New Marcus Cinema in Brookfield = No Westown/Point

[Drummerboy]

In the last few weeks demolition started by the Sam's Club in Waukesha and with a sign that Marcus is building a new cinema.  I checked out Marcus's website and found the below press release.  It sounds like a great addition, although we are losing Westown and WestPoint because of it.  I bet a lot of the old equipment will be on sale.  Stadium seating anyone?  The press release is from Jan 2005 but who reads them anyway.
Marcus Theatres Announces UltraCinema in Brookfield, Wis.; All Stadium Seating, Digital Sound Theatre Will be Circuit's Flagship

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.

CONTACT: Marcus Theatres Corporation
Carlo W. Petrick, 414-905-1505
carlopetrick@marcustheatres.com

SOURCE: Marcus Theatres Corporation

[Andrew Grall]

Always like to hear of new theaters going up...

Although it would be nice to get a digital projection theater somewhere in the Milwaukee area...

[Ralph Kramden]

They can have their new theater. I'd much rather go down to my projector room and enjoy my 106" screen and DD surround system. I haven't been to a theater since I bought my projector, and I don't plan to. It's not worth it for numerous reasons.

[oz]

Why would they not include a digital projection theater?  IL has some but not WI.

[mrmike]

I can only assume that they got some sort of huge tax incentive to move, the current UltraScreen isn't that old and none of the rest of this is "new".  I was hoping for a digital screen or two myself, even though the last DLP film I saw disappointed me.

[Drummerboy]

They can have their new theater. I'd much rather go down to my projector room and enjoy my 106" screen and DD surround system.

Most of us have superior sound systems with a display system which fills our need.  
I still like the social experience of going to a theater.  Yeah they have overpriced food.  Yeah they have sticky floors.  But it usually means my children are home and I'm not.  
And I would never have waited until November to see Episode III.

[Drummerboy]

Why would they not include a digital projection theater?  IL has some but not WI.

Where did you see that they won't have a digital projection system?

[SRW1000]

I, too, was hoping to see the words "digital projection" somewhere in the press release.  I don't think you can have a "state-of-the-art showpiece" without at least one of the theaters equipped with a digital projector.  At the same time, there's no mention of it in the press release, so where does that leave us?  I'm betting it'll feature just plain ol' 20th century film projectors, just like all their other Wisconsin theaters (although I hope I'm wrong).

But, at least the exterior will look really nice.  That's got to be worth more than whatever they'll be showing inside of it.

Milwaukee is the headquarters for Marcus, and yet Wisconsin is treated as a second-rate location, populated by a bunch of backward hicks. :bang:

Scott

[Talos4]

While I don't "inside" information I do know that Marcus plays their plans and ideas pretty close to the chest.

This complex has been in the planning stages for almost 3 years in one form or another

They have been looking at replacing both facilities for at least that long.  

This complex as stated will be the Crown jewel in the company.  

Bidding for building the facility have not even been solicited yet.  Demolition of the Schrieber foods facility is just now wrapping up.

I, for one would give them the benefit of the doubt  ( for now)

[Mark Strube]

We shall see how wonderful & great this new project is. If they're lucky they'll get my patronage back which the superior Capitol and Showtime cinemas stole from them.