Matt Gentry | The Roanoke Times

New Regal movie house at New River Valley Mall.

Inside new Regal movie house at New River Valley Mall.

CHRISTIANSBURG -- Spacious, high-ceilinged theaters with plush chairs and moveable cup holders. Flat-screen televisions flashing the latest music videos and movie trailers above glass candy cases and slushy machines.

Today, members of the Virginia Tech community will be the first of the public to set foot inside Regal Cinemas New River Valley Stadium 14.

Faculty and students with Tech identification cards have been invited to bring a guest and enjoy a free movie, popcorn and soft drink today and Sunday. The theater opens to all audiences Monday, and the official grand opening event is Friday.

The grand opening was originally scheduled for April 20 but was postponed in light of the shootings at Tech, said Richard Grover, marketing manager for Regal Entertainment Group of Knoxville, Tenn.

"We have some relationships with our senior staff that knew some of the professors at Virginia Tech," Grover said. "It's an opportunity to open up the location and give an escape this weekend."

Regal Entertainment Group operates 6,403 screens at 539 locations in 39 states and the District of Columbia. Grover declined to release the cost to construction the Christiansburg theater.

The theater's 54,000-square-foot spot adjacent to the New River Valley Mall is far different from its old 11-screen home inside the mall that was vacated mid-March.

In the new theater, 14 stadium-style theaters collectively seat 2,500 people.

A new party room means patrons can book birthday parties. Machines beside the indoor ticket booth allow customers to purchase tickets and gift cards, and pick up tickets on their own.

General Manager Kelly St. Laurent said most of her staff at the old location made the move, though she is hiring floor staff. About 50 people currently work at the theater.

It was an easy move, she said, since most of the materials are brand new.

"Once they laid the first brick, you get very excited that the new building is coming," St. Laurent said. "For us, it was a lot of anticipation."

Movie and food prices will remain the same, she said. Tickets for seniors older than 60 and children younger than 11 are $6.50 all day. Tickets for adults are $6.50 before 6 p.m. and $8.50 after 6 p.m. Students with valid identification pay $7 after 6 p.m.

"We're really excited to see the building here and open, and we think it's going to be exciting for the patrons to come back and enjoy this new facility with us," St. Laurent said.