Submitted by Mary Felix

Friday, Nov. 11, will be opening night for two new, state-of-the-art, stadium-seating auditoriums at the North Branch Cinema.

The Cinema was built in 1996, just before stadium seating became the new trend and beginning in February 2005 the Cinema has been going through an extensive renovation. So far, the Cinema has converted all 5 existing auditoriums to stadium seating, remodeled the entire lobby area and has new carpeting throughout. The parking lot has been expanded to meet customersí needs.

The Cinema will now offer East Central Minnesota the two largest auditoriums in the area. One auditorium with 195 seats and one with 153 seats. Both will have state-of-the-art digital sound systems, curved screens 20í high and stadium seating all encased in two luxury auditoriums.

ìThis means we will now have 7 screens instead of 5 and will be able to offer North Branch and surrounding areas an even larger selection of films and will be able to hold movies over for a few weeks longer due to the added space,î said General Manager Mary Felix. ìWe hope this will bring people to the North Branch area to enjoy some of the finest entertainment available. We feel this addition will help to encourage people to shop, eat and be entertained in North Branch.î

The construction project has reached its finish in a year when the movie industry has seen a downturn in Box-office revenues. The reasons for this are many and varied, but generally speaking the shortened window from the big screen to DVD and mediocre films are partially to blame.

The owners and management of the Cinema hope their addition and renovation will bring people back to the big screen.
Also available, and brand new to the Cinema, is a birthday party room available for rent, where you can have a birthday party, cake, pizza, presents and take in a movie. Special group rates are available and the birthday childís admission is free.

ìOur dedication to the North Branch area, our support of the schools, churches and organizations in the surrounding areas have always been foremost in our business policy,î said Felix. ìWe feel it is important to keep our young people safe and offer a competitive edge in keeping them local when they are seeking entertainment.î

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