Boxoffice-January.2000
You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS BRIEFS<br />
NORTHERN EXPOSURE<br />
Canadian News Notes by Shlomo Schwartzberg<br />
GALAXY'S SMALL-TOWN BIG BANG<br />
A new theatre chain. Galaxy Entertainment, is up and running and dedicated<br />
to building and improving theatres in smaller, underscreened Canadian markets<br />
ignored or underserved by the larger chains. Ellis Jacob, a former Cineplex Odeon<br />
senior executive, is<br />
the company's CEO. Victor Loewy. head of Serendipity Point<br />
Films, and independent producer/ex-Alliance Atlantis president Robert Lantos are<br />
investors and board members. Gerald Schwarz, chairman, president and CEO of<br />
Onex Corp., is the majority owner of the company with 57 percent of its stock.<br />
Galaxy began by buying seven theatres of the 12 owned by Ontario Theatres<br />
Group in six Ontario towns: Peterborough, Cornwall, Brockville, Georgetown.<br />
Sault Ste. Marie and Owen Sound. "Our intention is to build state-of-the-art cinemas<br />
in markets of 70.000 to 120,000 people," says Ken Prue, another former<br />
Cineplex executive and spokesman for Galaxy. "Smaller markets are not well<br />
served by cinema exhibitors and major distributors." he told BOXOFFICE.<br />
Galaxy demolished Cornwall's seven-plex, replacing it with an 11-plex spanning<br />
52,000 square feet and boasting 2,400 seats, stadium seating and wall-to-wall<br />
screens. A similar project is now underway in Sault Ste. Marie, which currently has<br />
only one seven-plex in the whole town but will soon see that replaced by a 12-plex.<br />
Other Galaxy builds are going up in the Alberta cities of Strathcona and Medicine<br />
Hat, with more locales to be announced.<br />
MOWING FAMOUS<br />
Famous Players Inc. continued its large-scale expansion this<br />
all with new SilverCity multiplexes in North Toronto; Victoria,<br />
Jritish Columbia; Sudbury. Ontario; and Hull, Quebec, as well as<br />
i Coliseum in Kirkland Lake. Quebec.<br />
The 94,000-square-foot, 2,800-seat SilverCity Victoria cost<br />
r$21 million (USS14.3 million) and contains 10 state-of-the-art<br />
mditoriums with wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling screens, all with<br />
)olby Digital Surround Sound EX. Other Famous Players<br />
imenities.<br />
including automated ticket machines, speciality foods<br />
ind the Techtown gaming center, are also offered in SilverCity<br />
/ictoria, the fifth SilverCity to be opened in the province of<br />
Jritish Columbia.<br />
The 74,000-square-foot. C$20 million (US$13.6 million)<br />
iilverCity North York, located in the heart of North York, is<br />
ilso loaded with Famous Players' typical frills. It is, however, a<br />
nore subdued venue, more "grown-up," when compared to the<br />
ither SilverCity multiplexes, said Famous Players president<br />
ohn Bailey to BOXOFFICE at the official launch of the multiilex.<br />
"It's got a sophisticated look, [which] fits the market<br />
iround here."<br />
At the launch. Bailey pointed out that Famous Players has<br />
een a 30 percent jump in business because of its new multiplexes—a<br />
significant part of the countrywide jump of nine percent in<br />
ilmgoing in the last year.<br />
The new SilverCity is just a few blocks west of Cineplex<br />
)deon's state-of-the-art Grande, a year-old 10-plex situated on<br />
he other site that Famous Players was originally considering<br />
lefore settling on Empress Walk.<br />
But Roger Harris, senior vice<br />
iresident of Famous Players, feels there's no need to worry about<br />
ompetition. He credits Cineplex "with taking a big stride [with<br />
'he Grande]. It's worked well for them. We felt the market could<br />
andle another 10 screens."<br />
EXPANDING THE EMPIRE<br />
Empire Theatres, Atlantic Canada's leading<br />
exhibitor, has announced that 21 new screens<br />
will be erected by Christmas. These include a<br />
new multiplex in St. John's. Newfoundland, and<br />
a five-screen expansion to Halifax's Bayers<br />
Lake Park, turning it<br />
in that part of Canada.<br />
into a megaplex, the first<br />
CINEPLEX'S CALGARY STAMPEDE<br />
Cineplex Odeon has begun construction on<br />
a new 14-plex in Calgary, Alberta. It will span<br />
65,000 square feet and will feature wall-to-wall<br />
curved screens and THX and digital sound.<br />
AMPAS HONORS NFB<br />
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and<br />
Sciences will honor the National Film Board of<br />
Canada on the occasion of its 60th anniversary<br />
with a program consisting of excerpts of 1 7 of<br />
the institution's award-winning films.<br />
"You Provide the Popcorn,<br />
IP We Provide the dean... " ;<br />
Expect a Clean Environment<br />
Reliable Detailed Service<br />
On Site Supervision<br />
Always Consistent<br />
365 Days per year!<br />
Mag North, Inc.<br />
Theater Cleaning Specialists!<br />
Visit our web page at: www.MagNorthlnc.com<br />
The first to clean<br />
stadium style seating<br />
in the ny metro area'<br />
WESTCHESTER, CT.<br />
1 -800773-5852<br />
MANHATTAN<br />
1-212-366-5412<br />
QUEENS<br />
1 -718-2756202<br />
LONG ISLAND<br />
1 -800-773-5852<br />
1 -63 1 -732-4577 FAX<br />
Response No. 236<br />
January. 200(1 54
Change language