MORRISTOWN, N.J.—Oct 13, 2006
Cinema West’s Screens Joins AccessIT’s Digital Cinema Rollout
Access Integrated Technologies, Inc. ("AccessIT") (NASDAQ:AIXD) today announced that independent exhibitor Cinema West (www.cinemawest.com) has signed a contract with the company’s wholly owned subsidiary Christie/AIX, for the installation of state-of-the-art digital cinema systems for all 64 of its screens.
Cinema West operates a chain of eight multiplex facilities located throughout northern California, some within the San Francisco area, featuring such amenities as stadium seating, wall-to-wall big screens and enhanced food and beverage choices. It is the seventh chain to contract with AccessIT, raising total exhibitor commitment to its digital cinema deployment plan to over 3,000 screens.
David Corkill, Owner, of Cinema West, said: “The Cinema West experience is founded on providing a unique, high-quality entertainment experience, ranging from the distinctive architecture and look of our theatres to a list of luxury amenities. Digital cinema will give Cinema West not only the best visual presentation, but unmatched flexibility and expanded programming choices. AccessIT’s commitment to ensuring our success and providing all the tools and services required to support our business and the needs of our customers make them unique in the industry.”
Chuck Goldwater, President of AccessIT’s Media Services Group and Christie/AIX, commented: “It is visionary and enterprising exhibitors like Cinema West that are recognizing and embracing the benefits that digital cinema can create for them today. AccessIT and our partners at Christie continue to lead the transition providing exhibitors with a fully integrated solution plus a complete array of ancillary services from our Media Services Group. These include revenue-generating pre-show entertainment and alternative content programming, enabling them to capitalize on the many benefits of digital technology.”
“Cinema West has a distinct value proposition that they offer to the movie going public. With the addition of Christie’s CP2000 digital projection solution to their theatres, they have rounded out this value proposition and can now offer the ultimate cinema experience to every person who walks through their doors,” stated Craig Sholder, Vice President, Entertainment Solutions, Christie USA.
AccessIT's Christie/AIX unit serves as the funding vehicle and administrator for the company's studio-supported 4,000-screen digital cinema rollout plan supported by major studios and independent distributors, among others -- and exhibitors who will receive turnkey, Digital Cinema systems in conformance with DCI specifications, including 2K DLP Cinema® projectors and related hardware and AccessIT’s unique theatre management software. To date, Christie/AIX has contracted to install more than 3,000 systems in thirty-nine states and has completed the rollout of more than 1,200 screens with exhibitors including Emagine, UltraStar, Galaxy, Rave and Carmike Cinemas.