Much of the first floor is occupied by Veterans Administration and University Health clinics and other offices.įor over a year starting in early 2021, the mall served as a central COVID-19 vaccination site supported by University Health. Since 2009, Crossroads Mall Partners, led by Sid Weiss, has worked to turn the former mall into a retail, medical and entertainment destination. Sales taxes from its stores contribute significant revenue to the city’s $9 million annual budget.īut ownership gives Balcones Heights more control over Wonderland’s viability and some assurance regarding that revenue, said city leaders in 2021. The 650,000-square-foot mall, built in 1961, occupies a large swath of the 1-square-mile municipality. Wonderland is key to Balcones Heights’ future. ![]() “That’ll be our homage back to the Bijou and a way for us to still help independent and art films,” Brooks said. That plan will be launched this summer with independent films shown throughout the Santikos chain of theaters, which now includes two formerly operated by Alamo Drafthouse Cinema - at Westlakes on San Antonio’s far West Side and in New Braunfels. “That’s why we came up with the Bijou Art Series Plan.” “We just have not been getting the new art films in and so we were working on a plan on how to expand the art film across our fleet,” Brooks said. There had been rumors that the theater would close permanently, Nastasi said.īut Santikos’ leadership dealt the final blow only several weeks ago, ending its 35-year run at Wonderland, said Andrew Brooks, executive director of sales and marketing at Santikos. Like with most movie houses, attendance was low, largely because few new films were being released. The theater went dark in March 2020 at the start of the pandemic and reopened later that summer. The decision by Santikos not to renew its lease at Wonderland did not come as a surprise, he added. “We have some new prospects that I think take care of, and make it even more profitable,” Nastasi said. In addition, the Wonderland partnership is in talks with tenants for the space, but Nastasi declined to name them before a deal is signed. “I’m very optimistic for that reason.” The Wonderland of the Americas mall originally opened in 1961. “This property has weathered bigger impacts than the Bijou shutting down,” Nastasi said. And “sometimes, forced changes can be a good thing,” said Lorenzo Nastasi, director of development and public affairs for Balcones Heights. Sign up for our Weekly Headlines Newsletter.While other malls have been gutted, shuttered or reinvented, Wonderland keeps bouncing back, James Bond-style. Stay on top of San Antonio news and views. "With the new rebranding, be assured that we will continue to serve our community with the same mission of sustaining the arts in our city like we always have." "For the last 77 years, the Woodlawn Theatre building has housed a variety of entertainment companies and we want to make sure the building will continue to have a rich history for our community," Rodriguez said. The Woodlawn Theatre has also announced an upcoming name change to accompany the change in location, with more details to follow. "Change is never easy, but we are eager and excited about this challenge." ![]() ![]() "Making this change after a successful ten-year run is exactly what we feel our organization needs to do to help grow our existing programming in the for the next few years," he said. In a press release, Woodlawn Theatre Executive/Artistic Director Chris Rodriguez expressed his enthusiasm about the relocation's potential to broaden programming and outreach. The Woodlawn's youth program will continue its classes and other operations in an adjoining space within the mall. The nonprofit performing arts organization will move into the space previously occupied by the Santikos Bijou Cinema Bistro, which closed its doors in April of this year. After ten years of producing award-winning musicals and providing arts education programs in San Antonio's Deco District, the Woodlawn Theatre will be relocating to the Wonderland of the Americas in early 2023. The Woodlawn Theatre will change its name and occupy the former site of the Santikos Bijou movie theater, which closed in April.
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