Welcome to BigScreenBiz.com

I'm new here and I'm interested in opening a theater in San Jose California. However, I'm quite hesitant due to the questions I have. I'm hoping that some of you may be able to address them:
-how profitable is the big screen business?
-how is the competition against the megaplexes such as AMC and Century?
-how much $$$ do I need in order to start one up from scratch?

Your answers will be greatly appreciated!

Profitability depends on where you set up your theatre, just like any other business.

This is one point many people deny. Movie Theatres are businesses too, and it depends on how you run it and where it is.

As for costs, check the archieves of this forum, and the archieves of:
CINEMA DESIGN
And the archieved post:
GRAND CAMEO MILLENNIUM

MesburSmith, who I haven't heard of for the last little bit, have much knowlegde.

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"Would you like fries with that?"

The movie business can be real profitable,but you have to pick your spots.San Jose is a hot bed of competition,with power-house chains like AMC and Century.If you decide to build there,be sure you are at least five miles away from major competitors.

How much start-up $$ you'll need is variable,but if you are gonna build a state of the art multi-plex in Northern Cal its gonna be expensive.
Good Luck

Also make sure that there is no available land around your new theater that the chains can use to build over you when they find out that you are making money. Then you have a chance of continuing to make enough money to pay the costs of construction.

Better do some good research on the San Jose area, we have customers there and the competition is fierce, along with Century and AMC dominating the 1st run market as ChrlieBo mentioned, you have Cinelux operating discount houses and Camera operating Art Houses, both of these companies roots are in the San Jose area and they understand the marketplace very well.