LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Big plans are in the works for Little Rock's Breckenridge Village.
The area was directly affected by the March 2023 tornado, but it's returning even more substantial, with more businesses opening.
Now, entertainment is in the works.
After being closed for a year and a half, the Breckenridge Regal Theater is about to get a facelift.
Schulman Theaters announced this week that the space will become a "Film Alley."
And it'll be more than a place to watch movies and eat popcorn.
"What it provides is eight theater bays that will have dining options alongside an arcade and a duckpin bowling alley," said Jake Keet, one of the partners behind the Breckenridge Village shopping center.
Keet said that the future Film Alley will be the last piece of the puzzle that turns the shopping center into a destination spot.
"I think so many of us have memories of going to this movie theater over here as we were growing up and coming to Breckenridge as we were growing up," Keet said. "With all the dining options now and this theater, there's going to be no real reason to go anywhere else."
With new businesses in place, they want to add the finishing touch and turn it into an entertainment district, allowing you to carry alcohol between businesses.
"We think we've got pretty good traction to make that a reality with our courtyard," Keet said. We think it's going to be an absolute slam dunk."
Eat My Catfish President Travis Hester agrees.
"It is incredible to see the revitalization of this shopping center and this neighborhood," Hester said. "Now, with the theater coming in, it's going to be one of the premier destinations in central Arkansas."
While more businesses move to the village, Hester views it less as a competition and more as a partnership.
"We're all friends," Hester said. "We have been for years, and we believe in revitalizing... this shopping center and this area here. It's what the city needs and it's good for everybody."
Keet hopes to have the Film Alley up and running in early 2025.