MILWAUKEE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Marcus Theatres®, a division of The Marcus Corporation (NYSE:MCS), is continuing to invest in renovations that create the ultimate moviegoing experience. By mid-December, Marcus Theatres will have opened 17 newly-renovated premium large-format (PLF) auditoriums at 11 cinemas in Wisconsin, Illinois, Minnesota, Nebraska and Iowa. This increases its total PLF count to 42 screens at more than 61 percent of company-owned, first-run locations; this is believed to be the highest percentage among the top chains in the industry1.
“Marcus Theatres has invested more than $100 million in renovations and new theatres across its circuit over the past two and a half years. As part of this, auditorium enhancements and the addition of more PLF screens are a top priority,” said Rolando B. Rodriguez, president and chief executive officer of Marcus Theatres. “Our aggressive timeline to open these new screens will enable more fans to experience ‘Star Wars’ and other upcoming blockbusters in the way they are meant to be viewed – on a bigger screen with enhanced sound and increased comforts and conveniences.”
Consumers have responded extremely favorably to the UltraScreen® and SuperScreen DLXSM experience in recent company surveys, supporting the addition of more of these PLF screens. UltraScreen DLX auditoriums with massive screens, and SuperScreen DLX auditoriums with oversized screens, both provide an immersive experience with Dolby® Atmos® multidimensional sound for a lifelike, virtual soundscape. Speakers are situated in the front, back, sides and even across the ceiling of each auditorium. In addition, both auditorium types also feature DreamLoungerSM recliner seating for increased comfort and legroom. These seats enable guests to go from a seated, upright position to a full recline with the touch of a button.
Six locations in Wisconsin, two in Illinois, and one in each of Minnesota, Nebraska and Iowa, will be included in these enhancements.
In Wisconsin, moviegoers at four theatres in the Fox Valley area will be offered the Marcus Theatres PLF experience following these upgrades. Hollywood Cinema (Appleton) will reopen its existing UltraScreen as an UltraScreen DLX auditorium with newly-added DreamLounger recliner seating and Dolby Atmos sound; Appleton East and Bay Park (Green Bay) Cinemas have each added two new SuperScreen DLX auditoriums; and Oshkosh Cinema will gain one new SuperScreen DLX auditorium. Additionally, Point (Madison) and South Shore (Oak Creek) Cinemas each recently opened one new SuperScreen DLX auditorium. Once all of these projects are complete, Marcus Theatres will operate 18 total PLF screens across the state.
In Illinois, Chicago Heights Cinema guests are already enjoying two new SuperScreen DLX auditoriums in time for the beginning of the holiday moviegoing season. Additionally, Gurnee Cinema is converting its existing UltraScreen to an UltraScreen DLX auditorium, along with a new SuperScreen DLX auditorium. The upgrades at Gurnee Cinema come on the heels of the theatre’s brand new 4DX auditorium, which opened on November 20.
PLF auditoriums at three other theatres across the circuit are also targeted for completion prior to the release of “Star Wars”. These include Parkwood Cinema in Waite Park, Minnesota, with two new SuperScreen DLX auditoriums; South Pointe Cinema in Lincoln, Nebraska, with two new SuperScreen DLX auditoriums; and the UltraScreen at Crossroads Cinema in Waterloo, Iowa, which is being converted to an UltraScreen DLX auditorium.
All 11 theatres remain open during construction of the newly-renovated PLF screens.
For more information and showtimes, visit MarcusTheatres.com.
About The Marcus Corporation
Celebrating its 80th anniversary in 2015, The Marcus Corporation is a leader in the lodging and entertainment industries, with significant company-owned real estate assets. The Marcus Corporation’s theatre division, Marcus Theatres®, currently owns or manages 675 screens at 54 locations in Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota and Ohio. The company’s lodging division, Marcus® Hotels & Resorts, owns and/or manages 19 hotels, resorts and other properties in 10 states. The company is headquartered in Milwaukee, Wis. For more information, visit the company’s web site at www.marcuscorp.com.
1 According to statistics available through Rentrak, www.rentrak.com.
