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RandySF

(59,470 posts) Tue May 5, 2020, 04:00 AM May 2020

San Antonio Movie Chain Reopens Early, Attracts 3,000 Customers on First Weekend

Hollywood and theater owners received welcome news over the weekend as 3,000 moviegoers showed up at a trio of San Antonio-area theaters that have reopened early with strict social distancing measures in place.

The three locations are operated by Santikos Entertainment, a mainstay of the sprawling Texan city. The upscale Palladium Imax, which boasts 19 auditoriums, generated $7,019 in ticket sales, according to those with access to Comscore theater grosses.

At $5.41 per ticket — a discounted price — that equates to more than 1,297 customers.

Tickets were also discounted to $5.41 at Santikos' nearby Cibolo and Casa Blanca locations, which generated $3,374 and $5,496 in sales, respectively, bringing the total attendance for the three cinemas to just under 3,000 people. (All three sites offer luxury seating in select auditoriums.)

While those numbers wouldn't normally impress, studio executives were heartened, particularly since there are no new releases. The Santikos marquee instead boasts such titles as Trolls World Tour, Bloodshot, I Still Believe, The Hunt and Bad Boys for Life. "It shows me there is a pent-up demand," says one Hollywood distribution chief.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/san-antonio-movie-chain-reopens-early-attracts-3000-customers-1293254

5 replies

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San Antonio Movie Chain Reopens Early, Attracts 3,000 Customers on First Weekend (Original Post) RandySF May 2020 OP

I'm sure that wil work out well. smirkymonkey May 2020 #1

How exciting! Guess which cough in the dark is closest to you . . . Journeyman May 2020 #2

Something makes me think there were no masks worn too. dem4decades May 2020 #3

Not That I'm Encouraging It... ProfessorGAC May 2020 #4

Don't get too excited, theater owners. tanyev May 2020 #5

smirkymonkey

(63,221 posts)

1. I'm sure that wil work out well.

Reply to RandySF (Original post)

Tue May 5, 2020, 04:16 AM

May 2020

Journeyman

(15,042 posts)

2. How exciting! Guess which cough in the dark is closest to you . . .

Reply to RandySF (Original post)

Tue May 5, 2020, 04:44 AM

May 2020

Wonder how they'll handle social distancing. In recent trips to the flicks the rooms were seldom more than 1/4 full but everyone crowded to the center to get the best view and sound.

How will late entrants, especially those who arrive after the lights go down, be kept from sitting in the best spot for their viewing pleasure?

And how's that going to work when a pimply-faced teenager making minimum wage has to tell a tall, angry Texan in boots that he can't sit where he thinks his money bought him a seat.

Ooh. How exciting!

dem4decades

(11,308 posts)

3. Something makes me think there were no masks worn too.

Reply to RandySF (Original post)

Tue May 5, 2020, 05:16 AM

May 2020

ProfessorGAC

(65,277 posts)

4. Not That I'm Encouraging It...

Reply to RandySF (Original post)

Tue May 5, 2020, 06:12 AM

May 2020

...but 1,297 in 19 rooms is only 68 people per room.
They MIGHT have been able to maintain social distancing with that volume.
Now, whether they enforced that or not is another matter.
That said, hard to believe the lobby wasn't jammed at times.

tanyev

(42,642 posts)

5. Don't get too excited, theater owners.

Reply to RandySF (Original post)

Tue May 5, 2020, 08:01 AM

May 2020

That's not what you call a long term customer base.

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