[photo-3d] New 3D Imax in Colorado Springs, CO soon....

["Dan Shelley" <dshelley@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Here is the article from the Colorado Springs Business Journal... 
Anyone in Colorado want to get together and get a groups discount?? =)

Dan Shelley
dshelley@xxxxxxxxxxxx

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A monster of a show 

By CARA NEWMAN Associate Editor 

Moviegoers of the `50s who enjoyed the thrill of the 3-D format
will soon have that alternative again. But this time, it will
be bigger and better than ever. 

Cinemark Theatres is opening a new multiplex theater at Powers
Boulevard and Constitution Avenue. It will include a separate
structure specifically constructed as a 3-D IMAX theater. Only
one of five 3-D IMAXes in the country, the specially designed
screen material is made of a diffused matte white vinyl
perforated with 27 million holes, allowing sound to pass 
through. And the screen is painted a light silver color, 
"enabling the image to pop out," said Cinemark spokeswoman 
Terrell Falk. "It makes the color brighter." 

The IMAX projector is unique in that the film moves 
horizontally across the light and is held against the rear
element of the lens by a vacuum and fixed registration
pins. The film is 10 times the size of typical 35 mm film 
and three times the size of 70 mm film. 

Colorado Springs was chosen by Cinemark officials because 
of its highly educated and highly technical population, 
said Falk. The citizens in this community prefer cultural 
events, such as museums, she added, and the eastern side 
of Colorado Springs was chosen because of its increasing 
development. 

Colorado's first 3-D IMAX movie will premier Dec. 15 with
an estimated ticket cost of $8.50 per person. Although 
matinee prices will not be available, special discounts 
will be offered to senior citizens, children, and groups,
such as schools. 

Though Cinemark officials wouldn't comment on projected 
revenues, they expect the theater to have significant appeal
to moviegoers statewide. In Cinemark's four other IMAX
markets, the theaters tend to draw crowds from as far away
as 100 miles. Since its product is such a new concept, data
isn't available, but Falk believes the IMAX movies could
draw people from as far as the Western Slope of Colorado. 

Cinemark's other 3-D screens are in Dallas; Rochester, N.Y.;
Tulsa, Okla.; and Woodridge, Ill. There are approximately 50
3-D screens in the world, said Falk. 

"T-Rex:Back to the Cretaceous" will be Cinemark's first
3-D movie in Colorado Springs. The theater will also offer
"Extreme" at every other showing, but will be in standard
two-dimensional format. The theater seats 260 guests and
will show between 10 and 14 screenings a day, said IMAX 
spokeswoman Victoria Dinnick. 

"We'll be opening about six different films a year," Falk
said. "We'll have educational material for teachers'
groups, so we really encourage teacher programming (and)
school group programming." 

Cinemark will be hiring one manager and three or four
assistant managers for the IMAX theater alone. Approximately
20 floor staff members will be hired as well. The multiplex
theater will hire one manager, eight to 12 assistant
managers, and about 115 floor staff. The floor staff will
handle concessions, tickets, and clean-up duties. 

When the theater opens, patrons will be able to purchase
tickets online, said Falk. Customers can go to Cinemark's
Web site at www.cinemark.com and make reservations at that
time. When customers arrive at the theater, they can bypass
the crowds and go directly to a kiosk set up in the lobby.
Customers can swipe their debit cards through and get their
tickets at that time. Eventually, Falk said, customers will
be able to pay online with a credit card and have their
tickets printed out on their printers. 

"You'll have all the comforts of a regular multiplex
movie theater," said Falk, "Then add the 3-D IMAX experience
to that."