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generic cinema seats

Cinema United, formerly National Association Of Theatre Owners, said on Tuesday that exhibitors in North America have invested $1.5bn in their cinemas over the past year as the organisation backs a drive to keep the theatrical experience alive.

According to Cinema United’s new Cinema Investment Report, the top eight operators have spent $920m in upgrading seats, remodelling concession stands, and installing projection systems following their 2024 pledge to invest $2.2bn over three years.

AMC, the world’s largest circuit, implemented its AMC Go Plan a year ago, which it called its most “forward-looking theatrical investment” this decade. It has reopened the fully remodeled Odeon Luxe Northampton in the UK, and installed Club Rocker seating installations in flagship US locations at AMC Lincoln Square 13 and AMC Empire 25 in New York.

The company has upgraded Imax with Laser capabilities at several locations, while more than 800 additional screens now feature Laser at AMC projection, and more than 45 are equipped with 4K laser projection through XL at AMC screens. AMC has said it expects to invest between $1bn-$1.5bn worldwide over four to seven years.

Cinépolis based in Mexico recently added 30 ScreenX auditoriums in key locations across Mexico, Central and South America, and Spain. The panoramic format immerses audiences within a 270-degree-field-of-view.

Toronto-based Cineplex is Canada’s largest operator and runs 156 sites across the country. In November 2024 it opened Cinéma Cineplex Royalmount in Montreal adjacent to the company’s first Quebec location of The Rec Room, which combines gaming, dining and live entertainment. The new cinema features five auditoriums, with full recliner seating, laser projectors, and D-Box seats available in one auditorium.

“Exhibition is a Main Street industry,” said Michael O’Leary, president and CEO of Cinema United. “Theatre owners aren’t just re-investing in their facilities; they are investing in cities and towns of all sizes across the United States and Canada.”

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