As the CEO of Encore Cinemas, I can tell you that we not only would have taken over the Showcase, but we actually made a formal bid to purchase the theatre in 2005 when the Government of Canada sanctioned the monopolistic purchase of Famous Players by Cineplex. The peace offering that Cineplex made to the pointless Competition Bureau to get permission to create the massive CineFamousPlex was to sell off 35 of their theatres (mostly crappy locations). We bid on the Showcase and lost out. In the end, Cineplex decided to sell the entire package to Empire Theatres and not to sell off individual properties.
We never understood why Empire would want to run a second run a second run theatre but they did so until last Sunday.
We had continually reminded Empire of our continuing interest in acquiring this location so it came as a complete shock to us that the staff were told on Friday that the theatre was closing Sunday. Apparently the property has been sold to a neighboring land developer to build more typical Harvester Road commercial space.
Oh well, while we are very disappointed to see this theatre torn down, it can only be a good thing for our current Burlington location where we have recently renewed our lease.
By the way, the theatre originally built and opened by Canadian Odeon Theatres in 1981 (approx). It, along with the rest of Canadian Odeon locations, were sold to Cinplex in 1984. Cineplex ran it through to 2005 when it was sold to Empire.
The Encore Upper Canada Place Cinemas opened to the public on September 11, 1980 as the Cineplex 6. It was the third Cineplex cinema opened by Garth Drabinsky and Nat Taylor in the pre-Odeon days. The first six films screened were: The Shout, The Changeling, The Marriage of Maria Braun, My Brilliant Career, The Black Stallion and Brubaker. Cineplex Odeon closed the cinemas in the fall of 1998. We took it over and renovated the building and reopened the following summer. This is the last “original” Cineplex operating today. We play mostly commercial films in move-over/second run. We also play some alternative, Canadian and foreign films.
We operate standard 35mm equipment. Three cinemas are stereo and the balance mono or “front-surround”. Cinema 1 is equiped for video playback as well.
Actually, it was build in 1980-81 and opened as a Canadian Odeon. Canadian Odeon was acquired by Cineplex in 1984.
As the CEO of Encore Cinemas, I can tell you that we not only would have taken over the Showcase, but we actually made a formal bid to purchase the theatre in 2005 when the Government of Canada sanctioned the monopolistic purchase of Famous Players by Cineplex. The peace offering that Cineplex made to the pointless Competition Bureau to get permission to create the massive CineFamousPlex was to sell off 35 of their theatres (mostly crappy locations). We bid on the Showcase and lost out. In the end, Cineplex decided to sell the entire package to Empire Theatres and not to sell off individual properties.
We never understood why Empire would want to run a second run a second run theatre but they did so until last Sunday.
We had continually reminded Empire of our continuing interest in acquiring this location so it came as a complete shock to us that the staff were told on Friday that the theatre was closing Sunday. Apparently the property has been sold to a neighboring land developer to build more typical Harvester Road commercial space.
Oh well, while we are very disappointed to see this theatre torn down, it can only be a good thing for our current Burlington location where we have recently renewed our lease.
By the way, the theatre originally built and opened by Canadian Odeon Theatres in 1981 (approx). It, along with the rest of Canadian Odeon locations, were sold to Cinplex in 1984. Cineplex ran it through to 2005 when it was sold to Empire.
Showcase Cinemas – R.I.P. 1981-2009
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The Encore Upper Canada Place Cinemas opened to the public on September 11, 1980 as the Cineplex 6. It was the third Cineplex cinema opened by Garth Drabinsky and Nat Taylor in the pre-Odeon days. The first six films screened were: The Shout, The Changeling, The Marriage of Maria Braun, My Brilliant Career, The Black Stallion and Brubaker. Cineplex Odeon closed the cinemas in the fall of 1998. We took it over and renovated the building and reopened the following summer. This is the last “original” Cineplex operating today. We play mostly commercial films in move-over/second run. We also play some alternative, Canadian and foreign films.
We operate standard 35mm equipment. Three cinemas are stereo and the balance mono or “front-surround”. Cinema 1 is equiped for video playback as well.