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Fireweed 7 slashes price of movie tickets to $3
posted by
Michael Zoldessy
on
November 21, 2008 at 7:40 am
ANCHORAGE, AK — To drum up some business, the Fireweed Cinemas has lowered their admission to $3 for all shows. While this normally wouldn’t be too surprising, the fact that it’s owned by Regal stands out. Could they do this in other markets?
Regal Entertainment Group, the nation’s largest movie theater operator, recently premiered the bargain ticket sales at the Fireweed, evidently as a way to draw in more customers to the venerable movie house at the corner of Fireweed Lane and Gambell Street.
Before the change, an evening show cost $9.75 and a matinee $6.75.
Theater workers are telling patrons that films at the Fireweed won’t be first-run. Rather, they’ll be films that have been in release for a few weeks.
Read the full story in the Anchorage Daily News.
Comments (4)
The theatre, rather than closing, is now a bargain, second-run house. Not unusual.
Then the next step is closing in a year or two.
Not unusual, but unusual for Regal and AMC. I know Cinemark has second run houses and some affiliation with Starplex Cinemas, who are known for running discount houses. Concessions are where the money is. Are there any other known Regal Cinemas with a second run booking policy still operating? I thought most were sold or closed. AMC had a few in the Leigh Valley, PA years ago, but they’ve since closed or were picked up by others. AMC does have a few that have discount pricing structures, and have a few in the Hudson County area in NJ, that are first run with reduced pricing (around $8.50 for an adult verses $10.50).
Danpetitpas is right: theaters either go art house, porn house, second run or start to show Bollywood films. Second run seems like the best of those options for Anchorage.
Regal turned the East Valley 13 in Renton, WA into a 2nd run house when they opened the nearby The Landing 14. $3 all seats. 11 out of 13 screens are operating, though, because ceiling collapse in the 2 largest houses (according to Cinematour discussion). Regal also has the building up for sale, so they probably letting it limp along until they can off load it rather than keep it vacant.