[Update: Follow this link for the article on the theater's opening: https://impactnews.com/austin-metro/northwest-austin/lake-creek-7-opens-in-former-alamo-drafthouse-theater/]

A movie theater company has signed a lease to open its first theater in the space vacated by Alamo Drafthouse Cinema's Lake Creek location in the Lake Creek Festival retail center.

Chief Operating Officer Nathan Searer moved to Austin to head up the opening of the seven-screen theater, which will open in one to two months.

"We looked at Houston and Fort Worth, but Austin seemed like a place we wanted to start our brand," he said.

Searer said the theater will be value-based with tickets priced around $2–$3 and will show first-run films that are one to three months old.

So far, the theater is being well received by Lake Creek Festival's other tenants, he said.

"We walked around a few businesses, meeting with them," he said. "People seemed really excited."

Alamo Drafthouse closed its Lake Creek theater July 21 when it opened its new 10-screen cinema July 22 in Lakeline Market just north on US 183.

"We think our ability to backfill the theater is very good for the [center]," said Bryan Dabbs, from Stream Realty, which handles leasing for Lake Creek Festival.

Searer said the plan is to use all seven screens at the former Alamo Drafthouse location but not the kitchen. The new theater will serve typical concessions of popcorn, candy and soft drinks. Although the theater does not yet have a name, Searer said it will be something similar to Lake Creek Theater or Lake Creek 7.

Additionally, the company, which is a newly created corporation operating under the name Southwest Theaters, is looking at other possible locations in Texas to expand its brand, he said. The company is working on its website, www.southwesttheaters.com, Searer said.