Sandhills 10’s blueprint for cinema’s comeback

By Stephanie Meador, posted Jan 8, 2026 on BizFayetteville.com

The new Carolina Extreme Cinema auditorium is now open at Sandhills 10 in Moore County. Photo provided by Jeremy Welman.

Against a backdrop of box office decline and streaming competition, Jeremy Welman, managing partner/owner of Carolina Cinemas, remains boldly optimistic.

“We’ve been around for 100 years … throughout the years, there's been all these challenges,” he said, emphasizing resilience that’s weathered everything from the invention of cable to the pandemic. “Since the pandemic, it's been a really slow rebuild.”

While many theaters across the nation struggle to keep their doors open, Welman seems to have cracked the code to keeping the community engaged and coming back for the next hit film.

“Theaters are struggling to a certain degree, but I would say that theaters in growth areas like the Carolinas or Texas or Florida, you know, they are doing much better than what I think the industry as a whole in North America is doing. And I also think that the theaters that are reinvesting in their facilities by adding new technologies and upgraded seating and food and beverage and all those things are clearly, you know, giving folks a bigger, better reason to leave their couch and come out,” shared Welman.

Carolina Cinemas Sandhills 10 recently announced the opening of the new “CXC” (Carolina Extreme Cinema) auditorium, a totally immersive sound experience with Dolby Atmos digital surround sound. This new technology combines over 30 thousand watts of power, up to 128 audio channels and 60 speakers strategically distributed 360° around the auditorium. It also features a new 4K digital laser projector coupled with the latest cinema screen technology, which provides amazing image quality and more intense and defined colors with spectacular light levels.

The company’s goal is to provide the best entertainment in the best environment by always incorporating the latest trends and innovations available in the theater industry. Additionally, all the other auditoriums at Sandhills 10 were recently upgraded to Barco laser digital projection systems to further provide moviegoers with the best possible cinema experience for years to come.

“All of this comes at a significant expense and would not have been possible without the continued support of our amazing guests from Moore County and beyond,” said Welman in a press release.

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