1 June 2004

Skycity Launches New Look Whangarei Cinema Complex

Changes are on the way for Whangarei’s ‘Cinema City 5’ complex. The facility is being rebranded and refurbished by new owners, SKYCITY Leisure Limited, and will be the first cinema complex in New Zealand to be branded as “SKYCITY Cinemas”.

The new branding will be apparent on Thursday when signage is unveiled. The cinema will be shut from Monday through to Wednesday while the changes take place. Staff will also take part in the re-vamp – with new SKYCITY-branded uniforms.

The $300,000 refurbishment aims to modernise the complex and create an improved movie-going experience for customers. General Manager, SKYCITY Leisure Investments, Kevin Brewer said, “The launch of the first SKYCITY Cinemas complex is an exciting development for SKYCITY Leisure. As the new owners of the Whangarei cinema complex this updating of facilities represents the need for us, as a cinema exhibition company, to reinvest in our assets to keep the whole entertainment experience fresh and exciting for the public. We aim to meet evolving customer expectations and to provide the very best in cinema entertainment.”

The refurbishment includes the installation of luxury wider, high-back seating throughout cinemas two and three. Along with a re-vamped foyer area, the Candy Bar food and beverage facility is also being redeveloped. Ticketing counters will also be modified to enable faster ticket transactions, including new express lanes and the installation of a stateof- the-art ticketing system.

Manager of SKYCITY Cinemas Whangarei, Jon Kirby said “Customers to the cinema will be pleased with the modern new look, and certainly appreciate the improved seating and reduced ticketing times. Our aim was to complete the refurbishment in time for the high number of customers expected for the screenings of blockbusters Harry Potter – Prisoner of Azkaban on June 10, and Shrek 2 on June 17. Amazing Spiderman, another film predicted to be very popular, will screen from July 1.”

To signify the new ownership of the cinema complex – all patrons from Saturday 5 June – Friday 11 June, will be given free passes to visit Auckland’s Sky Tower, valued at $15. SKYCITY Cinemas also operates 84 cinema screens throughout New Zealand in joint venture partnerships with Village Roadshow, Hoyts Cinemas and Rialto Entertainment. SKYCITY Cinemas is a wholly-owned subsidiary SKYCITY Leisure Limited, and SKYCITY Cinemas Whangarei, purchased in February 2004, is the company’s first 100% owned cinema operation.

ENDS

Gordon Campbell: On John Key’s Agenda For The Nation

There seemed to be three main components to John Key’s speech:

a) tax cuts largely paid for by a hike in GST
b) mining in national parks and on conservation land, while building more roads.
c) giving firms easier access to the r&d from Crown Research Institutes, so that business can continue to get the taxpayer to pick up the tab for the research that keeps them competitive.

After all, corporate welfare is always such a blessed thing – its only social welfare that corrodes enterprise and ambition. More>>