Is $35 too much for a movie ticket?
$35 for 'Gigli?'
New South Barrington theaters hope to draw 'luxury' crowd interested in service
Will moviegoers pay $35 for a ticket, even in a recession?
Village Roadshow Gold Class Cinemas CEO Rob Goldberg thinks so. Tough times, he said, make entertainment the perfect escape.
The relative affluence of South Barrington also makes it the perfect choice for the first U.S. Gold Class location, Goldberg said. The concept has taken off in Europe and in Australia, he added.
"We really believe this will be successful, and we have a lot of evidence," Goldberg said.
Gold Class will show special effects-laden blockbusters and tear-jerking art films on eight screens when it opens in October at the Arboretum of South Barrington.
The Arboretum is the 600,000-square-foot, 86-acre lifestyle shopping center opening in September near Higgins Road and Route 59.
The $35 ticket price is 80 percent more than the national average, according to the Motion Picture Association of America. No dress code will be enforced; the theater is for people weary of ringing cell phones and crying babies, Goldberg said.
Valet parking is included in the $35 ticket, but there's no free popcorn or cocktails. Patrons will have a professional server who will bring slippers and a blanket upon request.
Village Roadshow plans to launch 50 American theaters over the next five years. They also have theaters in Athens and Singapore. Each theater seats 40, and patrons have assigned reclining plush seats that are reserved online.
Waiters are called via a button in the armrest, and Gold Class assures other moviegoers won't be disturbed during the movie. Popular showings could sell out two weeks before, Goldberg said.
Gold Class isn't the only theater complex in South Barrington. The 30-screen AMC South Barrington is less than four miles away, where standard tickets cost $9.75. But Goldberg compares the new theater to a luxury hotel, not a "cineplex."
Goldberg wants to market Gold Class as an alternative to a nice night out on the town, calling it "very approachable luxury" for a wide-ranging demographic. There's also a lounge for patrons to hang out after the show.
Neil Stern, a senior partner at retail consultant McMillan/Doolittle, said there is an audience at upscale theaters for people who want extra space and don't have the time to stand in line for a seat. He said Gold Class needs to nail the details, as other theaters in the suburbs -- like Muvico Rosemont and AMC Premium in Lombard -- already offer patrons complete meals and alcohol for the over-21 crowd.
"I've been to the Muvico a couple times in Rosemont, and it's relatively slow. You could go online and try for a Friday night, and … there's all sorts of seats available and that's only a $6-seat premium," Stern said.
Muvico's general admission tickets cost $9.75 general admission; VIP tickets are $15 on weekends.
Across the street from the Arboretum, Hoffman Estates is also banking on entertainment dollars. The village awarded incentives to build the Sears Centre arena and the Cabela's outdoor outfitters, trying to establish an entertainment district.
The Prairie Creek Amphitheater, an 8,900-seat outdoor concert venue, is scheduled to open around Memorial Day 2009.
Concert industry magazine Pollstar Editor-in-Chief Gary Bongiovanni predicts success for Prairie Creek. Despite Internet music downloads supposedly driving concert costs up, music fans continue to fill seats, as concert ticket prices have continually increased, more than doubling over the last 10 years, Bongiovanni said.
He added that scalper prices and tickets sold over Internet auction sites have increased even more.
"Overall the industry is healthy and has posted record revenues," Bongiovanni said.
The trend is to open venues smaller than Poplar Creek which seated about 25,000. Baby boomers continue to support bands they grew up with and will drive Prairie Creek's success, Bongiovanni said, noting the geriatric Rolling Stones' popularity. But the future isn't clear.
"We're not sure what will replace what. We don't know about the new artists that are coming up, if they're going to have the same clear longevity," Bongiovanni said. "We don't know if John Mayer will sell tickets 30 years from now. Will Green Day take the place of The Who? It's those sort of things."