Monica Mulvey experienced a role reversal on Sunday, just the kind of thrill cinema operators hope will encourage adult audiences to see new films at theaters, rather than on home video.
“I felt like a movie star,” said Mulvey, 23, of Parker as she and her two girlfriends walked up a winding staircase glittering with lights that led to their reserved “premiere balcony” seats at the SouthGlenn Stadium 14 in Centennial.
Cineplexes across the country are banking on mature, upscale amenities such as reserved seating, valet parking, alcohol service and on-site, licensed day care to boost lackluster ticket sales. In some markets, avid moviegoers are paying as much as $35 to camp out in leather recliner seats with dining tables, indulging in everything from popcorn to caviar, said Patrick Corcoran, director of media and research with the National Association of Theatre Owners.
“Adults are looking for a different experience than a teen or young adult is,” Corcoran says. “Adults are cognizant of their time and money, so they want conveniences and a higher level of service and food, as well as other benefits that exclude a rowdy or younger crowd.”
Nationwide, more than 400 theaters are serving beer or cocktails and expanding their array of eats far beyond Twizzlers. That’s up from 14 such venues in 1997.
In 2007, 38 percent of tickets were purchased by 12- to 24- year-olds, according to the Motion Picture Association of America. But cinemas want more grown-ups. Digital projection, intimate love seats, and screenings that aren’t X-rated but still are limited to those 21 and older, have become normal programming for luring adults.
The theaters are trying to capture dollars “that used to walk out the door” as attendees searched for food at nearby restaurants, Corcoran said.
In Denver, theaters have long offered food during shows. But the Landmark theater in Greenwood Village and the new SouthGlenn Stadium 14, owned by Hollywood Theaters, have taken exclusivity further with $15 reserved VIP seating.
At the Landmark, free self- serve popcorn and fountain drinks for all ticket purchasers and two prime rows of VIP reserved seating in all six auditoriums have been easy hits, says Brandy Yi, general manager of the Landmark Greenwood Village.
“These amenities are things that go hand in hand with programming geared toward a more adult audience who now sees this as an upscale date night out,” says Yi.
At the Centennial theater, guests can book tickets online for any seat, including standard and premiere balcony seating. An intelligent mapping program showcases the best seats. Arrive 5 minutes before the show, and they’re still guaranteed.
Upscale menu items such as lobster nachos and duck quesadillas, a SkyBoX bar and grill, valet service and luxury design upgrades, including wood floors, glass tile and expensive stonework raise the bar.
“You don’t go to any other event and not know in advance where you are sitting,” says Scott Hall, the vice president of real estate and development at Hollywood Theaters. “Reserve seating and tickets you can book online takes the movie experience to a higher level.”
Bar managers said they had to order more foam carryout containers because they were unprepared for the onslaught of guests who ordered food to take home after the movie.
Six of the 14 auditoriums are outfitted with wide balcony seating, where children under 17 are not admitted after 6 p.m. Standard tickets are $10 and $15 for balcony seating.
It’s a price Kristi Tidrow gladly paid for privacy while watching “New Moon” — with no one kicking her seat.
“So maybe we are watching ‘New Moon,’ but that doesn’t mean I want to hear 50 13-year-old kids giggling, throwing popcorn and talking about how cute the stars are through the entire movie,” Tidrow said.
“The balcony felt so private and exclusive,” said Margaret Warner, 40, of Centennial. “So often we watch a DVD at home. It’s nice to come back to the movie theater.”
Other places to get a movie and a meal
In the Denver area, Cinema Grill in Aurora has been packaging the quintessential, and affordable, “dinner and a movie” by offering food service during the show for 15 years, says Cinema Grill owner Steven Sowin. A general admission ticket there will run you just $4.
At the Cinebarre in Thornton, customers write their orders on forms and display them like flags for servers to keep disruption at a minimum during the show. Standard tickets are $8.50.
The “premiere” experience at The Aurora Movie Tavern features tables in front of all seats and flat screens showing sporting events and other popular programming in the bar/lounge. The standard ticket is $7.50 after 6 p.m.
