Moviegoers on the east side of Bloomington and Normal, Illinois have had to travel to see movies on the big screen for more than five years, but that has all changed.

The Golden Ticket Cinemas - Ale House Bloomington opened today, October 17, 2025, near the airport at East Empire Street and Towanda Barnes Road. It has been completely renovated by Golden Ticket Cinemas in a building that was formerly known as the New Vision Ovation Cinema Grill, which closed in 2020 during the coronavirus pandemic.

This is the first Illinois location for Golden Ticket Cinemas, which operates 21 other theaters across the country. The company was founded in 2017 with the opening of a location in North Carolina, and now bills itself as one of the top 50 theater chains in the United States. An announcement message E-Mailed to newsletter subscribers listed the following amenities:

• Heated Luxury Recliners
• Non-stop Popcorn
• 30 Tap Beer Wall (Coming Soon)

That message also mentions that the 2026 Refillable Popcorn Buckets are now available, which can be used until December 31, 2026. We couldn't find details of what the refillable bucket gets you, but the 2025 bucket provided $5.75 refills through the end of the year (according to the Golden Ticket Cinemas Facebook page). Since the company's website and social media don't provide any details, we suggest finding out what the 2026 bucket offers at theater before purchasing.

The closest theaters to this location are the Normal Theatre and the AMC Classic Normal 14 in Normal, with a total of six theaters within 30 miles.

Showtimes and Tickets

To see what's playing and when, please visit the Showtimes page for the Golden Ticket Cinemas - Ale House Bloomington.

Ticket prices are not specifically listed on the theater's website, but selecting an evening showing for tonight resulted in tickets for adults priced at $12 each, with children, seniors, and military members at $9. See the Ticket Prices page for more information.