Cobb Theatres was an American cinema chain based in Birmingham, Alabama. The company was established in 1921, in Fayette, Alabama,[1] expanding through the South starting in the late 1940s, and buying out General Cinema's West Central Florida theatres and Wometco Theatres in the 1990s before being bought by Regal Cinemas in 1997 and revived in 2001. Cobb operated 25 locations, the majority of which were located in Florida, with others in Alabama, Georgia, Ohio, North Carolina, and Virginia.
In 1921, Jefferson A. Richards opened his family's first movie theatre in Fayette, Alabama. Lucille Richards Cobb purchased the theatre from Jefferson in 1934. In 1947, Rowland C. Cobb bought Lucille's two theatres and started building indoor and drive-in theatres throughout northern Alabama.
Notable theatres opened by Cobb included the Thunderbird Drive-In in Atlanta (the South's largest and most modern drive-in theatre) in 1963, the United States' first four-plex theatre in 1971, Cinema City 8 at Birmingham's Roebuck Shopping Center (the largest eight-plex theatre in the US) in 1978, and Sawgrass 18 (promoted as the largest theatre east of the Rocky Mountains) in 1991. Cobb operated 27 theatres by 1965. The following year, Cobb purchased eight theatres in Birmingham, Alabama and moved the company's offices to Birmingham.
Cobb Theatres expanded into South Florida by purchasing General Cinema's theatres in West Central Florida in 1992 and Wometco Theatres in 1994 (forming Cobb Theatres II following the Wometco acquisition), bringing Cobb's screen total to 315. Robert M. Cobb succeeded Rowland as the company's CEO on December 1, 1995. On June 11, 1997, it was announced that Regal Cinemas would acquire Cobb Theatres, which had 643 screens at 67 theatres, for $200 million plus $100 million in debt; Regal completed the acquisition on July 31.[2][3]
Robert M. Cobb decided to re-enter the cinema industry by forming Cobb Theatres III in 2000. Cobb opened the Dolphin 19 theatre in Miami, Florida on May 25, 2001, attracting 1.4 million visitors. Cobb grew to 11 theatres with 166 screens by 2006. In 2008, Cobb introduced CinéBistro, an elevated premium dinner-and-a-movie concept, in Miami and Tampa. Cobb expanded into Colorado, Virginia and Georgia by 2011, growing to 21 theatres with 253 screens.
In October 2017, Cobb Theatres was acquired by Mexican cinema chain Cinemex; its locations were brought under its U.S. banner CMX.[4]
cobb, theatres, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, january, 20. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Cobb Theatres news newspapers books scholar JSTOR January 2014 Learn how and when to remove this template message Cobb Theatres was an American cinema chain based in Birmingham Alabama The company was established in 1921 in Fayette Alabama 1 expanding through the South starting in the late 1940s and buying out General Cinema s West Central Florida theatres and Wometco Theatres in the 1990s before being bought by Regal Cinemas in 1997 and revived in 2001 Cobb operated 25 locations the majority of which were located in Florida with others in Alabama Georgia Ohio North Carolina and Virginia Cobb Theatres III LLCTrade nameCobb TheatresFoundedDecember 14 2000 23 years ago 2000 12 14 DefunctDecember 11 2017 6 years ago 2017 12 11 FateAcquired by CMX CinemasSuccessorCMX CinemasHeadquartersBirmingham Alabama United StatesNumber of locations25 theatresKey peopleRobert M Cobb CEO amp President Ricky W Thomas CFO Websitewww wbr cmxcinemas wbr comCineBistro logoHistory editR C Cobb Inc Cobb Theatres II LLCTrade nameCobb TheatresFormerlyRichards Theatres 1921 57 Cobb Movies 1983 92 PredecessorWometco Theatres 1925 94 Founded1921 103 years ago 1921 DefunctJuly 31 1997 26 years ago 1997 07 31 FateAcquired by Regal CinemasSuccessorRegal CinemasHeadquartersBirmingham Alabama United StatesKey peopleRobert M Cobb CEO amp President In 1921 Jefferson A Richards opened his family s first movie theatre in Fayette Alabama Lucille Richards Cobb purchased the theatre from Jefferson in 1934 In 1947 Rowland C Cobb bought Lucille s two theatres and started building indoor and drive in theatres throughout northern Alabama Notable theatres opened by Cobb included the Thunderbird Drive In in Atlanta the South s largest and most modern drive in theatre in 1963 the United States first four plex theatre in 1971 Cinema City 8 at Birmingham s Roebuck Shopping Center the largest eight plex theatre in the US in 1978 and Sawgrass 18 promoted as the largest theatre east of the Rocky Mountains in 1991 Cobb operated 27 theatres by 1965 The following year Cobb purchased eight theatres in Birmingham Alabama and moved the company s offices to Birmingham Cobb Theatres expanded into South Florida by purchasing General Cinema s theatres in West Central Florida in 1992 and Wometco Theatres in 1994 forming Cobb Theatres II following the Wometco acquisition bringing Cobb s screen total to 315 Robert M Cobb succeeded Rowland as the company s CEO on December 1 1995 On June 11 1997 it was announced that Regal Cinemas would acquire Cobb Theatres which had 643 screens at 67 theatres for 200 million plus 100 million in debt Regal completed the acquisition on July 31 2 3 Robert M Cobb decided to re enter the cinema industry by forming Cobb Theatres III in 2000 Cobb opened the Dolphin 19 theatre in Miami Florida on May 25 2001 attracting 1 4 million visitors Cobb grew to 11 theatres with 166 screens by 2006 In 2008 Cobb introduced CineBistro an elevated premium dinner and a movie concept in Miami and Tampa Cobb expanded into Colorado Virginia and Georgia by 2011 growing to 21 theatres with 253 screens In October 2017 Cobb Theatres was acquired by Mexican cinema chain Cinemex its locations were brought under its U S banner CMX 4 See also editDeath of Chad OulsonReferences edit Company Overview of Cobb Theatres LLC Retrieved 22 February 2016 Klady Leonard June 12 1997 Regal set to acquire Cobb Variety Retrieved February 3 2021 Regal Cinemas to acquire Theater Concern in Alabama The New York Times June 12 1997 Retrieved February 3 2021 Brinkmann Paul CMX Cinemas buys Cobb Theatres including Orlando location Orlando Sentinel Retrieved 2017 11 20 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Cobb Theatres amp oldid 1095085062, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
