Heartland - Exploring Alternate Realities

Something about this day in May always makes me think of galaxies far, far away…

Is it just me, or does space travel seem to be in the midst of a new moment? Between the excitement surrounding the recent Artemis II mission—marking humanity’s return to the moon for the first time in more than half a century—and the box office success of the Ryan Gosling crowd-pleaser Project Hail Mary (which somehow takes the apocalypse and turns it into something not only joyful but life-affirming)… people today seem to be more drawn than ever to otherworldly adventures (What on earth could have so many people wanting to escape this reality? Could be anyone's guess... but I digress...)

In one review of the film, The New York Times noted, “…the success of Project Hail Mary and other recent films reminds us that in our new era, whatever it will be called, people appear to be responding to fun.”

Hear, hear! Yes, please... Let’s have more of that!

I know a few folks reading this will be heading to ICSC in Las Vegas later this month. If you’re one of them, there’s one very fun experience I’d encourage you to seek out (especially if you joined us for March’s grocery-centric Retail Talk). It’s called “Omega Mart”—one of several immersive, narrative-rich art installations created by the brilliant minds at Meow Wolf.

I won’t give too much away, but it begins as what appears to be a typical grocery store—until you start looking a little closer. What unfolds through installations, interactive elements, performers, and a surprisingly layered narrative is an otherworldly experience that invites visitors to examine their relationship to consumption in ways that are, let’s just say, unexpected. Or at least, that’s what I took away after spending nearly five hours wandering through its symphonic use of art, writing, performance, material, and technology—many elements of which have quietly influenced my own design thinking ever since.

That’s why I was so thrilled when learn I learned a couple-few years ago that we’d be getting our very own version of something like Omega Mart right here in the heartland: a project brought to life by Kansas City-based Dimensional Innovations—Atlas9.

At first glance, Atlas9 is a remarkably accurate recreation of the movie theater from your 1990’s childhood (I’ll forever miss you, Olathe Dickinson 8!!) But like any good story, there’s more going on than meets the eye.

I’m looking forward to gathering with the Heartland Chapter this month to experience Atlas9 together, and to hear directly from Dimensional Innovations’ Executive Creative Director Randall Statler about the process behind its creation.

At a time when the traditional movie-going experience is overdue for reinvention—a trend we’re seeing evolve from early dine-in theaters to moving auditoriums with multi-sensory immersion, and in emerging concepts like Netflix House, which offer approachable, scalable alternatives to increasingly costly theme parks—Atlas9 is setting an intriguing precedent for the future of entertainment destinations, right here in the Midwest.

These shifts aren’t just experiential; they’re structural. Even as the movie business competes with streaming and shifting habits, it’s joining other industries—like airlines, gyms, and software—in experimenting with monthly memberships and premium tiers. Earlier this spring, Regal Cinemas announced a $50 ticket for its highest-end screens (yes, really), and subscription models are becoming a regular part of the box office playbook.

What we’re witnessing is the transformation of “going to the movies” from a commodity transaction to a layered, loyalty-driven experience: one that asks how far people will go, and what they’ll pay, for something genuinely memorable.

And in a region that already boasts places like St. Louis’s City Museum and Kansas City’s Rabbit Hole, Atlas9 serves as another welcome reminder that these kinds of environments—playful, immersive, a little bit transportive—aren’t just novelties; they’re signals. Signals that people are still looking for connection, for escape, for something that feels different from the everyday… proof that we work in an industry where play was never just for kids.

I hope you'll join us in Kansas City for what is sure to be one of the most unforgettable events of the year!

Until then,

Michael Trenary, RDI

Heartland Chapter President

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