Redevelopment to Begin at Popular Newmarket Cinema

MEDIA RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
7 June 2005

Multi-Million Dollar Redevelopment to Begin at Popular Newmarket Cinema

A multi-million dollar redevelopment of Newmarket’s Rialto cinema will transform the facility into the largest and most comfortable arthouse and crossover cinema in Australasia.

The popular cinema complex, a joint venture between Rialto Entertainment and Village SKYCITY Cinemas Ltd, will be completely upgraded with state-of-the art facilities including seven brand new screens, with construction scheduled to start on June 16th.

Rialto Entertainment Chief Executive Kelly Rogers says, "This redevelopment will cement Rialto as the premier arthouse and crossover cinema complex in New Zealand. Not only will it increase the number and variety of Rialto films we can show but it will also be a destination for film lovers in its own right.”

An additional two cinemas will be added to the complex, with the existing five cinemas to be completely refurbished. The upgrade will include a new foyer, a licensed bar, box office and concessions counter in a dedicated space six times larger than the current area, ensuring that customers can enjoy a quality environment before and after their movie.

Village SKYCITY Cinemas Chief Executive Joe Moodabe said that once construction begins on June 16, Rialto movies would be temporarily relocating 200 metres along the road to share the Village SKYCITY Cinemas Broadway premises.

“Rialto fans will not need to go without their regular film-fix. We are dedicating three of our screens at the Broadway Village 8 Complex exclusively to arthouse films.”

Arthouse and crossover films being shown during the Jaguar Winter Film Season include Hotel Rwanda, which opens to the public on June 16. Other highly regarded films now showing at Rialto, which will move to Rialto@Broadway, include Downfall, What The Bleep and Ladies in Lavender.

The refurbishment of the Rialto complex is one of a number of cinema complex upgrades scheduled to take place at Village SKYCITY Cinema facilities over the next few years. Three additional screens were also added to the Dunedin Rialto Cinemas last year.
Work at the Rialto in Newmarket is expected to be completed by the end of the year.

ENDS

© Scoop Media