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EXHIBITION PROFILE Growing With the Comniunity: Pacific Theatres' Carmel Mountain 12 Pacific Theatres premieres its largest theatre to date in Metro San Diego, an area that has shown impressive growth in the last decade. As By George T. Chronis an exhibition market, San Diego has definitely come of age. The independent Nickelodeon circuit, based in San Diego, has been aggressively building in the area (Boxoffice, September 1993) and now Pacific Theatres has debuted its latest and largest theatre there as well. Why the heavy expansion into this Southern California community? For Pacific, a circuit operating solely in California and Hawaii, there were a good number of solid reasons behind building the Carmel Mountain 12 in San Diego. "We're looking for markets with young families and growth potential within an established region," says Jay Swerdlow, executive vice president and general manager of Pacific Theatres. "We don't have detailed statistical surveys done before we build in a community. There isn't a firm group of numbers we look for, such as "a 200,000 person market." Our expansion process is not that scientific. But we do look for underserved markets. In San Diego, we have a high growth area with a lot of new housing and proposed ftiture housing. As a result, this is a market we've identified as being very important to us." Census Bureau statistics confirm San Diego's status as a growth market. The 1990 census shows that San Diego has passed San Francisco to become California's second most populous city with a litde over 1.1 million people. This translates into a 26.8 percent growth rate between 1 980 and 1 990. So when Swerdlow says, "we believe in building large multi-plexes in growing markets designed to capture the bulk of die target market share from the beginning," it's obvious why Pacific would concentrate on expanding in San Diego. In fact, Pacific has made a goal of having the most screens in town, and with the opening of the Carmel Mountain 12, achieved that goal with a current total of 45. Set on an outdoor community center site in the nortlieastem metropolitan portion of San Diego, first identified as desirable more than six years ago. Pacific had to wait for a slew of developers to come and go before the project was finally solidified and actaal construction could begin. During this period. Pacific continued to refine its theatre design philosophy— one based firmly in a large multiplex formula. So, as the Carmel Mountain 12 came to fruition, it did so as a 12 screen multiplex— the largest theatre Pacific has ever built since the circuit's founding in 1939. "This theatre is a culmination ofall the latest equipment and design knowhow we could get our hands on," says Swerdlow. A contemporary multi-story design, the interior was planned to be attractive and very easy to maintain and manage. For example. Pacific uses marble flooring in the lobby and ceramic tile in the rest rooms. Swerdlow says both are easy on the eyes and easy to clean. The lobby features a low multi-colored ceiling painted bright and colorfiil in turquoise and light magenta colors accented with playfiil amenities and lighting, including aluminum and neon. Pacific's architect, KM & A, also took advantage of some strict Health Department requirements concerning tiie proper If you include the entire metropolitan statistical area (MSA), San Diego's market totals almost 2.5 million people with an ate die interior's visual whimsy. "We took ventilation of popcorn poppers to accentu- income per capita (1990) of just under the opportunity to be playfiil with the way $15,000 ($15,762 for L.A. during die same we get that smoke out of the concession period). area," Swerdlow said. "All of the venting ducts for the popcorn machines have a unique sculptured look using stylized piping." The concession area itself is an 800 square foot self-service snack bar island in the middle of a "T-shaped" floor plan. Accommodating up to eight cashiers, the snack selections most favored by Pacific are the standards— soda, popcorn and candy. Swerdlow believes that focusing selection on these staples not only makes die selfserve concept viable, it also gives the public what it wants and lessens the amount of time taken to serve tiie customer quickly. He is also quick to point out that Pacific's custom island design can also be quickly adapted to merchandising other products when necessary. The same emphasis on moving customers quickly through the ticketing process was also at work in the boxoffice design. Featuring 10 stations, Swerdlow says the boxoffice has die personnel and the technology to move customers quickly. "We put in the latest in computerized equipment by Theatron Data Systems," he says. "We're giving die patron the ability to buy tickets for any show days in advance, or via telephone. Tlie system is also set up to handle credit card and debit card purchases. We're one ofthe first circuits to embrace debit card payments." For security of tiie cash handling process, Swerdlow says they utOize pneumatic tijbes to safely get the money from the boxoffice and cash registers back to the counting areas. "We've used this a few times in the past, but overall it's still new to us." As for the auditoriums, all 12 are equipped for Dolby SR, and tivo can accommodate Dolby Digital and THX sound. "V^'o of the auditoriums can hold more than 400 people, two more tiian 300, another six can seat 200 plus, and the last t^vo offer 1 66 seats each. Swerdlow says the sightiines in every auditorium meet with Academy guidelines, and that Pacific took extia effort to offer plush seating with extra legroom. In addition, FM receivers are available for the hear- November, 1993 39
- Page 1 and 2: • • •wMiM^ business magazine
- Page 3 and 4: EXCITING NEW Flavors * FOR SHOWTIME
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- Page 7 and 8: COMPLETE CONCESSIONS START TO FINIS
- Page 9 and 10: " " The Toughest Critics Chom DTS "
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- Page 33 and 34: The only bite that will disappoint
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- Page 37: * 'CHEESE Impulse Snacks! Nabisco's
- Page 41 and 42: CONGRATULATIONS Its Showtime PACIFI
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- Page 68 and 69: INSIDE EXHIBITION Harkins Theatres
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- Page 72 and 73: SOUND TECH NOTES Digital Stereo Dem
- Page 74 and 75: TECH NOTES (continued) Paul W. Klip
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ShowEast '93 HIGH PERFORMANCE STERE
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5 . . ShowEast '93 LINDSEY-FAIRBANK
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ShowEast '93 OSRAM SYLVANIA CONTACT
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1 A ShowEast '93 SMART THEATRE SYST
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I Q O O Q O Q C Q C ^{yn^f^r^i/a/ct
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BOXOFFICE MEANS BUSINESS. June For
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Universal Pictures Congratulates FR
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uflfl s Show E Award ^
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Twentieth Century Fox is proud to c
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THE MOVING IMAGE Ule 're Having Lef
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provide much sharper screen images,
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TECHNOLOGY SHORT TAKES Mountain Dew
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I I TECHNOLOGY SHORT TAKES suite, t
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SHORTTAKES Loews Theatres Roils Out
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I product Novemhpr. ^*i^)^ HIQ NEW
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November. 1993 11] NATIONAL NEWS 'l
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6 — WESTERN NEWS construction beg
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I SHORT CUTS Starling Anne Archer,
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cinematic translation. As with Fitz
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and Clyde, played in this instance
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^NT^RTHINM^NT DHTH, INC.'S consT TO
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I BOXOFFICE Independent Feature Cha
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FEATURE CHART—NOVEMBER 1993
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t ) 'i I . The 1 ON-SITE UPHOLSTERY
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