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SALA’s story is deeply intertwined with Los Alamos’s rich heritage, from the Los Alamos Ranch School’s early cultural endeavors to the lively performances of the Los Alamos Little Theater.
The evolution from historic theaters like White Roxy Theater, Centre Theater and The Hill Theater to the modern-day SALA Event Center reflects a legacy of community and culture.
The transformation from the Reel Deal Theater to the SALA Los Alamos Event Center represents a new chapter in local entertainment, spearheaded by Allan Saenz and Sammi Owens.
Their vision revitalized a cherished space, turning it into a vibrant, member-supported event center that embodies the spirit of community engagement.
By revitalizing a historic venue, SALA offers a diverse array of cultural and social activities, fostering community bonds and celebrating local heritage. As a member-supported hub, it prioritizes social value over profit, investing in the community’s well-being through engaging events, educational programs, and collaborative partnerships.
SALA embodies a commitment to enhancing community life, making it a great example of social enterprise in the realm of cultural and community development.
SALA has emerged as a beacon of community spirit and resilience in an era where theaters across the U.S. face closures. Despite industry challenges, including significant revenue shares claimed by Hollywood, a declining audience base, and the constraints and limitations imposed on movie theaters by studios, SALA perseveres.
By transforming a former 4-plex into a thriving hub for film screenings, community and private events, SALA has become a ‘living room’ for all Los Alamos people, echoing its Spanish meaning.
Our model is grounded in affordable rentals and partnerships with diverse organizations to offer a wide range of activities and festivals for all ages. We extend support to nonprofits, aiding them in their fundraising endeavors, and receive backing from local businesses that enrich our content and community offerings.
Membership revenues are a crucial component of the SALA business model, essential for ensuring sustainability. SALA members enable us to offer low-cost rentals, tickets, and concessions. They support our vision and contribute directly to the development of our community event center.
Our members are people who believe in SALA and are committed to the realization of an event center that brings our community together. While we are off to a solid start, it is imperative that we continually add new members to maintain and advance our project.
We invite you to explore the five phases of the SALA project, designed to deepen our community engagement and cultural offerings. Your support as a member is crucial for sustaining and growing this vital community asset, ensuring SALA remains a dynamic and inclusive space for everyone in Los Alamos.
Timeframe: 2022-2023 Estimate Cost: $2,500,000 Funding: Private, Members
Phase 1 of SALA’s journey saw the revival of Hollywood blockbusters in Los Alamos, with one of the four theaters dedicated to bringing the magic of new movies to the community week-in, week-out.
This has reconnected our community with the latest cinematic creations, enhancing the town’s cultural landscape including the success of the movie Oppenheimer.
Beyond films, SALA established a series of monthly programs catering to diverse interests and age groups.
Our event lineup is designed to cater to a wide array of interests and includes family-friendly PJs and Movie nights, screenings of classic and independent films, live performances, sports events, and unique experiences such as the Manhattan Film Series and the Oppenheimer Festival.
By partnering with local businesses and creatives, SALA has become a cornerstone for entertainment, offering something special for everyone in the community.
SALA has transformed two theaters and the lobby into a multi-functional center by integrating the latest technology, including high-speed internet, cameras, microphones, and projectors.
This renovation makes it easy for the Los Alamos community to connect to the big screen and upgraded technology, providing affordable and adaptable event spaces.
These improvements enable a myriad of events, from interactive hybrid meetings to vibrant public celebrations, ensuring that every gathering is enhanced by high-quality technological support.
The center’s flexibility is showcased through its diverse programming options, accommodating everything from educational workshops to cultural film festivals and dynamic sporting event viewings.
This versatility extends to support various community-centric activities, including fundraisers, youth events, educational events, and movie clubs.
Timeframe: 2024 Estimate Cost: $1,300,000 Funding: SALA, Members, L.E.D.A
Phase 2 will introduce new stages in the Roxy and Social Center, complemented by advanced lighting and enhanced audio-visual capabilities for improved event hosting, live events, community and hybrid meetings.
A dynamic digital display will revamp the East Building Wall, offering an interactive platform for art, information, showtimes, and community engagement.
In collaboration with 4Pi Productions, we are transforming our final theater into ‘The Hill Augmented Theater,’ a venue offering a 360-degree immersive experience.
This innovative space is set to revolutionize entertainment, providing an unparalleled, all-encompassing visual and auditory experience that immerses audiences completely.
The Hill Augmented will serve as a dynamic space for immersive learning, supporting a broad spectrum of educational activities. This includes STEAM education, where regional educators will develop engaging programs and internships that merge education with entertainment, and interactive gaming.
The facility will also empower individual artists and educators to create innovative new media artworks and educational programs for public exhibition.
As a new media art and technology studio, The Hill Augmented will foster collaboration among area businesses and LANL scientists and technologists. It will be a central venue for advancements in virtual reality, augmented reality, data visualization, and simulation technologies.
This collaborative environment will enhance public understanding of complex scientific concepts and demonstrate the practical benefits of immersive technologies for community enrichment.
SALA is poised to become a standout visitor attraction in Los Alamos. The daily immersive experience, titled “Gateway to Los Alamos,” will enchant both locals and tourists, enriching the area’s cultural landscape and promoting tourism through innovative entertainment.
Similar to Meow Wolf, Los Alamos will boast its distinctive visitor attraction. SALA will produce a 15-minute video showcasing the essence of the area, enticing visitors to explore its attractions.
The immersive experience at SALA will introduce audiences to the history of Los Alamos and encourage visits to local landmarks, such as the Bradbury Science Museum and the Los Alamos Historic District and Museum. SALA’s fully accessible facility will provide a convenient and enriching experience for all visitors.
We will identify key stakeholders to help us shape the details of the film and visitor attraction. This unique opportunity enhances our ability to strategically develop tourism in Los Alamos.
Through collaboration with multiple organizations, we aim to improve the visitor experience, attract more tourists, and amplify the cultural and economic benefits for our community.
The planning of this phase has been a collaborative effort, made possible by the expertise and financial support of multiple organizations.
Their contributions have been instrumental in developing and enhancing our initiatives, ensuring that we can offer these valuable experiences to the community
Timeframe: 2025 Estimate Cost: $250,000 Funding: Crowdfunding
Phase 3 focuses on elevating the movie-watching experience at the New Reel Theater with the introduction of luxurious leather power reclining seats, complete with lighted cupholders, base lighting, and built-in USB charging ports.
These seats aren’t just for viewing; they’re designed for versatility, featuring tray tables for dining or workspace, making them ideal for a variety of activities from enjoying a meal to using a laptop.
Roxy Theater Seating UpgradeTheir contributions have been instrumental in developing and enhancing our initiatives, ensuring that we can offer these valuable experiences to the community
A new reserved seating system will be implemented, allowing patrons to select and reserve their preferred seats in advance, adding convenience and a personalized touch to the SALA experience
To finance these enhancements, we’re turning to crowdfunding, inviting community members and local businesses to contribute to the transformation. Sponsors will not only enhance the community’s experience but also gain recognition through a QR code on the seats they sponsor, leaving a lasting legacy within SALA.
Timeframe: 2026 Estimate Cost: TBD Funding: TBD
In Phase 4, SALA aims to enhance its event center capabilities by introducing an improved culinary experience. The plan is to construct a new space atop the lobby, featuring a full kitchen to serve food and adult beverages during movies and events.
This addition will not only elevate the guest experience but also provide a versatile venue with a stunning view for various community events, further diversifying SALA’s offerings and reinforcing its role as a key community hub.
Timeframe: 2028 Estimate Cost: TBD Funding: TBD
Phase 5 envisions a grand expansion at SALA, aiming to construct a large ballroom atop the 4-plex, designed to host substantial events. This space will be equipped with high-tech amenities and offer panoramic town and mountain views, addressing the community’s need for a larger rental venue.
This development is set to solidify SALA Event Center’s status as a comprehensive, multi-purpose community space, epitomizing the ethos of ‘for the community, by the community.
SALA isn't just revitalizing a building; it's enhancing its worth and utility, breathing new life into our community. We invite you to be an integral part of this transformation. You can help SALA to remain sustainable in the following ways:
Join our community as a member and suggest to others that they can also support our community by being a member
Consider SALA for your next personal or corporate gathering. Spread the word that we are eager to be the go-to venue for community events.
Get involved in our upcoming Phase 3 crowdfunding campaign to further our community initiatives.
Help us expand our programming and create more content for the community. Your partnership helps us deliver exceptional experiences and educational opportunities.
Choose from 3, 6, or 12 pass packages that include movies, popcorn, and soda. Ideal for occasional movie-goers, corporate gifts, or fundraisers. incentives.
Contact Allan or Sammi to learn more about investing in our continuously improving building, an opportunity that not only offers financial returns but also contributes significantly to our community
When you become a member of SALA, you do more than just support our projects and the community; you also gain access to a range of exclusive benefits that enhance your experience.
Membership is designed for two people, allowing you and a partner or friend to enjoy all that SALA has to offer.
Membership – $50 per month or $600 per year
20% of your membership is credited to the nonprofit of your choice for their use in events, fundraising, and other activities through our SALA Nonprofit Partnership Program. Additionally, SALA offers a 10% discount to nonprofits, further supporting their valuable work in our community.
Expand your membership to include family members, providing unlimited access to movies and events for seniors and those under 18.
SALA Reusable Drink Cup and Popcorn Bucket:
Exclusive to yearly members, perfect for movie lovers, enhancing enjoyment and reducing waste.
Private Venue Rental: Includes a 2-hour rental of our venue, ideal for hosting your personal events.
Become one of the first 250 members! Support our mission, enjoy exclusive benefits, and help ensure our project’s sustainability and continued success.
