For Shane Morrison, owner of Celebrity Theatres, it all started with the movies.

Morrison has worked in the movie theatre industry since 1989, when he started as an usher at a United Artists theatre in Baton Rouge. He moved up through the ranks and eventually purchased the Grand Cinema on George O’Neal Road in 2002. He refurbished the theatre and added stadium-style seating, regenerating neighborhood interest in the long-standing establishment.

Morrison describes his journey in the movie theatre industry as the story of a man who discovered what we was passionate about and worked hard to achieve his goals. Nothing ever came easy, he said, but that did not stop him from taking risks and dedicating himself to creating the best guest experience possible.

With his purchase, Morrison wanted to make a statement by building what would be the most state-of-the-art theatre in Baton Rouge.

Fifteen years later, after putting the theatre on hold to focus on other projects, he is re-energized to do this with the newly named and renovated Celebrity Theatres, located in the same spot as the Grand Cinema. Morrison wants to bring the best movie-watching experience possible to Baton Rouge.

The theatre underwent a major renovation in November 2016, adding luxury recliner seats, an arcade game area, a bar, the installation of Cheeto popcorn and a frozen Jack & Coke machine, new restrooms, digital projection technology and a Dolby stereo surround system, among others.

The revitalization doesn’t stop there. Construction is currently underway on two additional 181-seat auditoriums with Digital Barco LASER projectors and Dolby ATMOS surround sound systems. These theatres are expected to open by Thanksgiving, Morrison said.

Morrison is confident the improvements will make Celebrity Theatres the best image and sound theatre in the state. Both innovations are the latest technologies in their categories and are preferred among Hollywood directors and producers. 

The Dolby ATMOS sound system, in particular, provides the viewer with an immersive three-dimensional sound experience, Assistant Director of Operations Anthony Neeson said.

“If someone comes from the back left, you’re going to hear it from the back left,” Neeson said. “If a bullet goes whizzing past one of the characters from left to right, it puts you in it. It’s not just surround sound.”
The addition of the two auditoriums will nearly double the capacity of the eight-screen, 385-seat theatre, and the screens in those two houses will be four times larger than the current screens, Neeson said. It will also add the capability of renting out auditoriums for parties or private screenings.

Director of Operations Roger Black is hoping that the new amenities will pique interest among people unfamiliar with the theatre and establish a local reputation. Morrison is not cutting corners with the renovation, Neeson said.

After the current renovations are finished, there are plans for another phase of expansion in early 2018. The arcade will go from 18 games to just over 50 and have an arcade redemption store.

In addition, they have plans to build a bowling alley, laser tag, full kitchen and destination bar. When the renovation is done, Celebrity Theatres will be a full-blown family entertainment center, similar to Dave and Buster’s but with movie theatres.

They’re not just banking on the renovations to generate interest; what sets them apart is their high standard for customer service, Black said.

“The facility can be beautiful and wonderful, but the staff has to be there too,” Black said. “They have to enjoy what they’re doing, and they have to treat the guests right. I’m not one that likes to celebrate victories, but I think we’ve done a pretty good job at doing that.”

As for the challenges of operating a locally owned movie theatre, Neeson sees the main problem as a lack of name recognition, he said. He is confident this will no longer be a problem once they get customers in the door to see the new theatre.

“Every person who comes through the door tells us I’m not going anywhere else,” Neeson said.

Black and Neeson aren’t worried about the so-called death of the movie theatre and declining audiences — due to the rise of streaming services and DVDs — attributing the lack of movie-going to poor quality content coming out of Hollywood. They’re confident the movies aren’t going anywhere.

The Celebrity Theatres has two other locations in Louisiana: one in Ruston and one in Broussard. They’re interested in expanding the other theatres in the future, but wanted to try the Baton Rouge location first as the Capital City is their home base.

“I’ve always been a big believer in Baton Rouge,” Morrison said.