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Springtime
For Plexes
AMC Launches 29 In
Missouri and Texas
KANSAS
CITY, Mo. – AMC Theatres oversaw springtime bows
for two new multis: a 14-plex in Chesterfield, Mo., and
a 15-plex in Dallas.
The almost 2,500-seat Chesterfield Mall
facility, located west of St. Louis off I-64, celebrated
its March 31-April
2 grand opening weekend with an ice sculpture contest,
as well as appearances by “American Idol” season
four contestant Nikko Smith, members of the the St. Louis
Rams, and an oversized version of “Scrat” from
the “Ice Age” movies.
A part of the expansion at Dallas’ NorthPark Center,
the nearly 3,400-seat 15-plex hosted a May 5-7 grand-opening
weekend that featured “look like a star” makeovers,
face-painting, martial arts demonstrations, the Dallas
Black Dance Theatre troupe, Dallas Cowboys star Patrick
Crayton, and a performance by Grammy-nominated folk-rock
band TrueHeart. Prior to the opening, the plex also served
April 28-May 4 as the site of the 36th Annual USA Film
Festival.
Both of the new sites offer wall-to-wall
screens and stadium-style seating with articulating backs
and retractable
armrests, as well as digital menu boards at the concessions
stand, automated box office kiosks, advanced online
and phone ticket sales and game rooms.
Based in Kansas City, Mo., AMC operates
5,678 screens at 415 sites in 12 countries. 
May Opening For Ft. Myers Area Multiplex
Regal Opens 16
In South Florida
 ESTERO, Fla. – Regal Entertainment Group (REG)
opened on May 5 its new 16-plex in the Southern Florida
town of Estero, situated just off I-75 and approximately
20 miles south of Fort Myers.
The 3,500-seat 76,000-square-foot site
offers stadium-style high-back rocking seats with retractable
cupholder armrests.
Prior to its official May 5 opening,
the cinema hosted three days of discounted screenings,
$1 popcorn and $1
sodas to benefit local charities. The May 5-7 grand opening
weekend arrived with numerous promotions, including free
popcorn and soft drink with each ticket purchase and
a free T-shirt to the first 200 ticket purchasers each
of the three days.
"I am confident moviegoers in the South
Florida region will be impressed with what we have
to offer at the new
Regal Cinemas Gulf Coast Town Center Stadium 16,” noted
Dick Westerling, REG’s senior vice president of
marketing and advertising.
Based in Knoxville, Tenn., REG oversees
the world’s
largest theatre chain, with 6,463 screens at 555 sites
operating under the names Regal Cinemas, United Artists
Theatres and Edwards Cinemas.
Lexington Area Multi
AmStar Unveils
Kentucky 14-Plex
 NICHOLASVILLE, Ky. – AmStar Entertainment bowed
on April 28 its new Nicholasville, Ky., 14-plex, located
one mile south of Lexington.
The 53,000-square-foot facility is part of the first
phase of the Brannon Crossing Centre, a development of
retail, office and mixed-use space earmarked to serve
central Kentucky.
The plex offers stadium-style seating and retractable
armrests, two concession stands, Internet and advanced
ticket sales and rooftop searchlights.
Prior to its opening, the site hosted a 6-day charity
event which offered movies, popcorn and children’s
entertainment for requested donations; more than $9,000
in proceeds from the event went to benefit “Helping
His Kids,” which provides holiday gifts for underprivileged
children.
Founded in 1998 and headquartered in Vestavia Hills,
Ala., AmStar currently operates 96 screens at seven
sites in Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Kentucky and the
Carolinas.
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‘Freedom’ Is Permanent
At
Pennsylvania’s
Gateway Multi
Gettysburg Address For New R/C 8-Plex
 GETTYSBURG, Penn. – R/C Theatres opened on April 21 its Gateway 8-plex
in historic Gettysburg, Pa.
A component of the Gateway Gettysburg development at
the intersection of Routes 15 and 30, the cinema features
two auditoria equipped with “big-d” digital
projectors, stadium-style rocking seating, party and game rooms, and advance
and online ticketing.
A permanent attraction at the cinema is the 30-minute
historical drama “Fields
of Freedom,” which examines the Battle of Gettysburg from the perspectives
of a Union soldier and one of his Confederate counterparts.
“Fields,” created specifically to be shown on one of Gateway’s
digital screens, typically screens seven days a week between 10 a.m. and
5 p.m.
Headquartered in Reisterstown, Md., R/C operates
87 screens at 12 sites.
Ashland Multiplex Due In November
Great Escape Plans
Eastern Kentucky 12
ASHLAND, Ky. – Great Escape Theatres plans to open
in November a new 2,000-seat 12-plex at the Kyova Tri-State
Mall, located just off I-64 and U.S. Route 60 in the
Eastern Kentucky town of Ashland.
According to the circuit’s April 8 press release,
the site will feature stadium-style rocker seating with
retractable armrests, as well as Internet ticketing
and automated box office kiosks.
“With all that the mall has to offer and its convenient location along
I-64, this theatre will certainly draw moviegoers from all over the area,” said
Steve Menschell, vice president of operations for the circuit.
Based in New Albany, Ind., Great Escape operates 240
screens at 23 sites.
Peruvian 4-Plex Debuted In May
New Cinemark Int’l
Quad For Lima Seen
 LIMA, Peru – Cinemark International opened May 5 its new 4-plex in the
Peru capital of Lima.
The site, located in the Plaza Lima Sur Mall lifestyle
center in the city’s
Chorrillos district, offers stadium-style seating with retractable armrests
and wall-to-wall screens.
“Cinemark International is excited to be a part
of this new commercial development,” stated CI president Tim Warner. “Plaza Lima Sur is
an outstanding mall that will serve its area well.”
The Plano, Texas-based Cinemark International operates
3,396 screens in 33 states and 13 countries outside
the United States.
General Cinema Vet
Oines Tapped As
Clearview Sr. VP
 BETHPAGE, N.Y. – Thirty-five-year exhibition vet Douglas Oines has been
promoted to senior vice president and general manager of Clearview Cinemas,
it was announ-ced April 26 by Clearview parent Cablevision Systems Corp.
In his new role, Oines will be responsible for marketing,
customer service and oversight of the circuit’s
day-to-day operations. He will report directly to Cablevision
COO Thomas Rutledge.
Since joining the circuit in 2002, Oines has served
as vice president of operations. Prior to joining Clearview,
he held the title of vice president
of operations
for the online pop-culture publishing company Wizardworld.com.
Before its
2002 merger with AMC, Boston-based General Cinema employed him for more
than a quarter-century,
most recently as director of national operations. He currently serves
as president of NATO of New York State.
“With more than 35 years in film exhibition,
Doug brings with him a profound understanding of the
industry,” stated Rutledge. “This substantial
knowledge, combined with his strong management skills and strategic approach,
make Doug uniquely qualified for this position and we are confident that he will
prove to be invaluable to both Clearview and Cablevision.”
Based in Bethpage, N.Y., Clearview operates 265 screens
at 53 sites in New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
Hare Makes March Hop
Carmike Names
New Finance Head
COLUMBUS, Ga. – Carmike Cinemas announced in March the hire of Richard
B. Hare as the circuit’s new treasurer, chief financial officer and senior
vice president of finance. Hare succeeds Martin A. Durant, who previously announced
plans to retire from the company. Hare began work at the circuit on March 27.
A certified public accountant, Hare comes from his
position as chief accounting officer and controller
for Greenfuels Holding Company, an energy development
and management services company. Prior to that stint, he held positions at
Sanmina-SCI Corporation and Wolverine Tube Inc.
“We are pleased to welcome Richard to the Carmike
team,” said circuit
CEO Michael W. Patrick. “We believe his extensive financial reporting and
public company experience will be a valuable asset to Carmike.”
Columbus, Ga.-based Carmike operates 2,475 screens
at 301 sites in 37 states.
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