posted 12-22-2004 09:41 PM                    

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FOOD, DRINKS GET STAR BILLING AT NEW SECOND-RUN THEATER
Published: Wednesday, December 22, 2004
By Mike Pramik

If Larry Gardner had been managing movie theaters in the days of Smell-O-Vision, no doubt he'd have wanted the aroma of pepperoni pizza piped liberally through the aisles.

Unlike legendary movie producer Mike Todd Jr., who in 1960 experimented with piping odors into movie theaters, Gardner doesn't need machines to supply the smells at the Screens at the Continent. When central Ohio's newest theater opens this week, the scent of pizza wafting through the air will be genuine.

Casual food and alcohol are two of the attractions that Gardner hopes will draw moviegoers to the eight-screen theater, which will show second-run features.

"We just have to find the type of person who likes to sit down, have a beer in a comfortable seat and doesn't necessarily have to see a movie the first week it comes out,'' said Gardner, an employee of Realty Finance Management, the Continent's management company.

The theater has a soft opening today and Thursday for Continent residents. It opens to the public on Christmas Day when showings of White Christmas will be free. The regular ticket cost is $2.75, with shows before 5 p.m. priced at $2.

That's a bit higher than some of the other second-run theaters in central Ohio. But Realty Finance managing director David Farnsworth said he thinks customers will see the value in the nearly $1 million in improvements the company has poured into the cinema since spring.

"We've got the right management team in place, and we feel we've got the right niche compared to where other movie business is in Columbus right now,'' he said.

Still, the recent past hasn't been friendly to the theater.

Cinema Grill, a dinner-and-a-movie venue, closed in May, five weeks after it opened amid complaints about bad service, a poorly planned layout and substandard sound and picture quality.

"The idea of Cinema Grill itself was not necessarily a bad idea,'' Gardner said. "It came down to the operation that was sorely lacking.''

Plenty is new this time, he said.

New glass, metal framing and signs greet customers as they approach the three centralized ticket booths at the main entrance.

Gardner rearranged the lobby to look more traditional. It includes items such as a popcorn machine and candy counter. The theater also will sell pizza made on the premises, as well as appetizers. It has a full liquor license. Gardner said it will begin by selling bottled beer and wine, and perhaps pour liquor in the future.

The eight theaters vary in size and can accommodate between 75 and 335 people. The building has been rewired and two theaters now have digital sound. One theater will be used occasionally for satellite feeds such as boxing matches and Ohio State University football games. It's at a far end of the building and eventually will have its own entrance, Gardner said.

There's even a small service window inside the hallway that leads to the theaters, which allows customers access to the refreshment counter without entering the lobby. Unlike Cinema Grill, there will be no food service inside the theaters, which Gardner said was distracting.

The new seats are spaced 44 inches from back to back, supplying plenty of leg room.

"We don't have stadium seating here but the seats are brand new, and with the expanded food service and liquor license, we expect to do very well,'' Gardner said.

The Screens will compete with Carriage Place 12 on Bethel Road, Dollar Cinema near Westland Mall and Cinema City on the East Side, Gardner said.

The changes complement the general rebirth of the Continent, which was one of central Ohio's entertainment Meccas in the 1970s.

The Coliseum nightclub and Conti's at the Continent restaurant have opened this year, and the New Rush Creek Sports Bar & Grille is slated to open in January.

Farnsworth said the Continent's 100,000 square feet of office space also has been upgraded and is 60 percent filled. He said vacancy at the property's 625 one- and two-bedroom apartments is 10 percent.

mpramik@dispatch.com

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posted 12-23-2004 01:37 PM                    

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ombine that with those solid Torus screens (with speakers above and below).

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posted 12-23-2004 02:46 PM                    

quote: Chris Hipp

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AMC has stopped installing Torus screens for the past few years, at least since 2002.

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quote: Chris Hipp

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The newer build have no SDDS, all Dolby digital

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posted 01-04-2005 12:53 AM                       

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We saw Howl's at the cutting-edge Virgin Cinemas Roppongi Hills http://www.tohocinemas.co.jp/roppongi . Roppongi Hills is a forest of glittering glass and steel, a brand-new high-density development in a popular nightlife neighborhood. Head over early to shop before the movie, or just wander around and check out the striking modern architecture. There are plenty of restaurants in the development; we dodged the upscale sit-down establishments and instead grabbed a few sandwiches at a coffee shop so we could save room for popcorn.

The theater itself is luxurious, and probably Tokyo's most Westerner-friendly. Signs are in English, seats are stadium style, and at any given moment, the theater is usually playing several English-language movies. Basic tickets cost $18, which is typical for Tokyo. But if you can afford to pay $30 for the ticket, plus at least $20/person for dinner, I highly recommend dinner-and-a-movie at Virgin's "premiere screen." The most exclusive movie theater in Tokyo, the premier screen has its own entrance, with an Italian restaurant, an elegant bar, a lounge and even a tiny Japanese garden on the roof. After dinner, you walk up to the theater where you'll find extra-roomy seats, and waiters serving beer and wine to you and the 72 other jet-set in the cozy screening room.

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If you go to the link and click on the English "Floor Guide" box you can see some pictures of this 7-plex that takes up four floors in a highrise building. Check out the seating used for the Premiere Screen:



I really like those seats. Wonder who makes them...

[ 01-04-2005, 11:00 PM: Message edited by: Paul Mayer ]

posted 01-05-2005 01:27 PM                       

• Alamo Drafthouse Cinema; Austin, TX
• Brew & View at the Vic; Chicago, IL
• Castro Theatre; San Francisco, CA
• El Capitan; Hollywood, CA
• Grauman's Chinese Theater; Hollywood, CA
• Harvard Exit Theater; Seattle, WA
• Kennedy School Theater; Portland, OR
• Silent Movie Theater; Hollywood, CA
• Starlight Six Drive-In; Atlanta, GA
• Two Boots Pioneer Theater; New York, NY

posted 01-07-2005 12:32 AM                       

quote: Mark Ogden

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Here in NYC, the landlord has notified Clearview Cinemas that they will not be offered a new lease for the Beekman Theatre on the Upper East Side.

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posted 01-08-2005 01:48 AM                       

quote: Paul Mayer

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Brew & View at the Vic; Chicago, IL

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posted 01-10-2005 04:46 PM                       

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Marcus Theatres Announces UltraCinema in Brookfield, Wis.
All Stadium Seating, Digital Sound Theatre Will be Circuit's Flagship

[Photo of Westown Cinema]
Westown Cinema and its neighbor West Point Cinema are destined to be replaced by the new Brookfield UltraCinema, planned to open in early 2006.

MILWAUKEE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 10, 2005--Marcus Theatres Corporation, a division of The Marcus Corporation (NYSE:MCS), today announced plans for a completely new theatre concept - the Marcus UltraCinema, to be built in Brookfield, Wis., a Milwaukee-area suburb. Still in the planning stage, the all-stadium seating, all-digital sound theatre will feature 17 screens, including a 75-foot-wide UltraScreen(R), and a dramatic new exterior design.

"The new Brookfield UltraCinema will be the first of its kind in our circuit. This amazing new theatre will be the flagship of our circuit and showcase Marcus Theatres' signature UltraScreen and a state-of-the-art digital sound system. It will also be unlike any other theatre we've ever built. The UltraCinema is designed from the ground up to be a state-of-the-art showplace where guest amenities, picture, sound and service combine for an unmatched entertainment experience," said Bruce J. Olson, president of Marcus Theatres(R).

The new UltraCinema will be located in the Town of Brookfield at the former Schreiber Foods site on Springdale Road, just north of Bluemound Road, adjacent to Sam's Club.

"The UltraCinema will be an entertainment complex in Brookfield that, when open, will surpass and take the place of our current Westown and West Point cinemas. Easily accessible from I-94 and Bluemound Road, the UltraCinema will unite the best of both theatres, including our outstanding UltraScreen experience, into one convenient, first-class facility that can even better serve moviegoers in Brookfield, Waukesha, Milwaukee and other surrounding areas," said Olson.

"Our community is honored that Marcus Theatres has selected the Town of Brookfield as the site for its new UltraCinema. This entertainment destination will be an outstanding addition to our area and a great benefit to our citizens," said Keith Henderson, Brookfield town chairman.

"When moviegoers arrive, they will be greeted by a stunning porte-cochere canopied entrance that is not only aesthetically pleasing, but also offers shelter from inclement weather. Our planned UltraCinema will feature all of the amenities that moviegoers currently expect - stadium seating, digital sound, big curved screens - and a lot more. The UltraCinema will boast not only a new exterior look but also an interior that features our Project 2010 art deco design concept with crown moldings, murals, elegant warm woods, rich marble floors and granite counters to create an attractive, upscale environment for moviegoers. The UltraCinema will showcase the best new technologies available in the industry, including online print-at-home ticketing, an e-mail showtime service and lobby entertainment on flat-screen monitors," Olson said.

"In addition to being the largest screen in the Midwest, the UltraScreen at the Brookfield UltraCinema will also feature a new digital sound system that is among the first of its kind in North America. The system provides unparalleled sound that is crystal clear with incredible dynamic range," added Olson.

Additional amenities at the Brookfield UltraCinema will include:

* An extensive refreshment center with an expanded menu serving several different kinds of pizza, hot dogs, nachos, pretzels, coffee, cappuccino and traditional theatre candies.
* Popcorn always popped fresh.
* Icy-cold Pepsi products, quickly and conveniently available at a large self-service beverage center.
* Fully accessible facilities for disabled guests.
* Personal listening devices for moviegoers who wish to adjust their own volume.
* The newest technology in open-caption film presentations for deaf and hard-of-hearing guests.
* Plush, high-back seats with headrests and cupholders.
* Wide, comfortable seats with increased legroom for added comfort.
* Double-wide love seats for couples who wish to cuddle up during movie presentations.

Construction on the UltraCinema is scheduled to begin in spring 2005, with an opening anticipated in early 2006.

Marcus Theatres also has a new 12-screen theatre under construction in Saukville, Wis., that will open in March 2005, and will soon begin construction on a 14-screen theatre in Green Bay, Wis., and a 16-screen theatre in Sturtevant, Wis. The company also has announced plans for new theatres in East Troy, Wis., and Findlay, Ohio.

Marcus Theatres is the ninth largest theatre circuit in the United States and currently owns or operates 491 screens at 44 locations in Wisconsin, Illinois, Minnesota and Ohio. Headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, The Marcus Corporation is a leader in the lodging and entertainment industries. In addition to its Marcus Theatres division, the company's Marcus Hotels and Resorts division owns or manages 10 hotels and resorts in Wisconsin, California, Minnesota, Missouri, and Texas and one vacation club in Wisconsin. For more information, visit Marcus Theatres' Web site at www.marcustheatres.com or The Marcus Corporation Web site at www.marcuscorp.com.

Certain matters discussed in this press release are "forward-looking statements" intended to qualify for the safe harbors from liability established by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements may generally be identified as such because the context of such statements will include words such as we "believe," "anticipate," "expect" or words of similar import. Similarly, statements that describe our future plans, objectives or goals are also forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties which could cause results to differ materially from those expected, including, but not limited to, the following: (i) the availability, in terms of both quantity and audience appeal, of motion pictures for our theatre division; (ii) the effects of increasing depreciation expenses and preopening and start-up costs due to the capital intensive nature of our businesses, including the possibility that such costs may exceed our expectations; (iii) the effects of adverse economic conditions in our markets, particularly with respect to our hotels and resorts division; (iv) the effects of adverse weather conditions, particularly during the winter in the Midwest and in our other markets; (v) the effects on our occupancy and room rates from the relative industry supply of available rooms at comparable lodging facilities in our markets; (vi) the effects of competitive conditions in the markets served by us; (vii) our ability to identify properties to acquire, develop and/or manage and continuing availability of funds for such development; (viii) the adverse impact on business and consumer spending on travel, leisure and entertainment resulting from terrorist attacks in the United States, the United States' responses thereto and subsequent hostilities; and (ix) our decisions regarding the use of the proceeds received from the sale of our limited-service lodging division and other asset sales. Shareholders, potential investors and other readers are urged to consider these factors carefully in evaluating the forward-looking statements and are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements made herein are made only as of the date of this press release and we undertake no obligation to publicly update such forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances.

Source: Business Wire / Marcus Theatres Corporation

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