GUZZO CINEMAS OPENS ITS 10th THEATRE COMPLEX
2000-03-30
Longueuil, March 30, 2000 In the presence of the Honourable Sheila Copps, Canadian Heritage Minister, Claude Gladu, Mayor of Longueuil, and about 300 guests from the cinema industry, the management of Guzzo Cinemas inaugurated today their tenth movie theatre complex in Quebec. This latest addition to the Guzzo Cinemas family represents an investment of $14 million and creates about 60 direct jobs. It is the second Guzzo movie complex on the South Shore, the first being in Greenfield Park. The MEGA-PLEX® CENTRE JACQUES-CARTIER 14 complex houses 14 screens and 3,300 seats. The halls are equipped with highly sophisticated projection and sound equipment. With the arrival of Guzzo Cinemas, Longueuil residents now have access to modern, high-tech recreational facilities complete with multiple screens, a Café-Hollywood restaurant, and an amusement park that includes bumping cars, bowling alleys, interactive video games and a kiddie's playground. Claude Gladu, Mayor of Longueuil, was very pleased to welcome the MEGA-PLEX® CENTRE JACQUES-CARTIER 14: "This new asset will benefit the city through the economic activity generated. The presence of a complex with this magnitude demonstrates the vitality and prosperity of a city like Longueuil. ” The MEGA-PLEX® CENTRE JACQUES-CARTIER 14 is the latest in a series of shopping-centre revitalisation projects completed by Guzzo Cinemas. Out of 75,000 square feet of total area, only 20,000 were actually added to the existing building. Since 1998, Guzzo Cinemas, Ivanhoe and SITQ Immobilier, two subsidiaries of the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec, have signed an agreement to increase consumer traffic in shopping centres affected by the closing of various stores. "In two years, we invested over $68 million to revitalise existing buildings", says the Executive Vice-President of Guzzo Cinemas, Vincenzo Guzzo. "This not only costs less, it also enables Guzzo Cinemas to boost the economic activity of many surrounding neighbourhoods", he concludes, adding that other investors could follow suit. On a visit to Longueuil for the opening of the MEGA-PLEX® CENTRE JACQUES-CARTIER 14, the Honourable Sheila Copps, Canadian Heritage Minister, paid tribute to the work of Guzzo Cinemas: "I congratulate Mr. Guzzo for providing local residents with an entertainment centre by giving them access to the best that cinema has to offer. The work accomplished by Mr. Guzzo has promoted substantial growth in the movie sector enabling it to play a predominant role in the cultural life of Greater Montreal. ” Guzzo Cinemas operates 108 screens in ten movie complexes located in the Greater Montreal region. It is the leading independent theatre owner in Quebec and Canada. In 1999, nearly 4 million paying customers were admitted to Guzzo movie theatres. The company intends to open six more movie complexes: three Mega-Plex® on the Island of Montreal and two in Québec City, plus a Gigantus® in Laval. Source: Guzzo Cinemas Information: Catherine Hamel Everest Public Relations Tel.: (514) 842-1433, ext. 350
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