This is topic AMC continues to eat up theatres in forum Ground Level at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.


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Posted by Mike Spaeth (Member # 524) on 12-12-2003, 08:52 PM:
 
latest victim - Megastar Cinemas

Friday, December 19, AMC assumes operations of 3 of the 5 Megastar locations (Lithonia, GA; 2 Minneapolis locations).

[ 12-19-2003, 06:39 PM: Message edited by: Mike Spaeth ]
 

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Posted by Mike Olpin (Member # 1115) on 12-13-2003, 04:15 AM:
 
That's OK - AMC wouldn't have any good theatres if not for the ones they bought out.
 

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Posted by Jesse Stanley (Member # 943) on 12-13-2003, 11:35 AM:
 
They only have built some of the most profitable MultiPlexes is all they have done.
 

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Posted by Chris Hipp (Member # 1788) on 12-13-2003, 12:49 PM:
 
Most profitable, yes I would have to agree with that, but at what cost?

Being too cheap to properly train projectionist to not scratch prints, being too cheap to properly staff the booth (having one person run 30 projectors), being too concerned about legal issues to kick someone out of booth that is blind as a bat, the list goes on.

AMC is improving but it has a LONG way to go in the way that the booth is percieved in the company.
 

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Posted by Mike Olpin (Member # 1115) on 12-13-2003, 01:58 PM:
 
It would also help them to start placing there speakers correctly, and limit their dependancy on SDDS as a primary format. They are getting better, but very slowly.
 

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Posted by William T. Parr (Member # 677) on 12-13-2003, 03:03 PM:
 
Maybe now that Megastar is dissapearing J.C Cowles might come back on and be a participant. Megasucks Cinema asked him not to particiapte after they had hired him.

What I do onmy own time is not my employers business.
 

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Posted by Manuel Francisco Valencia (Member # 710) on 12-13-2003, 06:47 PM:
 
Correct me if I'm wrong fellas but didn't AMC lose their battle with the ADA just recently as well.
 

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Posted by Mike Spaeth (Member # 524) on 12-13-2003, 07:22 PM:
 
AMC settled to avoid a judgement being rendered against them. In this settlement, they agreed to spend several million dollars updating 113 megaplex theatres.
 

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Posted by Zach Zagar (Member # 379) on 12-14-2003, 08:44 PM:
 
Profitable is not a busy 30 plex. Do you realize how long it'd take to pay that sucker off? The property taxes? Heck their electricity bills on a weekday aren't probably covered by their grosses that day.

Busy is one thing, but too much info, that we don't have privy to, help determine the profitability of a theater.

Another thought... when you open 8 prints of a movie... who gets most of that money?

I don't work at a 30-plex, but I wonder if their movies that don't sell out opening weekend on all those screens have any legs, so they can get good grosses on those when the contract slides a bit.
 

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Posted by Charles Everett (Member # 889) on 12-19-2003, 04:17 PM:
 
AMC has taken over the MegaStar Maple Grove (Twin Cities), and MegaStar Southdale Center (Twin Cities) and MegaStar Stonecrest Mall (Atlanta). This is per a press release posted today on the AMC website.

Coincidentally, those three theaters are all 16-screen megaplexes.
 

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Posted by Bill Carter (Member # 156) on 12-19-2003, 06:16 PM:
 
The MegaStar Southdale is literally just a couple of blocks from the AMC (formerly GC) Centennial Lakes 8. They've fought each other hard for product since the Megastar opened, so I guess this means AMC won.
 

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Posted by Tim Reed (Member # 137) on 12-20-2003, 04:50 PM:
 
So, what are there now, 3 theatre circuits?! Where's the Justice Dept. on all this?

 

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Posted by Nicholas Suchyta (Member # 2050) on 12-20-2003, 06:02 PM:
 
You know how it goes Tim, the Justice Department is too busy worrying about "real" issues, like pay raises.
 

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Posted by JC Cowles (Member # 914) on 01-02-2004, 02:07 AM:
 
Wow, William, after a long absense from Film-Tech, within the first 10 posts I read, I see my name mentioned. And what a thread to be mentioned in. I can't believe you still remember that.

I have since left the theatre industry, but still love cinema. And I love it even more knowing Megastar flopped in the twin cities! I still remember their little pep talks and how they swore their ultra-luxurious 16-plex would put the ancient local 4-screen (Loews i think?) out of business in months and the (then GCC) 8 out of business within a year or so. They also had a strong desire to bring art house pictures to the area.

Well, hmm, geee....The little 4-plex was purchased by those wonderful folks at Landmark--so there goes the art house--and the decades old 8-screen theatre 5 blocks down the street didn't close down either. Even after giving Megastar most of the blockbuster hits.

Its kinda crazy thinking about it. I worked for General Cinema and left to see what Megastar had in store...got fired before the doors opened and returned to General Cinema, which then became AMC. Now AMC buys Megastar, so even if I stayed with Megastar, I could have ended up with AMC.

I'm not a huge AMC fan, but it cracks me up to learn about this. I haven't talked to my friends who work at the Southdale, Edina location since I left the theatre industry, but some of the stories they've told me about that place makes me wonder what took them so long to fail.

C'ya, but i wouldn't wanna be ya, Megastar

--
Memories:
FORUM: Megastar Cinemas..Any Impressions?
 

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Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 01-02-2004, 03:32 AM:
 
Hey, there he is! Good to know you're still around and doing well JC.
 

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Posted by Pravin Ratnam (Member # 1417) on 01-03-2004, 03:58 PM:
 
JC, did they fire you because of your past posts on this forum?
 

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Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 01-03-2004, 09:11 PM:
 
Yea, they're eatin up alot of theatres but I heard they are going to install all Digital in all of them...Sony no less .
 

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Posted by Michael Schaffer (Member # 1204) on 01-03-2004, 10:19 PM:
 
How many locations/screens do the big players like AMC have?
 

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Posted by JC Cowles (Member # 914) on 01-03-2004, 11:13 PM:
 

quote:

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JC, did they fire you because of your past posts on this forum?

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quote:

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How many locations/screens do the big players like AMC have?

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AMC now has 235 theaters (3,565 screens) in eight countries as of the Megastar buyout, according to a news article I read.
 

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Posted by Scott Madsen (Member # 167) on 01-14-2004, 11:14 PM:
 
JC, I am glad to see you back. You were kind to answer a few emails before the whole Megastar uproar.
AMC has already changed the Megastar's into all AMC. The only thing left are the outside signs. Even the employees are now sporting AMC wear.
 

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Posted by JC Cowles (Member # 914) on 01-15-2004, 02:42 AM:
 
Hey Scott, good to see you're still around on Film-Tech . Last time we emailed eachother you were heading to Rosemount, MN to run the Marcus 8-plex. Are you still there? Hope things are going well for you.

I kinda wonder how the transition is going to be handled for Megastar. Being part of the General Cinema to AMC trasnsition, I know things were very rough. But GCC and AMC has a LOT more similarities than AMC and Megastar operationally speaking. I have a feeling a lot of Megastar employees are not going to be happy with the changes. I think the biggest changes for that company is going to be significantly more than just uniform changes.
 

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Posted by William T. Parr (Member # 677) on 01-15-2004, 10:59 AM:
 
Hey J.C.

Maybe some aditude changes for upper managment that think they can forbid what one of thier employee's does in his off time.. Like I don't know.... Maybe, Dare I say, Dare I say participate in these Forums?
 

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Posted by John Scott (Member # 520) on 01-16-2004, 11:02 PM:
 
JC, I think you are thinking about me. I'm no longer at Rosemount. I was promoted and am now at the Marcus Cinema in Oakdale.
 

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Posted by JC Cowles (Member # 914) on 01-17-2004, 07:50 PM:
 
Ah, sorry, name similarity threw me off. And congrats to John for the promotion at Oakdale!!! Very nice theatre, although I never liked that winding hallway. Glad to see you're doing well.
 

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Posted by John Scott (Member # 520) on 01-18-2004, 12:45 AM:
 
winding hallway? We don't have a winding hallway.
 

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Posted by Martin Brooks (Member # 1269) on 01-19-2004, 05:19 PM:
 

quote:

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How many locations/screens do the big players like AMC have?

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quote:

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GIANTS OF EXHIBITION: NORTH AMERICA 2004
Top 50 Movie Theatre Circuits of the North American Region
By Francesca Dinglasan

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Posted by Thomas Procyk (Member # 1170) on 01-21-2004, 01:21 PM:
 
Sure, Regal has the most screens and the most locations, but who has the best "Screen-to-Location" ratio? Or rather, on average, who has the biggest theaters? Glad you asked:

AMC: 15.15
National Amusements: 12.06
Century: 11.92
Regal: 10.95
Cinemark: 10.86
Marcus: 10.63
Loews Cineplex: 10.08
Famous Players: 9.23
Carmike: 7.46
Kerasotes: 7.15

The AMC/Loews merger would drop the average to 12.37 for the company, but still keeping them at the top.

I'm sure there's smaller companies with better averages, though.

And yes, I was bored.

=TMP=
 

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