Adding sumptuous amenities has been a vital new market for the struggling theater industry. Ticket sales last year at U.S. theaters were reportedly the lowest in 27 years, according to Box Office Mojo, an industry research firm. That slump is largely attributed to the rise of Netflix and other streaming platforms.

The luxury movie theater is not a new concept for Mountain View. In a recent remodel, the Century Cinema 16 on Shoreline Boulevard added plush lounge chairs to its theaters. Many other Bay Area cinemas have also updated their concessions stands to serve fancier fare than candy, hot dogs and popcorn.

The new theater is one of the final pieces of Merlone Geier's second phase of plans to transform the San Antonio Shopping Center into a live-work-play complex. Next door to the new cinema is a towering 400,000-square-foot office that soon will house hundreds of Facebook employees, which the theater's owners say should provide a reliable source of business.

Opening this week, the new ShowPlace Icon theater at the San Antonio shopping center is planning to carve out a niche as a luxury version of the standard multiplex. The new theater will include 10 auditoriums, including three high-end screens showcasing the latest in viewing technology.

The seating, all of which is reservation-only, consists of leather recliners with optional heating and the promise of at least 6 feet of legroom, and side tables for food or drinks. Kerasotes says those extra features means they can fit only about half the number of seats as a conventional movie theater.

Showplace Icon representatives made a point of emphasizing their three top-of-the-line auditoriums equipped with RealD 3D projection, "Icon-X premium large format" screens and Dolby Atmos speakers. Those auditoriums include a second floor "VIP" area connected to a 21-and-over bar and lounge. Hungry patrons can go to a digital kiosk to order a selection of meals including ahi tuna salad bowls, salmon fillets and burgers. Beer, wine and cocktails will be readily available.

The latest shift for theater companies has been to create a premier experience with sound systems and screens that no home theater could replicate. If theater-goers will only splurge on the latest big-ticket film say, the new "Star Wars" or Marvel sequel then cinemas are inclined to make the experience as sensational as possible.

"The industry is always going through changes," he said. "It's survived radio, TV, HBO, made-for-TV movies. It survived the videotape, the DVD, the Blu-ray. People shouldn't be so quick to bury us because we've been here for a long time."

But reports of the death of theaters are greatly exaggerated, says Tony Kerasotes, ShowPlace Icon CEO. His family's business has operated U.S. theaters for three generations, starting in 1909. Through every period of doldrums, there's been an upswing around the corner, he said, pointing out that 2018 is already showing signs of a turnaround.

Correction: An earlier version of this story indicated that the theater was facing possible delays for its opening. Showplace Icon representatives say the theater successfully opened on Oct. 5

Another hurdle is the city's review and inspection process, which Kerasotes described as moving at a slower and more deliberative pace than other parts of the country. The theater reportedly opened on its scheduled Oct. 5 opening date.

Opening a new theater in a market like Silicon Valley also presents some challenges. In Mountain View, Showplace Icon faced difficulty recruiting qualified workers, and has been holding weekend hiring fairs for the last month. Company representatives say they hope to eventually have 140 workers and 15 managers, but for now they have enough to open up.

Mountain View was a natural location for this kind of upscale theater, Kerasotes said, since it has the right mix of neighborhoods with high levels of density, income and education. Showplace Icon has opened only one similar high-end theater, located in Boston, but up to three more are planned in the near future, including a 10-screen cinema at the Westfield Valley Fair Mall in San Jose that's expected to open by the year's end.

If that's the case, then how much will tickets cost? Icon company representatives couldn't immediately answer that question, except to say that it will depend on the auditorium and time of day. It certainly won't be the cheapest theater in the area, but it also won't be the most expensive, Kerasotes said.

New movie theater promises big-ticket experience

Cocktails, ahi tuna, heated seats -- oh, and movies