The Tribune

By NATARIO McKENZIE

Tribune Business reporter

nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

MOVIEGOERS can expect a 21 per cent increase in ticket prices beginning this weekend, with Galleria Cinemas announcing a $1.50 rise as of this Friday.

The company has posted notices in its ticket windows informing customers that prices would increase this Friday from $7 to $8.50 for adults, and from $3 to $4.50 for children, as its cinemas are getting an overhaul in their projection and sound equipment.

Chris Mortimer, Galleria Cinemas’ president, effectively confirmed the price increase when reached for comment yesterday, but declined to go into details.

While there was some speculation that the company, like many others, was looking to better position itself to handle recent tax increases, Mr Mortimer rebuffed those suggestions.

He would only say: “We’re finishing up our conversion to digital.

“It finishes on November 22, and so we’re changing up.”

An industry-mandated digital conversion from 35-millimetre film at the end of December 2013 is reportedly already threatening the operations of some small, independent theatres in the US that cannot afford the new equipment, with estimated costs for conversion to digital projectors and sound systems said to run well above $50,000 per screen.

Back in 2010, Galleria Cinemas, which cinemas at The Mall at 
Marathon, JFK Drive and Freeport, introduced 3-D movies, increasing 
the prices for 3-D flicks, with 
children being charged 
$5 and adults $10 as opposed to $3 and $7, respectively.