CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Cinemark is expanding beyond traditional movie theaters with a new stand-alone Gamescape Family Entertainment Center coming to Corpus Christi, Texas. The roughly 50,000-square-foot venue will be built next to the company's existing Century 16 XD and IMAX theater at 6685 South Padre Island Drive.
Studio V Architects tells me construction is scheduled to begin soon, with completion targeted for December 2026.
The Corpus Christi location will be the third Gamescape in Texas and the first built as a fully independent facility rather than an addition to an existing theater.
Studio V also said the new entertainment center will feature:
- 18 lanes of bowling
- laser tag arena
- 12,000 square feet of arcade space
- virtual reality experiences
- classic redemption games
- climbing ropes course
- Pixel gaming attraction
- multi-use gaming space for special events and social gatherings
Private party rooms will be available for birthday celebrations and corporate events. A full-service restaurant and bar with large LED screens will also be part of the facility, according to Mike Voegtle, CEO of Studio V Architects.
The venue will share a parking lot with the adjacent Cinemark theater and connect to it through a covered pedestrian shade structure.
Mike Voegtle, CEO of Studio V Architects, the Dallas-based firm designing the project, said Cinemark's expansion into stand-alone entertainment centers reflects the company's broader role in the industry.
"Cinemark has been an entertainment staple in Texas and across the country for more than 40 years. This will be their 3rd Gamescape location in Texas and their first stand-alone Family Entertainment Center. They are the third largest motion picture exhibitor in the United States with over 300 theater locations, just like the one here in Corpus Christi, and their Gamescape concept reinforces their position, leading and providing amazing entertainment experiences for their guests."
The project is being developed by CNMK Texas Properties, LLC, Cinemark's real estate arm, and is currently advancing through final permitting.
The first Gamescape by Cinemark opened in El Paso in early 2025 at 13361 Gateway Blvd. West. That location offers bowling, laser tag, arcade games, a ropes course, a climbing wall, a restaurant, and a bar alongside movie theaters. Additional Gamescape locations are in development, including a project in Greenville, Texas, and a renovation at the Webster theater in the Houston area. Studio V Architects is also designing the Greenville location, a 70,000-square-foot venue that will include eight auditoriums, 18 bowling lanes, and similar attractions.
Cinemark is headquartered in Plano, Texas, and operates more than 500 theaters and nearly 6,000 screens across the U.S. and internationally.
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