Monaco

Monaco at Bridge Street Town Centre. (monacopicturesusa.com)

Monaco Pictures at Bridge Street Town Centre in Huntsville will unveil extensive renovations this year just in time for the 2016 blockbuster holiday season.

Cinemark Holdings said it plans to revamp the Monaco to include an upgraded concession stand with expanded food options, a remodeled Scene restaurant and lounge, a Cinemark XD: Extreme Digital Cinema auditorium, and 4K digital projection with RealD 3D capability.

The theater will also feature new "Luxury Loungers," which Cinemark describes as electric-powered, plush, oversized recliners with footrests and cup holders.

"We're excited to take the movie-going experience to the next level by offering guests Luxury Lounger recliners in all auditoriums as well as a new Cinemark XD auditorium," Cinemark CEO Mark Zoradi said in a statement. "The upgrades to the auditoriums, lobby and restaurant will enable Cinemark to offer our guests the highest levels of comfort and technology for years to come."

Multiple attempts to reach Cinemark were unsuccessful. It is unclear when the renovations will be finished or how much the company is investing in the project.

Cinemark, which operates 513 theaters in 41 states, Brazil, Argentina and 12 other Latin American countries, is partnering with Illinois-based Miller Capital Advisory, Inc. on the renovations.

The Monaco isn't the only Huntsville-area movie theater to take on renovation projects recently. Touchstar Cinemas began work last year on a $3 million remodel of the Madison Square 12 on University Drive.

The theater near Madison Square Mall features new leather reclining seats, providing a more comfortable viewing experience for movie goers across north Alabama. Karishma Dattani, owner of Touchstar Cinemas, said they have been pleased with the community support so far.

"I think the movie industry has constantly needed to find new ways to bring customers out to watch a movie rather than sit at home and watch it on DVD or Netflix or what have you," she said. "This is definitely one of those things that is going to change throughout the nation."

Madison Square 12 is in the process of improving its concession stand to offer food beyond popcorn, hotdogs, nachos and Milk Duds. Dattani said the theater will offer items like hamburgers, chicken tenders, fries, onion rings and pasta.

The concession expansion should be complete in the next couple of months.

"There will be a lot more options than just the basic traditional theater foods like popcorn and candy," she said. "So the customers will actually be able to have dinner and a movie and fill their stomachs up with real food versus the traditional junk food you would get in the theater."

Other development projects are underway at Bridge Street, including a new Kona Grill next to Belk's flagship store. The 7,000-square-foot, new-to-Alabama restaurant is set to open this fall.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide also announced this week it will launch a 150-room Element Huntsville at Bridge Street by early 2017. The facility will share a pool, fitness center and parking with the 210-room Westin.

Jared the Galleria of Jewelry is under construction across from Barnes and Noble in the far parking lot toward Old Madison Pike, while ADS LLC will begin moving into its new space in the former PINZ bowling alley above H&M and Chico's during the next two weeks.