Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: It's Only getting Worse-UA Files

This is topic It's Only getting Worse-UA Files in forum Ground Level at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Dustin Mitchell (Member # 372) on 09-06-2000, 09:04 AM:

http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/ap/20000905/bs/united_artists_bankruptcy_1.html

Lets start a pool about who will be next.

Posted by Mark Lensenmayer (Member # 134) on 09-06-2000, 09:54 AM:

I'd guess Regal next, followed by at least a partial scare for AMC. They have been throwing huge buildings up seemingly at random, and some of these monsters CAN'T be making any money!

Mark L.

Posted by Ken Layton (Member # 133) on 09-06-2000, 11:31 AM:

The UA bankruptcy is also being reported at www.variety.com

Posted by Kevin Crawford (Member # 469) on 09-06-2000, 01:09 PM:

I thought that UA was trying to do a debt to equity swap with the debt holders. The major holder being what's his name from Qwest communications. He was buying up UA debt for a while. Now he would be the majority owner of UA.

It would have made them a very solvent company if they could have pulled it off.

Posted by Jesse Skeen (Member # 586) on 09-06-2000, 02:25 PM:

Hey Kevin, any idea why UA closed the Greenback theater but kept the Sunrise Mall theater open? I always thought Sunrise would be one of the next theaters to go, Greenback was one of my favorite theaters!

Posted by Kevin Crawford (Member # 469) on 09-07-2000, 02:26 AM:

Jesse,

My thought is that the lease at Sunrise is very cheap. Since it was there before Birdcage the rent has to be lower. Birdcage's minimum is pretty small. Sunrise even with the lousy product they get, they could easily cover the lease. And I have never seen more than 3 employees and a manager there. Not the same at Greenback. I am just guessing, but I would say the minimum rent was $40,000 a month. And the payroll there was significantly higher as well.

A rumor I heard was that the mall management had no idea that they were moving out. All I know is the Cage will be doing better business with 6 less first run screens in the zone.

Posted by Scott D. Neff (Member # 185) on 09-07-2000, 02:47 AM:

Hey all you Sacramento guys.

TWO THINGS:

#1. Does anybody have any pics of the theatres up there they'd like to share with Brad or myself?

#B. Those of you who work in the theatres up there... I'm planning on taking what Aaron and I call a "Dorking Trip" down through the Central Valley -- starting in Sac. Do ya think I could invite myself for a tour of yer theatre sometime?

-----
Scott D. Neff www.cinema-west.com

P.S. - If anybody at GCC has a trailer they'd like me to bribe off them... lemme know.

Posted by Scott D. Neff (Member # 185) on 09-07-2000, 02:54 AM:

oops - forgot to explain what a "Dorking Trip" was ---

When I first started driving all over the place to go look at theatres... I encountered MANY theatre managers who thought I was crazy when I approached them and asked to look around, or see the booth.

So I explained to them that I work for a small chain of theatres in the North Bay Area - and I was simply interested in seeing how their theatres looked.

After much doubt and befuddlement as to WHY anybody would want to look at their theatre... and after they grilled me to make sure I wasn't sent by the owner or District Manager... they'd usually let me go in.

But I found it much easier to admit to them that I was just some dork who liked to check out theatres. Made them feel as though I was harmless and NOT sent from Corporate Offices or the local news station to sneak in.

Posted by Kevin Crawford (Member # 469) on 09-08-2000, 02:21 AM:

Scott,

Let me know by email when you are coming up. I know I could let you see the wonderful construction of the Birdcage without a problem. If we could plan out a day, I could probably get you into a few other theatres in the area as well.

I do have some GCC trailers. The current ones as well as the first candy band trailer. I might even have some of the flying through space trailers. Cash or equipment will work fine. We'll talk.

Posted by Scott D. Neff (Member # 185) on 09-10-2000, 02:17 PM:

EXCELLENT --

If all goes well this week and I can get my car into the shop for tires and brakes... I'll be heading out Friday evening sometime...

I'll e-mail you when I have a more firm idea of EXACTLY when.

I've been into the Birdcage once before, before a Rocky Horror show and took a couple pictures... but not much more... I didn't want to bother any of the staff more than I already did trying to get in, simply because they were busy dealing with unruly Rocky Horror fans...

Er - anyways...

------------------
Scott D. Neff
----------------
www.cinema-west.com

Posted by Dave Williams (Member # 299) on 09-10-2000, 02:24 PM:

AMC is next. Then Regal. After that loews cineplex.

THE SKY IS FALLING!!!

Dave

Posted by Jason Burroughs (Member # 68) on 09-11-2000, 10:47 AM:

"AMC is next" - one can only hope
I've never visited a Regal, the one's that I've seen in passing (Old Act III's) don't look bad, Bloews Cineplex has a lot of bad theatres in my area, that could certainly stand to close, those with torture device style chairs really must go. Although with the backing of a major corporation, like Sony I don't see Bloews going under any time soon.

Posted by Jim Ziegler (Member # 86) on 09-12-2000, 02:16 AM:

As I have said before, if anyone deserves to go down, its AMC....

Posted by Jason Burroughs (Member # 68) on 09-12-2000, 12:43 PM:

Isn't AMC already operating on a large grant from the Govt?