Digital Cinema still making cashMarcus Theatres(R) Selects NEC Digital Cinema Projectors and Displays for Full-Scale Rollout at Its 47 Locations
Prestigious 75-Year-Old Theater Chain Preparing for New 3D Blockbuster Films
CHICAGO, Aug 17, 2011 (BUSINESS WIRE) --
NECDisplay Solutions of America, a leading provider of commercialLCD display and projector solutions, announced today thatMarcus Theatres(R) (NYSE: MCS) has selected NEC projectors tomake a full-scale conversion to digital cinema on almost 700screens it owns or manages across the Midwest and East.
Theagreement also includes deployment of NEC large-screen displays forthe theater chain's lobbies and concession areas to promote food,beverage and other specials as well as adhere to new FDA calorieguidelines.
"We've enjoyed a long history with MarcusTheatres and are grateful for the opportunity to expand ourrelationship to help meet the demands of 3D movies as well as theoverall migration to digital cinema," said Pierre Richer,President and COO of NEC Display Solutions. "Unlike itscompetitors, NEC is able to offer a comprehensive solution forexhibitors -- from high-performing digital cinema projectors topowerful, commercial-grade digital menu boards and our VUKUNETDOOH (Digital Out of Home) inventory management, ad delivery,billing and payment system -- to generate new revenue streams aswell as elevate the entire theater-going experience."
MarcusTheatres ordered NEC's complete line of digital cinema projectors-- the NC1200, NC2000, NC3200S and NC3240S models -- for virtually allof its circuit in Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota,Nebraska, North Dakota and Ohio. It also will deploy NEC'saward-winning E, V and P Series large-screen displays in otherareas of the cinemas.
"NEC Display is renowned for offeringquality digital cinema projectors, but we're also looking forwardto benefiting from a wider spectrum of products in our latestagreement," said Bruce Olson, President of Marcus Theatres. "Theability to change food and beverage items on the fly with dynamicdigital menu boards and to easily run advertising will be truedifferentiators for us in the marketplace."
Meanwhile, Cinedigm(NASDAQ: CIDM), the global leader in digital cinema conversionprograms, is responsible for structuring and implementing theunderlying VPF (virtual print fee) agreement that enables the conversionto digital cinema, as well as providing the entireadministration responsibility of the VPF program.
"We'rethrilled we were able to create a customized digital cinemasolution for Marcus Theatres, including an anchor position in ourrecently announced up to $130 million digital cinema funding facility,"said Chris McGurk, Chairman and CEO of Cinedigm. "We lookforward to supporting the Marcus rollout so their audiences canenjoy the benefits of digital cinema as soon as possible."
BallantyneStrong, Inc. (NYSE Amex: BTN) is the project's reseller, andwill provide installation and integration services, warranty andfirst-level support, monitoring the health of each projector in thesystem from its network operations center. Doremi will provide thedigital servers with integrated media blocks.
"BallantyneStrong is extremely proud to continue our 40-plus yearpartnership with Marcus Theatres on their conversion to digitalprojection technology. Along with providing the first-rate equipment ofour distribution partners, NEC and Doremi, Ballantyne will alsobe offering installation, NOC and after-sale maintenance servicesfor the entire Marcus Theatres circuit," said President and CEOGary L. Cavey of Ballantyne Strong.
"Doremi is honored tobe working with partners NEC Display, Ballantyne and Cinedigm tobenefit Marcus Theatres and its valued patrons," said MichaelArcher, Vice President Digital Cinema at Doremi.
NEC digitalcinema projectors are Digital Cinema Initiatives (DCI) compliant,which allows exhibitors to capitalize on current and futuregrowth opportunities, and can be centrally managed, freeing up on-sitetheater personnel for more strategic activities.
The NECdeployment is scheduled to begin shortly to meet fall 3Dblockbuster movies, including "Twixt," "Hugo," and "The Adventures ofTintin," with all screens slated to go digital by the end of 2011.
For more information on NEC's digital cinema projectors, visit https://necdisplay.com/category/digital-cinema-projectors.
To learn more about financing options and current promotions, please visit https://www.necdisplay.com/GoDigital.
NEC'sCinema Advantage program offers Reward Points and exclusivepromotions to small-to-medium-sized exhibitors. Visithttps://neccinemaadvantage.com to register.
About NEC Display Solutions of America, Inc.
Headquarteredin Itasca, Ill., NEC Display Solutions of America, Inc., is aleading designer and provider of innovative desktop LCD monitors,commercial- and professional-grade large-screen LCD displays, a diverseline of multimedia and digital cinema projectors, and integrateddisplay solutions. NEC Display Solutions develops leading-edgevisual technology and customer-focused solutions for a widevariety of markets, including enterprise, healthcare, educationand digital signage. For additional information about NEC DisplaySolutions of America monitors, consumers can call (866)NEC-MORE, or visit the website at www.necdisplay.com. For digitalimages, please visit https://necdisplay.com/digital-media-library.
About VUKUNET
VUKUNET,from NEC Display Solutions of America, is the engine that powersthe digital out-of-home advertising business. VUKUNET is the onlyuniversal ad serving platform that drives ads to any digitalout-of-home network, regardless of content management system.VUKUNET makes the buying, flighting and reporting of digitalout-of-home ad campaigns easy. For additional information aboutVUKUNET, visit www.vukunet.com or call (877) 805-VUKU. ForVUKUNET logos and digital images, please visithttps://www.vukunet.com/pressresources.aspx.
About Marcus Theatres
MarcusTheatres(R), a division of The Marcus Corporation (NYSE:MCS), is the sixth largest theatre circuit in the United Statesand currently owns or manages 684 screens at 55 locations inWisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota andOhio, and one family entertainment center in Wisconsin. For moreinformation, please visit www.marcustheatres.com.
About Ballantyne Strong, Inc. (www.ballantyne-strong.com)
BallantyneStrong, Inc., is a provider of digital cinema projectionequipment and services as well as cinema screens, motion pictureprojectors and specialty lighting equipment and services. The Companysupplies major and independent theater chains, top arenas, themeparks and architectural sites around the world.
About Cinedigm