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What is the best number of screens in an area of 40,000 in a 20 mile radius? I have heard that a 6 screen theater covers the widest of demographics for the number of screens and usually works the best.

Is there any where I can get information or studies done on this subject?

(a little more info-)There is only one other movie theater in the area that shows first runs but sound and picture quality are poor as well as the facilities (an old converted stage theater) and no parking. People in the area drive 43 miles away just to have a better movie experience.

I have 5 and wish I had 8.

If you are doing ground up construction, start with 6 but have a well defined expansion plan. Say depending on the first year or two we wish to add 4-6 more screens in that direction.

There is an old rule-of-thumb in the theater business that for every 10,000 population you can support 1 screen. Business can vary widely depending on location, any nearby colleges, travel time, stadium or conventional seating. Are you a tourist town?

There is an all new stadium seating 8 screen complex near me in a rural town with only 3,000 people and it cost 6 million to build and they are struggling to stay open. They overbuilt.

If I were you, I'd build 4 or 5 screens to start and plan for possible future expansion, but only if business warrants it.


[This message has been edited by Ken Layton (edited February 09, 2003).]

Opened with 4 screens in 1994 in a town of 10,000. County population is 27,000. Nearest theaters: 25 screens at 3 sites about 30 minutes/25 miles. In 1996, we added 2 more screens, and now we can play most everything on the break that people want. With 4 screens, we forced our customers to drive to the other theaters during Summers and Holidays. We wanted to get them used to staying here! We just finished our 8th consecutive year of increased sales. It would be nice to have 7 or 8 to keep movies longer when the rental is less, but 6 is a good number.

[This message has been edited by RickAlan (edited February 13, 2003).]

There will often be months when you wish you had more screens and others with less screens.....Perhaps we could call it "the grass is always greener" syndrome.