Lakehurst Cinemas
Lakehurst Cinemas was a twelve-screen multiplex movie theater in Waukegan, Illinois, operated from 1974 until 2007.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
Lakehurst Cinemas was a former multiplex movie theater in Waukegan, Illinois, United States. The venue opened in 1974 as General Cinema Lakehurst, a three-screen theater developed beside Lakehurst Mall. Its location reflected General Cinema's practice of placing cinemas near major retail destinations, allowing the theater to benefit from the mall's large regional-shopping draw. The theater expanded in stages. It grew from three screens to eight in 1984 and reached twelve screens and approximately 3,200 seats in 1987. At the time, it promoted or was reported as having the largest number of movie screens in America, although other theaters with more screens already existed. The twelve-screen configuration made the venue a significant local exhibition site and gave it the familiar “Lakehurst 12” identity. The theater became locally prominent in the early 1990s because of several decisions about films associated with public-order concerns. In March 1991, a large gang-related fight occurred in the parking lot during the opening of New Jack City, prompting the theater to remove all scheduled showings of the film. Later that year, it joined three other theaters in declining to screen Boyz n the Hood after a Chicago-area theatergoer was killed on the film's opening day at another nearby cinema. In 1995, the theater also declined to show Showgirls. These incidents made the venue a subject of local media coverage and illustrated the operational and community pressures facing urban and suburban cinemas during that period. The theater's commercial environment deteriorated after the 1991 opening of Gurnee Mills, a large shopping complex about ten minutes northwest of Lakehurst Mall. Lakehurst Mall subsequently entered a prolonged decline, affecting nearby restaurants, shops, and attractions. General Cinema Lakehurst closed in 2000 as part of the General Cinema bankruptcy period and was not among the former General Cinema locations acquired by AMC Theatres. The multiplex reopened on September 28, 2001, under the name Lakehurst Cinemas, with Village Theatres, a small Chicago-area theater operator, running the site. Despite the change in operation and branding, parts of the former General Cinema signage remained visible on the building and roadside sign. The theater's long-term prospects weakened further after the mall property was purchased by the Shaw Company in 2003 and redevelopment plans called for the mall's demolition. The mall was demolished in 2004 for the Fountain Square of Waukegan mixed-use project, while the theater continued operating for a limited period. In December 2006, Lake County building inspectors placed a red tag on the structure after identifying multiple life-safety and maintenance problems. Reported conditions included inadequate heat in some auditoriums, a leaking roof, water in a screening room, and nonfunctional fire alarms. The venue briefly reopened after some of the most serious issues were addressed, but announced that it would close permanently after January 7, 2007. Films shown near the end of its operation included Happy Feet, Rocky Balboa, Night at the Museum, Stomp the Yard, Eragon, and We Are Marshall. Demolition began in mid-July 2007, and the multiplex had been removed by mid-August. The theater site became a vacant, dirt-filled lot, while later redevelopment occurred elsewhere on or near the former mall property. An Aldi store was eventually built in the theater's parking area in 2018. Lakehurst Cinemas is therefore a defunct local exhibition brand whose history reflects the expansion of suburban multiplexes, the decline of an adjacent shopping mall, operator bankruptcy, community-safety controversies, building-code problems, and eventual redevelopment.
History
Lakehurst Cinemas originated as General Cinema Lakehurst, which opened in 1974 beside Lakehurst Mall in Waukegan, Illinois. The mall covered approximately 1.1 million square feet and provided the commercial setting for the theater's launch. General Cinema's development strategy commonly placed theaters near major shopping destinations, and the Lakehurst venue was designed to serve both mall visitors and the wider local population. It opened with three screens, and The Exorcist was its opening film. Expansion followed during the theater's first decade. Eight screens were operating by 1984, and the complex reached twelve screens and roughly 3,200 seats in 1987. This expansion gave the venue a prominent position in the regional cinema market. It was described as holding an American record for the number of screens, although the claim did not mean that it was literally the largest-screened theater in the country at the time. The venue received substantial attention in 1991 after a gang-related brawl in its parking lot accompanied the opening of New Jack City. Management responded by removing all screenings of the film. Later in the year, the theater was one of four venues to pull Boyz n the Hood after a fatal shooting at another Chicago-area theater on the film's opening day. In 1995, it declined to screen Showgirls. These choices connected the theater to broader debates about movie violence, audience safety, and exhibitors' responsibility for managing perceived risks around controversial or heavily marketed films. The theater's business conditions worsened as Lakehurst Mall declined. The opening of Gurnee Mills in 1991, roughly ten minutes northwest, diverted shopping traffic and contributed to the mall's long-term deterioration. As stores, restaurants, and attractions around the mall closed, the theater lost the commercial ecosystem that had supported its original location. General Cinema Lakehurst closed in 2000 during General Cinema's bankruptcy period. Unlike many other former General Cinema properties, it was not acquired by AMC Theatres. The multiplex returned to operation on September 28, 2001, as Lakehurst Cinemas. Village Theatres, a small Chicago-area chain, operated the reopened venue. The transition was incomplete from a visual-branding standpoint: a small banner covered part of the entrance signage, while General Cinema signs remained on the north side of the building and near Waukegan Road. This made the building a visible remnant of the earlier chain even after the operating name had changed. In 2003, the Shaw Company purchased the Lakehurst Mall property. The mall was demolished in 2004 and replaced by plans for Fountain Square of Waukegan, a mixed-use redevelopment. The theater was expected to close as part of the changes, although an immediate closure date was not initially announced. It continued operating into late 2006, by which time its physical condition had become a serious issue. Lake County building inspectors visited in December 2006 and placed a red tag on the structure. Their inspection identified several life-safety and maintenance concerns, including a lack of heat in some auditoriums, a leaking roof, water in a screening room, and fire alarms that did not operate. The theater briefly reopened after the most severe issues were repaired or addressed, but it announced that operations would end permanently after January 7, 2007. Its final period included screenings of films such as Happy Feet, Rocky Balboa, Night at the Museum, Stomp the Yard, Eragon, and We Are Marshall. Demolition commenced in mid-July 2007, and the building was gone by mid-August. Although some contemporary reporting associated a planned Holiday Inn Express with the former theater area, the hotel was ultimately built approximately 100 feet west of the theater site. The original theater parcel later remained a vacant dirt-filled lot, while an Aldi store was eventually developed in the former parking area in 2018. Lakehurst Cinemas ended as a local multiplex brand after more than three decades of operation, passing from a major national exhibitor to a smaller regional operator before closure amid mall decline, safety deficiencies, and site redevelopment.
- 2018
Aldi is built in the former parking area
[1]An Aldi store is eventually constructed in the theater's former parking lot.
- 2007
Operations end and building is demolished
[1]The theater closes after January 7 and is demolished between July and mid-August.
- 2006
Building receives a red tag
[1]County inspectors identify multiple building and life-safety problems during a December inspection.
- 2004
Lakehurst Mall is demolished
[1]The mall is removed for the Fountain Square of Waukegan redevelopment, further weakening the theater's original commercial context.
- 2003
Lakehurst Mall property is acquired for redevelopment
[1]The Shaw Company purchases the mall property, setting the stage for demolition and mixed-use redevelopment.
- 2001
Reopens as Lakehurst Cinemas
[1]The venue reopens on September 28 under the Lakehurst Cinemas name and is operated by Village Theatres.
- 2000
Original General Cinema operation closes
[1]General Cinema Lakehurst closes during General Cinema's bankruptcy period.
- 1991
Gurnee Mills opens and changes the local retail environment
[1]The opening of the large Gurnee Mills shopping complex contributes to the subsequent decline of Lakehurst Mall and its surrounding businesses.
- 1987
Expansion to twelve screens
[1]The complex reaches twelve screens and approximately 3,200 seats.
- 1984
Expansion to eight screens
[1]The theater expands from its original three screens to eight.
Products and positioning
A large suburban multiplex serving shoppers and residents in the Waukegan area, initially positioned as a major cinema destination adjacent to Lakehurst Mall.
Cinema exhibition · 1974
Three-screen cinema
The original 1974 facility opened with three auditoriums and provided conventional first-run movie exhibition beside Lakehurst Mall.
Cinema exhibition · 1984
Eight-screen multiplex
The 1984 expansion increased the venue's capacity and allowed it to show a broader selection of films simultaneously.
Multiplex cinema · 1987
Lakehurst Cinema 12
The final twelve-screen configuration, reached in 1987, contained about 3,200 seats and became the defining format of the Lakehurst venue.
Controversies
2006
Building and life-safety deficiencies
A county inspection found inadequate heat in some theaters, roof leakage, water in a screening room, and inoperable fire alarms, resulting in a red tag and a short-lived reopening after repairs.
1991
Parking-lot brawl connected with New Jack City opening
A large gang-related fight in the theater parking lot during the opening of New Jack City generated local press coverage and led the theater to remove the film's remaining showtimes.
Brand decisions
2007
Permanent closure and demolitionOtherBackground
The site faced redevelopment pressure and the building had significant unresolved maintenance and life-safety issues.
Action taken
The theater announced closure after January 7, ceased operations, and was demolished beginning in July.
Aftermath
The multiplex disappeared by mid-August 2007 and the site later became part of surrounding redevelopment.
2001
Reopen under Village TheatresStrategyBackground
The original General Cinema operation had closed during the company's bankruptcy period.
Action taken
The venue reopened as Lakehurst Cinemas on September 28, operated by Village Theatres.
Aftermath
The multiplex continued operating for several more years despite the decline and eventual demolition of Lakehurst Mall.
1995
Decline to show ShowgirlsOtherBackground
The film was not booked at the theater.
Action taken
Lakehurst refused to show Showgirls.
Aftermath
No further outcome is documented in the supplied reference material.
1991
Withdraw New Jack City screeningsOtherBackground
A large gang-related altercation occurred in the parking lot during the film's opening.
Action taken
The theater removed all showtimes for New Jack City.
Aftermath
The decision received local media attention and became part of the theater's public history.
1991
Decline to screen Boyz n the HoodOtherBackground
A Chicago-area theatergoer was murdered on the film's opening day at another nearby theater.
Action taken
Lakehurst was one of four theaters that pulled or declined the film.
Aftermath
The booking decision reflected heightened concerns about audience safety and public disorder around certain film openings.
Recent events
- 2007
Multiplex closes and is demolished[1]
Other
After a short reopening and an announced final operating date of January 7, the theater ceased operations. Demolition began in July and was completed by mid-August.
- 2006
Building inspectors identify safety problems[1]
Regulation · Other
A December inspection resulted in a red tag and identified problems including insufficient heat, roof leakage, water intrusion, and inoperable fire alarms.
- 2001
Lakehurst Cinemas reopens under Village Theatres[1]
Leadership change · Other
The multiplex reopened on September 28 under the Lakehurst Cinemas name with Village Theatres operating the venue.
- 2000
General Cinema Lakehurst closes during General Cinema bankruptcy[1]
Bankruptcy
The original General Cinema-branded operation closed during the company's bankruptcy period and was not acquired by AMC Theatres.
- 1995
Theater declines to show Showgirls[1]
Other
Lakehurst declined to book Showgirls, another film decision noted in accounts of the theater's operating history.
Sources1 sources
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