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Flower in May
Kerasotes Unveils
2 Midwest 8-Plexes
CHICAGO – Chicago-based Kerasotes
Theatres celebrated in May the grand openings of two
8-plexes, in Carbondale,
Ill., and Vincennes, Ind.
 Carbondale’s ShowPlace 8, situated in the east
wing of the University Mall on state Route 13, opened
its doors May 15 with “The Matrix Reloaded” debuting
on five screens. On the same day, the circuit shuttered
its Carbondale Varsity Theatre.
Kerasotes  launched
Vincennes’ ShowPlace 8 on May
30, shuttering the existing Vincennes ShowPlace 3 the
same evening. Located on Hart Street, one half mile east
of U.S. 41, the site opened with Disney’s “Finding
Nemo” on two screens.
Both facilities boast
stadium-style seating, high-backed chairs with cupholder
armrests, wall-to-wall curved
screens and digital surround sound. The spacious
lobby features
an arcade and a concession bar offering popular “Movie
Combo” choices along with free refills on
all sizes of popcorn, soft drinks and Icees.
Kerasotes currently
operates 532 screens at 77 sites.
11th Site In Miami Area
Regal 16-Plex
To Replace 9
KENDALL, Fla. – Regal Entertainment
Group (REG) on May 15 announced plans to build a new
16-plex in the
Kendall Village Center at the Kendall, Fla., intersection
of Kendall Drive and the Florida Turnpike.
Construction of the new site, which will
replace the REG 9-plex currently located across Kendall
Drive, is
slated to begin in September.
“We’re proud to be a part of the Kendall community
and such a fast-growing suburb of Miami,” noted
circuit senior vice president of marketing and advertising
Dick Westerling. “Our new 16-screen stadium megaplex
theatre will enhance the selection of films and the enjoyment
of our moviegoers.”
Regal is currently the largest circuit
in the Miami area, operating 162 screens at 11 sites.
All auditoria in the 3,400-seat facility
are expected to feature stadium-style seating, high-backed
rocking
recliner seats with retractable cupholders and digital
surround sound.
In addition to a fully stocked concessions
area, the 70,000-square-foot site will include a speedy,
computerized
box office, in-lobby customer service desks and
the
Regal Crown Club loyalty program.
Regal currently operates 6,159 screens
at 567 sites in 39 states.
June Opens Celebration
Great Escape Launches
16 In New Albany, Ind.
NEW ALBANY, Ind. – Great Escape Theatres celebrated
the grand opening of its New Albany Great Escape 16 in
New Albany, Ind., June 18 and 19, opening its doors to
the public June 20.
 Located on Charlestown Road off Interstate
265, the new facility offers stadium-style seating, high-backed
rocker
seats with retractable armrests and digital surround
sound in all auditoria. Two automated ticket kiosks
are available, as well as two party rooms for birthday
celebrations.
New Albany-based Great Escape Theatres
currently operates 63 screens at eight sites, with construction
underway
at new sites in Shelbyville, Ky., Clarksville, Tenn.,
and Williamsport, Pa.
May Bow In Greater L.A.
Pacific Bows 12-Plex
In Culver City, Calif.
CULVER CITY, Calif. – Pacific Theatres launched
on May 15 its Culver Stadium 12 in Downtown Culver City,
Calif., introducing California’s first fully-automated
box office.
Located at  the intersection of Culver
and Washington Boulevard, the 2,000-seat multi features
an art-deco
design with a landscaped pedestrian walkway and “Town
Plaza” front. The facility features stadium-style
seating, wall-to-wall screens, digital sound and plush
high-backed seats with retractable cupholder armrests.
The concession area offers Kettle Korn,
pizza, and Hebrew National hot dogs and chili dogs. Tickets
are available outside the facility 24 hours a day at
the fully-automated box office which accepts
ATM and credit cards as well as cash. The 800-space parking
structure offers four hours of free parking with validation.
Los Angeles-based Pacific Theatres currently
operates more than 400 walk-in and drive-in screens
throughout
California and Hawaii.
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50-Year Drive-In Anniversary
Mich. Celebrates
Summer Festivities
HONOR, Mich. – Festivities are underway this summer as the Cherry Bowl
Drive-In in the Northern Michigan city of Honor celebrates 50 years of continuous
operation.
Anniversary  activities feature free pony
rides, an Elvis look-alike, volleyball tournaments, clowns,
T-shirt giveaways and more. Admission is free for patrons
under 12. Owners Harry and Laura Clark in late May
sent out nearly 100 press kits – movie
popcorn tubs overflowing with old-fashioned candy, air-popped popcorn, T-shirts
and free passes.
“We developed the Cherry Bowl to
be a giant step back into the fabulous ‘50s,” said
Harry Clark.
The site features an old-fashioned full-service
diner serving homemade hand-tossed pizza, real-butter
popcorn and fried chicken. All are served by female employees
in poodle skirts and scarves.
The facility, which first opened in 1953,
boasts a 2,880-square-foot screen and 300 car posts.
Patrons may listen via vintage car speakers or by tuning
into
the facility’s low-wattage FM radio narrowcast. The site’s
season runs through September.
Additional information and showtimes can
be found online at www.cherrybowldrivein.com.
Consolidated Vet
Aubrey Stone Joins
GTC As Exec Veep
ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. –  Georgia Theatre Company (GTC) announced May
30 the hiring of H. Aubrey Stone Jr. as executive vice president of the St.
Simons Island, Ga.,-based circuit.
Stone, an employee of Charlotte, N.C.-based
Consolidated Theatres since 1989, is a 3rd-generation
exhibitor.
“We are very pleased to have someone
of Aubrey’s experience and
education join the leadership firm,” noted GTC chief exec Bill Stembler.
Marcus Execs Present
Will Rogers $50,000
For Medical School
MILWAUKEE,
Wis. – A $50,000 fellowship
to the University of Wisconsin Medical School was presented
May 22 by the Will Rogers Institute. On hand for the
presentation was Marcus Corp. CEO Stephen Marcus, Marcus
Theatres president Bruce J. Olson, NATO of Wisconsin
and Upper Michigan president Paul Rogers, and Todd Vradenburg
of the Will Rogers Institute Motion Pictures Pioneers.
 Buena Vista domestic distribution president
(and Will Rogers chairman) Chuck Viane and MGM senior
executive
vice president (and Will Rogers president) Erik
Lomis were presenters at the ceremony, held at The Marcus Corp.’s new
Milwaukee offices at 100 E. Wisconsin Ave.
University of Wisconsin professor Dr.
James B. Skatrud accepted the donation.
“We’re pleased to be an exhibition partner for the Will Rogers Institute,” said
Marcus. “The generous fellowship to the University of Wisconsin Medical
School will greatly benefit our community and state.”
Mass., N.H. Tix Tax Towed
TONE Members Beat
Proposed Admit Levies
BOSTON – The Theatre Owners of New England (TONE) announced June 9 a
double victory for exhibitors in Massachusetts and New Hampshire with the defeat
of proposed movie ticket taxes.
In the last week of May, the New Hampshire
legislature defeated an 8-percent movie admissions tax
proposal. Less than a week later, the Massachusetts House
of Representatives followed suit with the defeat of a similar, 50-cent movie
ticket tax proposal.
TONE urged its members to contact their
own state representatives via letters, e-mail, faxes
and personal visits in a grass-roots effort to prevent
the
measure from succeeding.
“These victories prove the value
of belonging to a strong regional trade association such
as TONE,” said TONE executive director Carl Goldman.
Multi Due Late 2004
TMI Purchases Land
For Florida 18-Plex
DELTONA, Fla. – Stuart, Fla.-based Theatre Management Inc. (TMI) purchased
28 acres of land in May for the future home of its West Volusia 18 Theatres.
The new site will be located at the intersection
of Interstate 4 and state Road 472 in Deltona, Fla.,
about 30 miles northeast of Orlando, Fla. Construction
of the 18-plex is slated to begin in January with an
opening slated for Thanksgiving 2004.
The multi will feature stadium-style seating,
high-backed seats with cupholder armrests, and wide arc
screens.
TMI currently operates 42 screens at 5 sites in Florida and Pennsylvania. |
