bowling leagues. So go to the complex and have a great time.

**Danny** · May-26-11, 01:22 PM

Originally Posted by Hypestyles

some investors need to recreate this model in detroit.. midtown or downtown..

I am waiting some sucker investor who would do it with lots of security in Downtown Detroit. There was once a sucker investor who want to build a 10 theater complex where the Kirkwood Hotel and Monroe Block [[Vaudeville Theater district used to be.) But due to the housing crash and auto industry bailouts, the project never pass the bargaining table.

**JBMcB** · May-27-11, 01:03 PM

Originally Posted by BrushStart

It is designed first and foremost to satisfy the entertainment needs of Royal Oak residents within walking distance of the facility

It's designed to service customers, wherever they are from. If you're dropping $14 million on a movie theater in the middle of an economic downturn, you sure as hell aren't going to limit your customer base to those within walking distance of downtown Royal Oak.

**BrushStart** · May-27-11, 01:59 PM

Originally Posted by JBMcB

It's designed to service customers, wherever they are from. If you're dropping $14 million on a movie theater in the middle of an economic downturn, you sure as hell aren't going to limit your customer base to those within walking distance of downtown Royal Oak.

If what you are saying is true [[if what many of you are saying is true), then the developer would have built this thing on a nice, large, vacant lot in Clawson. As you say, if you're dropping $14 million on a movie theater, you are going to know everything about the location you're choosing, including the parking. People who franchise fast food restaurants count cars on a street for hours and days before choosing a site. Do you really think this developer was ignorant of the fact that patrons would have to pay for parking or walk a distance to get to his theater? I doubt it. Of course he will do his best to accommodate everyone, including those who drive to Royal Oak to see a movie, but the design of his building itself anticipates catering to a mostly urban crowd. BTW, I'm not the one complaining about parking. If this guy makes it, it's either because there are enough people in walking distance to support his new business, or there are enough people who will pay a premium to spend their evening seeing a movie and bowling in an urban environment, or both. However, you can be assured that parking and catering to those who need to park was not part of the vision behind this place.

**JBMcB** · May-27-11, 03:14 PM

Originally Posted by BrushStart

If what you are saying is true [[if what many of you are saying is true), then the developer would have built this thing on a nice, large, vacant lot in Clawson.

They put it in downtown Royal Oak because there is already a bunch of foot traffic there. Not all of it is people walking from their house, as is evidenced by the packed parking lots on Friday and Saturday.

As you say, if you're dropping $14 million on a movie theater, you are going to know everything about the location you're choosing, including the parking.

Which is probably why it's located across the street from a large municipal parking lot.

...but the design of his building itself anticipates catering to a mostly urban crowd.

LOL - seriously?

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Urban, maybe, but they sure as hell anticipate people driving there.

By the way, nice lighting on that building!

**Gistok** · May-27-11, 03:38 PM

Originally Posted by BrushStart

However, you can be assured that parking and catering to those who need to park was not part of the vision behind this place.

Brushstart... I don't know how you came up with that conclusion? People from around metro Detroit go to Royal Oak to go to a restaurant and maybe some browsing in stores in the downtown area... and they have to pay to park. How would a theatre be any different? Haven't you heard of "dinner and a movie"??

Plus I'm sure that most of the people who go to the Royal Oak Theatre [[whether to see a concert or a 3 Stooges Festival) over on 4th St., most of them are likely not people living in the neighborhood... and they pay to park.