Construction is set to begin on a new movie theater in Jonesboro with a planned opening in May 2019.

According to a Haag Brown press release, Cinema Management Group (CMG) has obtained approval to construct a 16-screen theater at 5650 E. Johnson Avenue in Jonesboro. The theater will be in close proximity to the NEA Baptist Hospital and will be adjacent to the Ridgecrest Health and Rehabilitation Facility.

The theater, which is set to be called University 16 Cinema, sits on a 10.75 acre plot that CMG purchased several years ago. Arkansas State Universityis located approximately 3.9 miles away from the movie theater’s site.

Haag Brown reports that the theater will feature numerous amenities that will improve the movie-going experience. Multiple ticket stations, along with automated ticket machines, are expected to shorten waiting time. Rocker seats with increased leg room, expanded menu options at the refreshment center and a state-of-the-art video arcade are also planned.

The Hilltop area in Jonesboro has seen numerous construction projects in the past several years, most notably the NEA Baptist Hospital. University 16 Cinema will be the first entertainment retail project in the area.

Joshua Brown, a Haag Brown principal, says this project will help drive more businesses to the northern section of Jonesboro. “In the last five years, we have completed over 20 projects along Highway 49 North between Hilltop and the Farville Curve. This project is exactly what we’ve been needing to attract and secure some restaurants and retailers that have been reluctant to commit to the market. We have several properties available surround the development, and we expect more businesses to move to the area in the near future,” he says.

By Arkansas Money & Politics – Tuesday, June 12th