26 November 2013

Barr decreeing a cinema, hoping to find an operator

26 November 2013 | johnboy

In the most arse-about process seen in many a long day from this comprehensively arse-about government Andrew Barr has the astonishing news that he’s engaged Krnc Group to build a cinema complex in Gungahlin.

But who will run it?

Well:

I am also delighted that Greater Union, who has been such a major player in the entertainment industry in Australia for so many years, is in discussions with the developer to operate the cinema complex.

Discussions eh?

So nothing signed?

So we’re building a thing and hoping it will be suitable for someone else’s business down the road?

One imagines Greater Union, having the ACT Government completely over the barrel on this, will negotiate some extremely favourable terms.

[Concept drawing courtesy Minister Barr’s office]

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Frustrated10:07 pm 27 Nov 13

Mysteryman said :

(even ignoring the time I found a foot-long human turd in the middle of the bathroom floor, metres from any stall or toilet), the prices they charge are outrageous, and the removal of the box office to force people to wait in even longer lines at the candy bar shows complete contempt for their customers.

That’s gold Jerry gold!

Thanks for the laugh..lol

poetix8:36 pm 27 Nov 13

Robertson said :

dph said :

Why does everything in Gungahlin look like it’s made out of lego?

It’s the architect’s alternative to building something that actually looks good.

Like Canberra Museum: hideous pile of poo.

Do you mean the Canberra Museum (CMAG) or the National Museum? The National Museum is architecturally interesting and makes a bold statement, whereas CMAG is a far more modest gem, set quietly into urban space near the library and the theatre.

Neither says ‘Gungahlin’ to me.

c_c™6:50 pm 27 Nov 13

dph said :

Why does everything in Gungahlin look like it’s made out of lego?

Yes, because the 60s and 70s Brutalist architecture that can be seen around Canberra is so much better.

It may be a stylistic choice, sharp lines and crisp palettes are very elegant and clean.

It’s also attractive from a construction standpoint; allows for a lot of prefabrication – just slide in the concrete panels and glass and you’re done.

ML-5851:30 pm 27 Nov 13

c_c™ said :

Not sure why they’re still referring to Greater Union since the brand has been Event Cinemas for some time now. And I’m not sure why on earth anyone would want them to run another cinema? They let the Civic one go kaput and the Manuka one go to ruins. Dendy or Hoyts run much better operations.

GU Civic went kaput because there is no profit in a 3-screen operation anymore, and the company (Amalgamated Holdings) realised they would make more money by redeveloping the site into an office building.

If AHL do operate at Gungahlin, it should be an Event Cinema. But it’s not true to say the Greater Union brand has disappeared altogether.

Mysteryman11:46 am 27 Nov 13

goggles13 said :

rosscoact said :

So, here we have:
a block of land being sold
to a developer
at market rates
after a competitive process
for a use that has been long sought after by the local community
at nil cost to the ratepayer
and the developer has to find a tenant as is the case for pretty much every commercial venture anywhere in the world.

So what is it again that you people are flapping on about?

the likelihood that the complex will go bust like the DFO and Brand Depot and this city will be left with another eyesore.

seriously, is it that far for people to travel from Gunghalin to the city or Belconnen to watch a movie?

this city will have serious problems if we continue the attitude that each suburb must have its own amenities

I think the opposite is true. We’ll have far bigger problems if we just expect everyone in a growing city to keep driving/travelling to other town centres to use amenities that could instead be easily localised.

Robertson10:22 am 27 Nov 13

dph said :

Why does everything in Gungahlin look like it’s made out of lego?

It’s the architect’s alternative to building something that actually looks good.

Like Canberra Museum: hideous pile of poo.

dph12:01 am 27 Nov 13

Why does everything in Gungahlin look like it’s made out of lego?

dtc9:34 pm 26 Nov 13

johnboy said :

It’s not like the developers are doing this out of their love of cinema and the people of gungahling.

Similarly if Greater Union wanted to build a cinema in Gungahlin it’s not like they, and all the other cinema chains, don’t have people working 24/7 to identify these opportunities.

So one has to fear, particularly with this backwards process, that somewhere along the line we’re going for a ride on this.

Greater Union itself probably hasnt built a cinema in years. Like Woolworths usually doesnt own its store, Qantas doesnt own many planes, banks dont own their branches and so forth. There are tax and balance sheet issues involved; but normally a developer buys and builds and rents and then sells onto a pension fund or something

goggles137:38 pm 26 Nov 13

rosscoact said :

So, here we have:
a block of land being sold
to a developer
at market rates
after a competitive process
for a use that has been long sought after by the local community
at nil cost to the ratepayer
and the developer has to find a tenant as is the case for pretty much every commercial venture anywhere in the world.

So what is it again that you people are flapping on about?

the likelihood that the complex will go bust like the DFO and Brand Depot and this city will be left with another eyesore.

seriously, is it that far for people to travel from Gunghalin to the city or Belconnen to watch a movie?

this city will have serious problems if we continue the attitude that each suburb must have its own amenities

steveu6:52 pm 26 Nov 13

Mysteryman said :

God help us if we get another Hoyts. They are, hands down, the worst cinema experience around. The staff couldn’t care less about their work, the condition of the cinemas is usually pretty gross (even ignoring the time I found a foot-long human turd in the middle of the bathroom floor, metres from any stall or toilet), the prices they charge are outrageous, and the removal of the box office to force people to wait in even longer lines at the candy bar shows complete contempt for their customers.

Piracy isn’t killing the movie industry. Experiences like the ones Hoyts provide, are.

I hope the gunners people get a limelight in Tuggeranong. Great cinema, with awesome atmosphere (and they screen classic movies too and dress up etc on occasion). They have kept Hoyt’s in check to a good degree since they opened.

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