All Aboard the College Station

Photographed and Written by Collen Fuller

Special thanks to College Station Theaters for shooting privileges!

College Station has been operated locally in the Springfield community since 2024. The theatre is locally owned by residents of the city and with the help of partnerships of local businesses; the coffee is provided by Coffee Ethic, The Big Slice delivers the pizza, their paper products are from SPC Supply, and the arcade games are provided by 1984 and Pineapple Whip. They showcase major releases from major studios, including the then-upcoming Avatar: Fire and Ash and Wicked: For Good. You can kick back and relax in dual-action heated recliners while taking in laser projection technology with Dolby Atmos for surround sound, delivering a “3D immersive sound experience”.

Around 2009, Realtor Scott Tillman, founder of Tillman Redevelopment, LLC, operated the cinema and leased the building to Hollywood Theatres. In 2013, Regal Cinemas bought the company and rebranded the location. Tillman’s son, Paul, began working at his dad’s company around 2013, becoming a property manager.

During the pandemic, Regal’s parent company, Cineworld, filed for bankruptcy in 2022 and closed down the location in 2023. Paul and his dad, Scott, were searching for new tenants for the cinema. After meeting with various tenants, they shared concerns about previous issues with Regal. There was a strained relationship between the owners and Regal; under Regal, there was a lack of community investment in improving concessions and experiences. The managers had received no marketing investment in promoting the movies to the community, and no updated equipment was available. Because of Regal's lack of support, both Tillmans decided it was time to explore more options for the building and its future, as they were concerned about encountering similar problems to those with Regal. 

The Tillmans were skeptical when they arrived at CinemaCon in Las Vegas on April 24th, 2024. After hearing a group of speakers, Paul was inspired by their passion and described the event as “intoxicating,” featuring celebrities, local and franchise cinema owners, and studio representatives. Celebrities have said that seeing themselves on a big screen was special to them, and studio executives and owners have expressed how special cinemas are for the industry. 

General Manager Danielle Signaigo worked at Hollywood Theatres while a student at Missouri State University to help pay for college, eventually graduating with a B.F.A in animation, minoring in art history and sign language studies. She fell in love with the business of movie theatres and their management aspect. She became a manager for Marcus Theatres after Regal closed Hollywood Theatres, and eventually returned to Springfield to become the new general manager of College Station.

Assistant Manager Curtis Killingsworth has always had a passion for movies. After serving in the US Army, he started his career in Las Vegas and has enjoyed not just the movies but the business of film. Despite considering leaving the industry, he remains because of his passion for helping people see their movies and provide them with good experience.

After searching for new tenants for the building, the Tillmans decided to become the building's sole owners. Danielle Signaigo, the former manager of the Regal location, was called back in to become the manager of the newly opened theatre and accepted the position. After much prep, College Station opened on November 22, 2024. 

“A dollar spent at College Station in Springfield, Missouri, stays in Springfield, Missouri. We really like that and we really take it seriously”.

-Curtis Killingsworth, Assistant Manager

While The Moxie focuses on Indie films, College Station focuses on showcasing movies from big studios and has an advanced sound quality. College Station has been a co-host of SATO 48 and has hosted screenings of documentaries by local filmmakers.

Operating as independent theatres, “movie booking”—receiving the movies—was how independent theatres negotiated with studios to secure and promote them. Unlike franchises, they already deal directly with studios and receive the movies from them. Both Danielle and Curtis are responsible for building the marketing and logistics. Despite the chains having more money, Danielle and Curtis have creative freedom to promote the movies and the community's demand for them without oversight, and to purchase new projectors and sound equipment.

“We have a lot of freedom, we have been able to schedule a lot of local films that have premiered here, a lot of group bookings and birthday parties, it is easier to operate than a corporate setting.”

-Danielle Signaigo, General Manager

“Without the big franchises, we don’t have anybody telling us what to do.”

-Paul Tillman, Owner