Major Cineplex
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| Major Cineplex Group | |
 |
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| Type | Public (SET: Major) |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1996 |
| Headquarters | Bangkok, Thailand |
| Key people | Vicha Poolvaraluck, chairman Kittsanan Ngamphathipong, chief executive Vichai Poolvaraluck, chief executive, EGV Entertainment Arthorn Techatantiwong, deputy managing director, bowling Aorrawan Kowathana, deputy managing director, service operations |
| Industry | Movie theaters Bowling alleys Karaoke, Real estate |
| Revenue | 4,686.9 million baht |
| Net income | 535 million baht[1] |
| Subsidiaries | Bangkok IMAX Theater Co. Ltd. EGV Entertainment Public Co. Ltd. Major Cineplex Property Co. Ltd. Paragon Cineplex |
| Website | http://www.majorcineplex.com |
Major Cineplex Group Public Co. Ltd. (SET: Major) is the largest operator of movie theaters in Thailand. Combined with its subsidiary, EGV Entertainment, the company has 258 screens in 32 locations. Among its properties is Thailand's largest multiplex, the Paragon Cineplex at Siam Paragon, with 16 screens and 5,000 seats, along with the country's only IMAX theater. The second-largest chain in Thailand is SF Cinema City.
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[edit] History
Major Cineplex was founded by Vicha Poolvaraluck (or Poolvoraluck) in 1996. A member of a family with roots in the movie business (the family was involved in film studios as well as several single-screen theaters), Vicha started out in property development.
In 1992, he was asked by his father, Charoen Poolvaraluck, to take over the movie theater business. Vicha decided on a concept of large movie complexes that could offer a range of entertainment services, including not only movies, but also bowling alleys, karaoke rooms, restaurants and shopping. The first such complex opened in 1996 on Nakhon Chaisri Road in Pinklao, Bangkok. Branches at Ramkamheang, Rachayothin and Sukhumvit soon followed. [2]
In 2004, Major Cineplex absorbed Thailand's No 2 theater operator, EGV Entertainment, which was Thailand's first cineplex operator. EGV had been owned by a rival branch of the Poolvaraluck family, headed by Vicha Poolvaraluck's cousin, Vichai Poolvaraluck, who started EGV as a partnership with Golden Village. [3]
[edit] Theaters
[edit] Major Cineplex
There are at least 19 Major Cineplex-branded theaters in Thailand, with the number expected to grow in the coming years. The company aims to increase its total number of screens to 500 (including EGV cinemas) by 2012. Major Cineplex's theaters range from shopping complexes, anchored by the cineplex, such as Major Cineplex Rachayothin or Major Cineplex Sukhumvit, that include bowling alleys, fitness centers, restaurants and shops, to multiplexes that are part of larger shopping malls, such as the Bang Na or Rama III branches in Bangkok.
At the theaters themselves, there is a range of seating choices, including the luxury "Emperor" class, which is similar to EGV's "Gold Class" (see below), and "Opera", which provides a sofa-like seat, designed for couples.
In November 2006, the company plans to open another flagship complex consisting of 13 theaters and a 26-lane bowling alley at the Esplanade Complex on Ratchadapisek Road in Bangkok's Din Daeng district. [4]
[edit] EGV
- See also: List of cinemas in Thailand#EGV
Thailand's first cineplex operator, EGV, or Entertainment Golden Village, was formed in 1993 by Vichai Poolvaraluck's Entertainment Theatres Network as a joint venture with Hong Kong's Golden Harvest and Australia's Village Roadshow (which formed Golden Village).
The first cineplex was opened in 1994 at Future Park Bang Khae. Other branches include the EGV Grand in Siam Discovery Center (opposite Siam Square) and the EGV Metropolis, which anchors a BigC shopping center on Rajadamri Road in Pathum Wan district, Bangkok, opposite Central World Plaza.
Village Roadshow took over Golden Harvest's stake in 2000, and in 2002, Vichai bought out Village Roadshow's 50% interest. [5] The company then merged with Major Cineplex in 2004, putting aside a rivalry within the Poolvaraluck family.
[edit] EGV's theaters
Aside from its EGV-branded multiplexes, EGV has the following:
- Gold Class – Smaller theaters, located on existing EGV properties, with their own box offices. The screening rooms have around 50 seats, with heavily padded reclining chairs and valet food-and-drink service. Blankets, pillows and foot-warming stockings are provided. EGV was the pioneer in this concept of luxury movie-going in Thailand and it remains popular.
- D-Cine – Small, living-room-like theaters where customers can program their own DVD movie showings.
- Drive-In Café – A short-lived concept, this was tried in 2004 in an auditorium at EGV Seacon in Prawet district. Featuring a 1950s American drive-in theater motif, the audience sat in automobile-like restaurant booths and could be served hot dogs and hamburgers while they watched a movie.
[edit] Paragon Cineplex
Opened in early 2006, the latest flagship of the Major Cineplex chain is the Paragon Cineplex on the fifth floor of the Siam Paragon shopping center. With 16 screens and 5,000 seats, it is Thailand's largest movie theater. It includes the 1,200-seat Siam Pavali theater as well as some smaller Nokia Ultra Screen theaters with reclining seats. There is also the Enigma, a members-only lounge.
[edit] Krung Sri IMAX
Thailand's only IMAX Theatre is part of the Paragon Cineplex at Siam Paragon. It was formerly located at the Major Cineplex Rachayothin.
[edit] Bowling, karaoke, California Fitness
While movie theaters are Major Cineplex Group's core business, it is heavily involved in the bowling alley business, with a total of 360 lanes under its Major Bowl Hit! brand. The company also has 222 karaoke rooms.
It's a property developer, leasing retail space to outside tenants in its anchored shopping malls. Major Cineplex also has a 25% stake in Siam Future Development Plc (SET: SF), a developer of shopping malls.
Major Cineplex has also invested in in the growing California WOW Xperience Plc (SET: CAWOW), the leading fitness center operator in Thailand. It holds a 36.75% stake in that venture, and consequently, California Fitness Center branches are becoming part of Major Cineplex's developments. [6]
[edit] References
- ^ Stock Exchange of Thailand, "Report earnings result of year 2005", February 26, 2006.
- ^ The Nation, "Son also rises at Major Cineplex", June 28, 2001.
- ^ Amnatcharoen, Bam (June 13, 2004), "EGV, Major Cineplex to merge", Variety.
- ^ Rungfapaisarn, Kwanchai (May 3, 2006), "Major goes for 500 screens in six years", The Nation.
- ^ Kim Eng Securities, "Bright earnings picture for cinema operator" (PDF), May 27, 2003.
- ^ Tisco Hong Kong, "Embarking on a new era in growth" (PDF), February 10, 2006.
