There are 44 screens to catch movies in the Tri-Cities.

That number will grow to 54 by the end of the year as construction is set to begin on the new Southgate 10, owned by the Fairchild company.

The plan was to have 12 screens, just like their Queensgate location, but the success of the Dolby Atmos theater in Richland, which requires a bigger screen, convinced management to trim the number of theaters from 12 to 10 to accommodate more Dolby Atmos options. The 53,000 square feet complex planned across from the Kennewick WalMart is roughly the same size as the Queensgate 12 in Richland.

Meantime the Fairchild company which owns the 12 screens in Pasco as well, has been upgrading their complex and they plan to have that facility remodel finished by the end of the upcoming week. Fairchild opened in Pasco in 2007 and it's new look will be similar to what Queensgate 12 looks like in the lobby. The reclining seats option is not being upgraded in Pasco due to height and structural challenges too expensive to overcome. The Pasco screens are the Fairchild's bargain option as ticket prices are lower in Pasco than in Richland.

Southgate 10 will have many of the same features as Queensgate 12 including reserved online seating, luxury leather reclining seats, the belly-up snack bar, entree meals plus local beers and wines.

After Southgate 10, the company has no further Tri-Cities expansion plans.

More here.