Sky City Cinemas will have an all-new look from the start of July, with the cinema company changing its name to Event Cinemas.
The brand changeover has been expected ever since Sky City Entertainment sold its cinema business to Australian-based Ama
Sky City Cinemas will have an all-new look from the start of July, with the cinema company changing its name to Event Cinemas.
The brand changeover has been expected ever since Sky City Entertainment sold its cinema business to Australian-based Amalgamated Holdings earlier this year.
All of Sky City’s 14 cinemas around the North Island will feature the new branding within the next month. Rialto Cinemas – a joint venture between Event and Readings Cinemas – will retain its name and image.
Event Cinemas general manager Jane Hastings said the new name was also a commitment to upgrade the company’s cinemas to the latest standards.
“We are using this to show that we intend to be fully digital within three years, that every cinema will have a 3D screen by early next year, that there will be an extended range of food and beverages and that we will, as the new name suggests, offer more than just movies.
“All of the cinemas will be branded by July 1 and the provincial places will get a big enhancement. It will take some time but once you get the name on the door, you can start to expect some changes.”
The Event Cinemas brand has already been launched across the Tasman by new owner Amalgamated Holdings, which also owns cinema chains in Germany and the Middle East, as well as the local Rydges hotel chain.
Ms Hastings – who stepped down from the Sky City Entertainment board to take up the new position – said joining the fifth largest exhibitor business in the world gave Event access to resources and skills from around the globe, while also giving something back.
“We have kept a 100% local management team that can interpret the local market, and we can also leverage ideas here that go across to other countries. But Amalgamated Holdings totally understandd the hospitality and service business, so there is a lot of experience there to tap into.”
She said shifting to a purely digital platform meant New Zealand would not have to rely on films prints that headed to Australia first, creating more opportunities to have an release date closer to its opening in big markets such as the US.
“It’s also really good for the industry because suddenly a whole world of content opens up,” said Ms Hastings. You can have things like more live sport and concerts. And bringing in films faster should help put off piracy.”
As well as the rebranding and the establishment of a 3D screen at every Event cinema in the country over the next year, the newly named company was also planning a new type of theatre, which Ms Hastings described as the “business class” of cinemas.
Vmax – which will be priced in the range between a standard cinema ticket and a gold class entry – has already been trialed across the Tasman and features more comfortable chairs and leg room with the bigger screen found in the larger cinemas.
Ms Hastings said the cinema chain planned to have the first Vmax theatre up and running by Christmas, with plans to roll out more next year.
“They have already had huge success in Australia with something more than the standard cinema offering and that’s what we’re bringing here. The new name is all about making a night out at the movies a real event and that’s what we’re focused on delivering over the next couple of years.”
