Helpful information about
Sun Prairie, Wisconsin
Sun Prairie Info Site
Marcus Theatres "The Palace Cinema"
Prairie Lakes Sun Prairie
(608) 242-2100
Click here for a Map and Directions To The Palace Cinema
The Palace Cinema at Sun Prairie is a new state-of-the-art cinema featuring DreamLounger Leather Recliners, TWO UltraScreen DLX auditoriums, Zaffiro's Express, Big Screen Bistro In-Theatre Dining auditoriums and a Take Five Lounge!
Tickets on sale NOW! Click here.
How Do You Get Tickets Without Paying the "Convenience Fee"?
Be VERY careful about how you pick your seats.
A word to the wise: Be very careful how you pick your seats. These "dreamlounger" seats are PAIRS. I went to see a movie the other day and got "paired" with a very large lady that I did not know. Every time she moved, which was frequent, the "armrest" that "separated" us moved as well and that, in turn, moved me. Very disturbing for me. If you are going as a couple, pick your seats based on "pairs" of seats. The numbering starts at the outer walls. Every two places is a pair of seats, whether "handicapped" or not. "Handicapped" means it is open for wheelchairs and it is not really a seat.
Marcus has Food, for a very high markup.
Watch a video walkthrough of the Marcus Palace Theatre!
Marcus does take "walk in" customers but you get to pick your seats if you reserve ahead. Just last night there was a very long line of people for a 5:30 p.m. show that was getting told that their show was sold out. This is one of the nicest Marcus Theatres around and people are coming from all over the Madison area to see the movies at The Palace Cinema because of that. I remember when we would drive many miles to see a movie that we could have seen at the dumpy East Towne Marcus. So glad we do not have to do that anymore.
For Your Convenience!
Reservations are charged a "convenience fee" of $1.25 per ticket added on to the listed prices, below. They do not exactly make it clear, on the website, if the fee is already included or if it is added onto that listed price. It is added on when you pay. Marcus will waive the "convenience fee" if you are a member of the "Magical Movie Rewards". It is free to join and has other perks.
What is ticket pricing like?
Different theaters, within the Palace, have different pricing.
Here is one comparison for Two different theaters at the "Palace" showing the same movie on 5/16/15:
Dream Lounger pricing in the evening. 10 p.m.:
Ultra Screen pricing in the evening. 10:15 p.m.:
Is Marcus hiring now?
We are not sure if Marcus is now hiring for positions at the Palace Cinema including theatre associates, servers, bartenders, cooks and food runners, but, they are a movie theater and so they are probably always hiring.
The Palace Cinema is the ultimate destination and the ultimate place to work, according to Marcus. Apply for jobs by clicking here.
12/3/14
Thank you for contacting Marcus Theatres. In answer to your query, our plan is to have the new Sun Prairie Palace open by May 1st, 2015 for the opening of Avengers: Age of Ultron.
James Schiller
Guest Relations Coordinator
Marcus Theatre Corporation
11/26/14
Do not get your hopes up too high that Marcus are on schedule to open before Christmas. I'm not sure they even have the roof completely closed up yet. It would be a miracle if they got this thing finished off before the end of December. Probably looking more towards early 2015 some time. The construction site waited for many weeks for the walls to start going up. The masons must have been working on another project and had to finish there first.
8/19/14
They are starting to lay blocks on top of the foundations now. Walls going up.
07/29/2014
Foundations appear to be in and looks like they will be starting on the walls very soon. Costco is in the background.
06/21/2014
Grading of the Palace Cinema lot has been going on for a couple of weeks. Only one person working on it. Marcus has said, in the past, that it would be open for Thanksgiving but I recently heard that has now changed to Christmas 2014. We will see.
Picture taken looking South. Costco is in the background.
PRESS RELEASE
January 16, 2014, 10:05 a.m. ET
Marcus Theatres Announces State-of-the-Art Cinema in Sun Prairie, Wis.
Theatre to Feature Two New UltraScreen DLX Immersive Experience Auditoriums
MILWAUKEE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--January 16, 2014--
Marcus Theatres(R) , a division of The Marcus Corporation (NYSE:MCS), has announced new details about its planned cinema at the Prairie Lakes development in Sun Prairie, Wis. The company is under contract to purchase an 11.6-acre site for the new 12-screen theatre, which is anticipated to open in time for the 2014 holiday movie season.
The Marcus Cinema in Sun Prairie will have all reserved DreamLounger(SM) recliner seating in every auditorium, two UltraScreen DLX(TM) auditoriums, four Big Screen Bistro(R) auditoriums, a Zaffiro's Express and a Take Five Lounge.
"The new Marcus Cinema planned for Sun Prairie will be a true entertainment destination," said Rolando B. Rodriguez, president and CEO of Marcus Theatres. "With 12 screens to choose from, including two UltraScreen DLX auditoriums, plus a wide and tempting variety of in-theatre food and beverage options and the relaxing Take Five Lounge, guests can enjoy a complete night out all in one convenient location."
"Marcus Theatres' proprietary UltraScreen DLX immersive cinematic experience combines the massive, 64-foot wide, three story high UltraScreen(R), amazing Dolby(R) Atmos(TM) audio and incredibly comfortable DreamLounger electric recliners," Rodriguez stated.
Food and beverage options will abound at the new Marcus Cinema in Sun Prairie. Guests will be able to relax over a beverage and appetizers in the Take Five Lounge, pick up hot food at Zaffiro's Express in the lobby or dine while watching a movie in one of the Big Screen Bistro auditoriums. Zaffiro's THINCREDIBLE(R) handmade-to-order pizza will be available in the Take Five Lounge, from Zaffiro's Express or in the Big Screen Bistro.
Big Screen Bistros are full service in-theatre dining auditoriums that boast an extensive menu of drinks, chef-prepared entrees, appetizers, salads, sandwiches and desserts. Food and beverages are brought to guests while they relax in DreamLounger recliners fitted with unique swivel tables.
Before or after a movie, guests can meet their friends at the Take Five Lounge for a handcrafted cocktail or locally brewed beer and sample some of the delectable food items on the Take Five's dining menu. The Take Five will feature seating for 100, a 20-foot-wide, high definition screen for entertainment content and an outdoor patio with an inviting fireplace.
"This will truly be an innovative cinema," Rodriguez said. "We are introducing a strikingly new theatre design in Sun Prairie. Dramatic modern lines, a towering glass atrium and a sweeping entrance canopy, combined with stunning stone, tile and metal finishes, will create a gorgeous environment. We are very happy to become part of the vibrant new Prairie Lakes development and would like to thank Sun Prairie city officials and Prairie Development Ltd. for working with us so diligently to bring this amazing new entertainment venue to Sun Prairie and the surrounding greater Madison, Wis., area."
Prairie Lakes is a more than 100-acre master-planned commercial center being developed by Prairie Development Ltd., and is located at the northwest quadrant of Hwy 151 and Hwy C, across from Woodman's Market in Sun Prairie. The Marcus Cinema will be located between Costco and Target.
For more information, please contact Bob Menefee at 414-905-1159 or [email protected].
About Marcus Theatres
Marcus Theatres(R) , a division of The Marcus Corporation (NYSE:MCS), is the fifth largest theatre circuit in the United States and currently owns or operates 685 screens at 55 locations in Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota and Ohio. For more information, please visit www.marcustheatres.com and follow the company on Facebook and Twitter (@Marcus_Theatres).
CONTACT: Marcus Theatres Corporation
Bob Menefee, (414) 905-1159
SOURCE: Marcus Theatres Corporation
Copyright Business Wire 2014
10/25/13
It keeps getting stranger and stranger:
The Wisconsin State Journal says, today, that "Connery said Milwaukee-based Marcus Theatres also has signed an agreement to locate a 100,000-square-foot, multi-screen cinema in the development, on roughly the same timetable as the planned Cabela's store.
Marcus Corp. could not be reached for confirmation Thursday, but company officials have talked about putting a theater there for many months.
The Marcus theater originally was slated to open in the spot that will be occupied by Cabela's, Connery and city officials said. Now it's to be located just north of the Costco."
That would be the large lot that will take up the rest of that block, North of Costco and South of Blue Aster Drive, West of South Legacy Way.
10/24/13
Scott Kugler, Community Development Director for Sun Prairie, says that:
" We have not given up hope on Marcus. They tell us that they are still interested in Sun Prairie and the Prairie Lakes location, but the economic conditions and a number of uncertainties in their particular industry over the past few years caused them to hesitate in moving forward. The developers felt that they could not wait any longer for Marcus to decide and exercised a buy-back clause in the original purchase agreement. Negotiations have continued and we are still working hard to try to facilitate the construction of a theater on another parcel in this vicinity. I cannot really comment on the status of things at this point, other than we are still hopeful that this project will move forward at some point in the near future."
10/21/13
Jonathon writes:
I noticed tonight on the Prairie Lakes website they have removed all mention of Marcus Theatres and list the parcel where it was to be built as "available for purchase." I did notice there's a "Premium Massage" going into a space in the Starbucks building, as well as a "Prairie Lakes Dental" that is taking the odd, window-filled space above the Starbucks drive-thru, so there's that.
REPLY:
Thanks for the update. Doesn't break my heart. I don't go to the expensive movies nowadays. I'm from the old days where we paid 14 cents for a double feature with a comedy and three cartoons in-between. I do go to the IMax movies when there are good ones. Marcus would have just made a continual horrible traffic jam at periodic times. I would be happy if they would just build a new theater where they are right now by American. The old one is just a dump. What pisses me off is how they have dragged this out over three to four years to see how the winds were blowing. Just go to hell and leave us alone.
I am very happy that we are getting a Monks and look forward to any football game specials that they have.
8/22/2013
Latest rumor that we have heard is that Marcus Theaters might be looking at moving their new movie complex to a different lot within Prairie Lakes Shopping Center. As we were out walking yesterday, we saw a surveyor on the lot on the SW corner of Legacy Way and Blue Aster Blvd. This would be a much better location, traffic-wise, than the present lot on the corner of Hoepker Road and Prairie Lakes Drive, in our humble opinion.
This shot shows the lot looking SW, as does the photo below this one.
You can see the Costco Store in the distance. Costco and this lot are adjacent.
10/20/2012
Marcus Theaters is currently finalizing plans for the new theater complex in Sun Prairie, Prairie Lakes shopping center. The tentative plans are for a 100,000 square foot, 17 screen cinema. Hopes are that construction will start in the Spring of 2013 and opening no later than Spring of 2014. The fate of the Eastgate complex has not as yet been determined.
11/3/2011
Marcus Corp. asked the City of Sun Prairie, this week, for a one year extent ion on its development agreement, which expires on 12/31/2011. Marcus wants to sell its existing theater property on the East side of Madison, near East Towne, before starting construction in Prairie Lakes.
5/19/2010
Prairie Development LTD announced, on May 18th, the addition of Marcus Theatres to its Prairie Lakes retail development in Sun Prairie.
Marcus is planning on the construction of a 16-screen theater, to include an Ultra Screen theatre and a restaurant and lounge. See the press release, below, for Ultra Screen info. Although the Sun Prairie Marcus Theater is not mentioned in that news release, it looks like we will also have the huge Ultra Screen too.
Press Release Published On: Thursday, March 25, 2010
MARCUS THEATRES® TO INSTALL DIGITAL RealD 3D SYSTEMS IN EIGHT 70-FOOT-WIDE ULTRASCREENS®
The first offering of UltraScreen XL3D, which will utilize RealD 3D technology, will be for this Friday’s release of How to Train Your Dragon on the 73-foot wide UltraScreen at the Marcus MajesticCinema in Brookfield, Wis. The additional seven UltraScreen RealD 3D installations are expected to be completed in time for the May 21, 2010 release of Shrek Forever After. With the addition of the eight UltraScreen 3D systems, Marcus Theatres will offer digital 3D at 61 screens at 43 locations in seven states – nearly 80% of its locations and 10% of its screens.
“The digital UltraScreen XL3D presentation on gigantic screens will be among the largest 3D screens in North America,” said Bruce J. Olson, president of Marcus Theatres. “Our signature UltraScreens allow moviegoers to experience blockbusters on a screen that is more than three-stories tall and five times the square footage area of a typical movie screen. By adding life-like RealD 3D technology to our UltraScreens, moviegoers will be speechless at the amazing quality and immersive images projected on the screen.”
Olson said the RealD 3D technology on such a large curved screen will create a visual experience so real moviegoers will feel part of the movie at every angle and dimension. “We are thrilled to be one of the select movie theatre exhibitors in the Midwest to provide this cutting-edge technology on huge screens for our guests. The Majestic UltraScreen XL3D will be the largest 3D screen in Milwaukee by a wide margin.
Earlier this month, the company announced plans to install an additional 19 RealD digital 3D systems at traditional screens in select theatre locations. The new installations are expected to be completed in April.
RealD will provide 3D projection technology and glasses for the eight Marcus UltraScreen XL3D auditoriums. UltraScreen XL3D will be offered at the following Marcus Theatres locations:
Wisconsin
Majestic Cinemas, Brookfield
North Shore Cinemas, Mequon
Point Cinemas, Madison
Marcus Cinema at the Renaissance, Sturtevant
12/15/09 Press Release:
CITY OF SUN PRAIRIE CITY COUNCIL APPROVES MARCUS
THEATRES PROJECT FOR PRAIRIE LAKES DEVELOPMENT
Sun Prairie, Wisconsin – The Sun Prairie City Council unanimously approved a 16-screen theatre complex project for Marcus Theatres that will feature a 500-seat Ultrascreen theatre, three dine-in “Cinedine” theatres, and a “Zaffiro’s Pizzeria” restaurant—representing the latest design concept by Marcus Theatres.
The location of this project will be in the Prairie Lakes Development in Sun Prairie’s Westside Neighborhood Development Area. The siting of Marcus Theatres newest facility here represents a major milestone in the development of this prime retail site into the unique commercial area that has been carefully planned by both the developer and the City. Marcus Theatres will be the second major tenant to be located in the 100-acre Prairie Lakes Development located in Sun Prairie’s Westside Neighborhood. A new 134,000 s.f. Target store opened in March of 2009.
Mayor Joe Chase said “Marcus Theatres is a welcome addition to Sun Prairie’s Westside Development. This theatre complex will offer another component to the leisure and entertainment amenities in our community.”
Council President John Muller added “We are very excited that a Wisconsin company the caliber of Marcus Corporation selected the City of Sun Prairie as the location of their newest project.”
The City of Sun Prairie worked in close partnership with both Marcus Theatres and Prairie Lakes Development to plan, review and approve the proposed project in less than two months.
Chad Fedler, Vice President for Prairie Development Ltd. said “We are very pleased with the City of Sun Prairie elected officials and City staff for the efficient approval process of the Marcus Theatres project. This now clears the way for a first class theatre complex and operator to begin construction in our Prairie Lakes Development.”
******
OFFICE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
300 E. Main St., Sun Prairie, WI 53590-2227
(608) 825-0894
FAX (608) 825-1183
www.cityofsunprairie.com
Marcus Theaters has signed a purchase agreement with plans to build a new sixteen screen movie theater in the Prairie Lakes Shopping Center Development. Plans are no doubt all based on approval from the Sun Prairie Building Commission and the City.
The facility will feature a seventy foot wide Ultrascren, in-theater dining and a full-service restaurant and bar.
Marcus is also considering another lot not far from its present location which is on High Crossing Boulevard near East Towne, I-90 / I-94 and Hwy 151.
The Prairie lakes location would be just off of Hwy 151 at Exit 100. It would be South of Hoepker Road and West of Cty. Hwy. C.
Press Release Below:
Milwaukee, Wis., August 24, 2009 - Marcus Theatres® today announced it has signed an agreement to purchase approximately 16-acres of land in the Prairie Lakes development in the city of Sun Prairie. The 100-acre development is located at the Northwest quadrant of County Highway C and U.S. Highway 151. The development will contain a mix of retail, restaurants, hotels and entertainment venues and is being developed by Prairie Development Ltd, a Madison-based company.
Marcus Theatres is considering a megaplex entertainment destination to replace its existing Eastgate Cinema property, which will remain in operation until the new theatre opens. The new entertainment destination would feature 16 movie screens, including a 70-foot-wide signature UltraScreen®, in-theatre dining and a full-service restaurant and bar.
“The Prairie Lakes development is one of two sites in the Madison-area we are contemplating,” said Bruce J. Olson, president of Marcus Theatres. “The Prairie Lakes site offers excellent visibility and accessibility and inclusion in a high-quality development. A final determination has not yet been made, but this site does offer additional options and flexibility for building an entertainment destination our guests will enjoy without the added challenge and financial risk of developing the surrounding property ourselves, which would be required with the other site,” added Olson.
The company still has an option to purchase the 26-acre site, known as “The Crossing” at Nelson Road and Highway 151 on the east side of Madison. The company has obtained approval from the Urban Design Committee, City of Madison Planning Commission and the City Council on the general development plan, but has not yet begun the second round of approvals required on the specific implementation plan.
About Marcus Theatres
Marcus Theatres®, a division of The Marcus Corporation (NYSE: MCS), is the seventh largest theatre circuit in the United States and currently owns or manages 663 screens at 53 locations in Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota and Ohio, and one family entertainment center in Wisconsin.
About The Marcus Corporation
Headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, The Marcus Corporation is a leader in the lodging and entertainment industries. In addition to its Marcus Theatres division, the company’s lodging division, Marcus Hotels and Resorts, owns or manages 20 hotels, resorts and other properties in ten states. For more information, visit the company’s web site at www.marcuscorp.com.