BELTON — Site preparations have started on a new $4.5 million  six-screen  theater  in the heart of the city’s growing retail district. Grand Avenue Theaters will open before next summer behind Walgreens and Jack-in-the Box in Belton, said David Leigh, local entrepreneur and city councilman, who will own the independent multiplex with a group of local investors. The 1,200-seat Oakmark Drive theater will offer first-and second-run movies, available 3-D digital projection, and a  reserved  seating  option  in three  of  the  six  auditoriums. Other amenities will include leather stadium seats, a fullservice kitchen and soda  jerk café. The project was designed by TK Architects of Kansas City, Mo., a firm specializing in cinema  architecture.  It will be built by Maedgen Construction of Troy, with a ground breaking this fall. “There is a demand for good quality entertainment — this is not just a dream,” said Leigh, who  co-owns  Harvest Technologies and is part of a group that owns Advanced Laser Materials and Integra Services in Round  Rock.  “It’s  great  to chase dreams, but you want to be able to do something that’s not only good for you, but also good for the community. This is one of those rare mixes.” The  multiplex will be less than one-half mile from the new H-E-B Plus opening this fall, but  more importantly, close to population pockets along Texas 317, Lake Road and West Adams Avenue in Temple, Leigh said.

The venture will create 50 part-time jobs. "There is a huge amount of growth there,” said Leigh, 43. “If H-E-B came or not, it does not change the fact  that  there are people there with dollars to spend.“People may not go to Disney World right now, but they want to go to see a Disney flick even with the down economy,” he added.Ticket prices will be close to prices at theaters in Temple and Harker Heights. “We want to make sure it’s something that’s affordable, that it’s not prohibitive and it rewards local consumers,” he said. “People are getting tired of sticky floors and dirty theaters. They  want  something better.” A feasibility study Leigh conducted in Belton showed  that the area is underserved given its rapid growth. Almost three-fourths of those surveyed responded that they sometimes leave the local area for entertainment destinations like dinner and movies, said  Leigh, who briefly ran the Beltonian Theater in 2009 before it was bought by Wes and Aida Riddle. The survey showed the area has a younger movie-going audience. That, as well as the proximity to the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor and nearby churches, will affect the types of movies shown and affected the investors’decision not to offer alcohol sales, Leigh said. “Most of our clientele is not going to be comfortable taking their 4-year-old and sitting next to someone drinking beer,” Leigh said. “We are going to target young families with our pictures. We will show action-adventure, romantic comedies, kid  flicks,  but  not weird,  demonic, horror movies or spicy, skin flicks. We probably won’t be showing that.” Belton’s other theater owner, Wes Riddle, temporarily closed his historic single-screen theater while he campaigns to be the Republican candidate for the new District 25 congressional seat. He plans to re-open in March regardless of the primary election’s outcome. Unlike the proposed Grand Avenue, the Beltonian does not show first-run films or blockbusters, but offers live performances, older movies and private meeting space. “I  honestly think there is room in this town for both theaters and we’re looking forward to having those films closer to us,” Riddle said.