MORRISTOWN, N.J.—May 14, 2007
Marquee Cinemas Signs Comprehensive Digital Deployment and Pre-Show Programming Deal with AccessIT
- AccessIT Digital Cinema Deployment Steadily Moving Toward 4,000 Screen Commitments –
Access Integrated Technologies, Inc. ("AccessIT") (NASDAQ:AIXD) today announced that Marquee Cinemas will be the tenth chain to convert 153 megaplex screens to digital cinema using AccessIT’s Theatre Command CenterTM software, pre-show programming and Christie DLP Cinema® projectors. The completion of this contract brings AccessIT’s Digital Cinema Program (formerly named Christie/AIX) to a total of 3,455 screens committed of the 4,000 in the Christie/AIX plan.
Marquee is the tenth chain and the fifth customer of AccessIT’s Advertising and Creative Services Division to contract with AccessIT for deployment.
Curtis McCall, President of Marquee Cinemas, said: “We believe digital cinema is the future of movie theatres. It provides not only opportunity to deliver a better quality product to our audiences, but also more variety. The Ability to eliminate 35mm film and provide a digital presentation is just another step that keeps Marquee on the cutting edge of technology and delivery for our customers. The flexibility inherent in digital cinema will enable us to take advantage of alternative content programming options appropriate to our local audiences. The incremental revenue from advertising will enable us to continue to invest in a better theatre-going experience for all of our patrons.”
Chuck Goldwater, President of AccessIT’s Media Services Group, commented: “Marquee Cinemas is another outstanding regional exhibitor with the foresight to recognize the benefits of digital cinema today. AccessIT is very pleased to have them as our newest partner and we look forward to working with them to help enhance their business especially with our PreFlix screen advertising and our Bigger Picture division’s alternative content programming.”
Craig Sholder, Vice-President of Entertainment Solutions, Christie USA, added: "Marquee Cinemas commitment is a great endorsement to the viability of Digital Cinema. As a progressive company with clear vision, Marquee will benefit tremendously from the operational flexibility and revenue generating opportunities that Digital Cinema has to offer. We look forward to working closely together and to supporting their long-term development plans.”
AccessIT Digital Cinema is the industry-leading deployment program for digital cinema that provides the funding, operations and administration 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 receive turnkey, Digital Cinema systems in conformance with DCI specifications, including AccessIT’s unique Library Management Server® and Theatre Command Center® software, Christie 2K DLP Cinema® projectors and Doremi’s DCP2000 JPEG server. To date, AccessIT has contracted to install more than 3,400 systems in forty-one states and has completed the rollout of more than 2,600 screens with exhibitors including Neighborhood Cinema Group,Celebration! Cinema, Cinema West, Cinetopia, Emagine, UltraStar, Galaxy, Rave and Carmike Cinemas and AccessIT’s own Pavilion Digital Showcase Cinema.