AMC Closes Waco Galaxy 16 Leaving City With One Theater

Waco residents face a drastically reduced moviegoing landscape after AMC Theatres permanently closed the Waco AMC Galaxy 16 cinema on Oct. 8, leaving the growing city with only one remaining commercial theater.

The sudden loss of the Valley Mills Drive multiplex contracts entertainment options in a city of 147,788 residents that also hosts Baylor University, the Dr Pepper Museum, and Fixer Upper figures Chip and Joanna Gaines, according to Yahoo reporting. With the nearest alternative AMC now located an hour away in Burleson, local film fans must choose between traveling out of county or relying entirely on the single surviving venue left inside Waco city limits.

Decades of Screenings End at Valley Mills Drive

The cinema originally opened in February 1998 as the Starplex Galaxy 16. AMC Theatres acquired Starplex Cinemas in July 2015 for $175 million, subsequently rebranding dozens of properties nationwide, including the Waco facility. The location later upgraded its visitor experience in May 2017 by introducing an IMAX screen to its auditorium lineup.

The closure follows a broader corporate retrenchment by AMC Theatres. The company announced in February that it intends to shutter additional underperforming properties in the coming years, continuing a nationwide reduction that has eliminated more than 200 theaters since 2020, Chron reported.

Waco Down to One Remaining Movie Theater

Waco Cinemark XD now stands as the city’s sole operating commercial cinema. However, that remaining venue faced intense public scrutiny in late 2025 after patrons reported seeing mice during film screenings, which triggered a heavy pest control intervention by public health officials. City inspectors cleared the Cinemark facility in February after weeks yielded no further evidence of rodents.

Social media platforms filled with nostalgia following the AMC shuttering announcement alongside pointed questions regarding urban growth. One theater for a growing city? Definitely could use another one… Especially for a different location for those that don’t want to or can’t travel to the only left now, a resident wrote on Facebook, as reported by Chron and Yahoo.

Uncertain Future for the Former Multiplex Site

Historical records show that Waco has lost more than 30 theater properties over the years, a tally that includes former drive-in cinemas, dollar theaters, and major corporate chains. Company officials have not yet released any development plans or future reuse proposals for the empty Valley Mills Drive structure.