6 - The Michigan Daily - Tuesday, May 26, 1998
Theater addition a 'Showcase' of new cinema trendsi
0 Expansion of local theater exhibits recent advancements in cinema
construction with stadium seating and larger screens.
By Gerard Cohen-Vrignaud
Dly News Editor
With the bang of a confetti cannon and the cut-
ting of a red ribbon, Ann Arbor Showcase
Cinema officials unveiled six new additional the-
aters last Monday, expanding total facilities to 20
theaters and adding more than 2,100 stadium-
style seats.
National Amusements, the parent company of
Showcase Cinemas, plans to upgrade its older 14
theaters by changing the seating to stadium style
(tiered) and adding cup holders and rocking
seats.
The construction of larger, more luxurious
theaters is part of a wider trend in the film indus-
try, theater managers said.
With IHollywood producing more films than at
any other time in movie history, theater owners
are responding by building larger complexes.
"There are so many pictures out there," said
James Murray, vice president of operations at
National Amusements. "This year, they expect
more than 500 movies. You really need the the-
aters."
Theater owners are also adding more expen-
sive features to new cinemas and are updating
old theaters to bring then up to par. Goodrich
Quality theaters, which operates the Ann Arbor
1 and 2, plans to construct a 16-screen complex
with stadium-style seating in the Ann Arbor area.
"People are flocking to the most modern,
upgraded facilities," said Matthew Johnson, mar-
keting manager for Goodrich Quality 'theaters.
"We're retrofitting all of our theaters to have
stadium seating available. It's something that's
certainly taking hold," he added.
Large complexes first made a showing in
Michigan last year, when the Star Southfield was
built, boasting 20 theaters with stadium-style
seating and other amenities such as a wider
selection of food and a
souped-up sound sys-
tem.
Ann Arbor
Showcase will now
serve pizas, slushies,
ice cream and cappuc-
ADRIANA r t' i,
casno.
Larger theater com-
plexes have also boast-
ed higher ticket prices,
but theater operators
said movie lovers are
willing to pay a little
extra for deluxe fea-
tures.
Upon opening last
year, the Star
Southfield charged
what was then an
unprecedented 57.50,
while the Ann Arbor
Showcase has raised its
ticket price to S7.75 for
prime attendance time
Viewers at the new addition to Showcase Cinema enj(
watching a recently released film. The addition demon
after 0 p.m.
"For what we have - the additional features
- people don't mind paying a little more,"
Murray said. "It makes the presentation more
enjoyable."
At the same time, older and smaller theaters
have become specialized, unable to compete for
the same market as the large entertainment com-
plexes.
Michigan theater Executive Director Russ
Collins said the expansion of the Showcase and
the planned Goodrich theater will not affect his
business.
"The mission and market of the Michigan
Theater is much different than that off
Showcase," Collins said. "Our niche is the spe-
.cialty film exhibition. I don't see us as directly
competitive with Showcase."
soy stadium seating and plenty of leg room while
strates new trends in theater construction.
Other downtown theater operators agree
drawing a distinction between the audience that
attends I ollywood movies and the clientele that
enjoys more artistic or independent tare.
"We tend to draw a different type of crowd
than the normal larger theaters," said Jewel
Larisey, assistant manager at Atin Arbor theatres
I & 2. "We're not going to be competing tor the
same films."
In hopes of becoming an entertainment
mecca, National Amusements officials said
Ann Arbor Showcase is also considering an
IMAX theater, which incorporates a large*
screen to gives viewers the sensation that
they are actually experiencing the on-screen
event,
the screen would be only the second of its
kind in the state of Michigan.
ADRIANA YUGOVICH/Daily
Two employees of Showcase Cinemas don new aprons to serve movie-
goers a unique line of snacks, including cappucino, pizza and ice cream.
Construction, new business hours
cause students summer headaches
By Amit Pandya
For the Daits
Unfortunately, summer brings more
to the University than blue skies and
sunshine. This time of year, construc-
tion and the changing hours of Ann
Arbor businesses are causing a growing
number of inconveniences to students.
Construction sites in front of Angell
lall and throughout campus have filled
the air with the sound of jackhammers
while causing sections of campus
streets to be closed or destroyed.
Students with vehicles have especial-
ly felt the repercussions of the blocked
roads. LSA sophomore Marisa Linn,
who said she thought she would be
happy to finally have a car on campus,
said she now "avoids Main Street like
the plague" because of the construction
surrounding the area.
Other students expressed their frus-
tration at the headaches of construction.
Engineering sophomore Karen
Sneider said she was looking forward to
a great summer in Ann Arbor but has
changed her mind since the machinery
started rolling in.
"I hate walking around campus now,,
coughing up a lung because of the dirt
and dust that's flying though the air,"
Sneider said.
The construction being done around
campus isn't the only change that has
brought negative impressions from
many students. Campus buildings and
Ann Arbor businesses have altered their
hours to accommodate for the changing
University population.
North Campus Recreational Building
Supervisor Bryan Beil said that, due to
the decrease in the number of students at
the Uiversity during the summer, recre-
ational buildings are closing earlier.
"During the Spring/Summer semes-
ters, the amount of students visiting the
recreation buildings, especially the
NCRB, has drastically changed," Beil
said.
Beil said the decrease in the amount
of students on canpus provides a con-
venient time for ansual building main-
tenance to take place at the recreation
buildings around campus, consequently
altering operating hours.
Other area businesses have also
changed their hours because of the
departure-of many University students.
"Our store closes three hours earlier
during the sumamaer," said Julie Karroll,
a supervisor at Einstein Bros. Bagels.
"Business people still frequent the store
in the morning, but store business in the
evening has gone down."
ILSA junior Tal Nuriel said since
many students stay in Ann Arbor during
the summer to work or take classes,
stores should stay open later.
"Many stores are losing business
from students like myself," Nuriel
argued. "I work at a lab until 5 p.m. and
many stores are closed then"
Construction around campus has resulted in torn-up streets and traffic backups.
The constant sounds of machinery also has contributed to student inconvenienc