The Phoenix Theatres Columbia Snowden 14 movie theater is set to close January 5, 2026. The property is set to under go development to deliver a Class-A warehouse facility. Furthermore, the new warehouse is set to span approximately 189,267 square feet at 9161 Commerce Center Drive in Columbia.
The Snowden Square movie theater has been a landmark in Columbia for nearly three decades, evolving through several major eras of cinema exhibition before its final scheduled closure on January 5, 2026.
The Early Years: United Artists Snowden Square (1997–2002)
The theater opened in late 1997 as a United Artists (UA) Theater. At the time, it was a major addition to Howard County’s retail landscape, offering a modern “stadium seating” alternative to the older sloped-floor cinemas in the area.
- Opening Highlight: Many locals recall the theater’s debut coinciding with the release of Titanic, which cemented it as the go-to “megaplex” for the Columbia/Ellicott City area.
- The UA Brand: Though United Artists was a historic film studio founded by Charlie Chaplin and Mary Pickford, the theater chain was a separate entity that eventually faced financial struggles in the late 1990s.
The Regal Era (2002–2023)
In 2002, following United Artists’ bankruptcy, the location was folded into the Regal Entertainment Group. For over 20 years, it operated as the Regal UA Snowden Square.
- Loyalty & Longevity: This was the theater’s longest and most stable period. It became famous for the “Regal Rollercoaster” intro and its participation in the Regal Unlimited program.
- The Decline: In early 2023, Regal’s parent company, Cineworld, underwent Chapter 11 bankruptcy. As part of a massive debt restructuring, the Snowden Square location was identified as one of dozens of underperforming theaters to be closed or surrendered to landlords.
The Final Years: Cinemark & Phoenix (2023–2026)
The last few years of the theater’s life were marked by rapid ownership changes:
- Cinemark (August 2023 – April 2025): After Regal exited, Cinemark briefly took over the lease, rebranding the site as Cinemark Columbia Snowden and ScreenX. Despite upgrades like luxury loungers, the lease was short-lived.
- Phoenix Theatres (April 23, 2025 – January 5, 2026): Phoenix Theatres stepped in as a “bridge” operator after Cinemark’s departure. They maintained the theater as a budget-friendly option, notably keeping the “$5 Bargain Tuesdays” tradition alive. Furthermore, Phoenix continued to tout being Maryland’s only Screen X experience.
Phoenix Theatres is based in Knoxville, Tennessee and is currently among the largest theatre circuits in the United States. One of Phoenix’s specialties is seamlessly taking over movie theatre operations when a shopping center loses a movie operator.
The Final Chapter
The theater’s closure on January 5, 2026, marks the end of a 28-year run. The site has been slated for redevelopment, with plans currently indicating the building will be demolished to make way for a warehouse facility. To be clear, the space is available for lease for this purpose.
