News & Discussion: General CBD Development

[Abwolf]

Looks like the rainbow walk in Light Square is currently being installed - all fenced off and grass has been removed, trench dug for paving.

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

[Ben]

Looks like the palace nova are expanding. Hopefully renovating too.

Type
Application Assessed on Merit
Application Number
DA/537/2016
Lodgement Date
09/08/2016
Latest Decision
Location
PALACE NOVA EASTEND CINEMAS, Off 292 Rundle Street, ADELAIDE SA 5000
Description
Internal alteration to cinema complex to change amount of screens from 7 to 12, installation of additonal plant platforms and new airconditioning units with acoustic screening on roof.
Applicant Name

[Patrick_27]

Looks like the palace nova are expanding. Hopefully renovating too.

Type
Application Assessed on Merit
Application Number
DA/537/2016
Lodgement Date
09/08/2016
Latest Decision
Location
PALACE NOVA EASTEND CINEMAS, Off 292 Rundle Street, ADELAIDE SA 5000
Description
Internal alteration to cinema complex to change amount of screens from 7 to 12, installation of additonal plant platforms and new airconditioning units with acoustic screening on roof.
Applicant Name

Probably expanding their commercial platform to compete with the new GU Film House opening on Hindley Street. Massive jump in screens though... The only way I can see this happening on their current footprint is downsizing some of the bigger screens and rejigging the entire layout...

[Patrick_27]

A bit more info on the GU Film House... It will be three levels; 12 standard cinemas, as well as two VMAX cinemas (14 in total). No wonder Palace Nova are expanding.

[Algernon]

Will the PN and GU cinemas be in direct competition with one another? I always remembered PN having a totally different offering - arthouse, foreign films etc. Did it stay that way in the last 10 years or dd they widen the offering to something more resembling the Dendy cinemas on the East coast? I wouldn't have thought GU would be targeting their audience in any meaingful way. If anything opening a mainstream cinema in the city would help PN, as it would restore the city centre's status as a film destination (rather than skipping out entirely to go to Marion/TTP etc.

[Ben]

Palace nova play a mixture of art house and all the latest mainstream.

[Brucetiki]

Palace nova play a mixture of art house and all the latest mainstream.

Which is the path GU Film House are going down right...

[Brucetiki]

A bit more info on the GU Film House... It will be three levels; 12 standard cinemas, as well as two VMAX cinemas (14 in total). No wonder Palace Nova are expanding.

The original complex was 5 cinemas across multiple levels (2 cinemas in the basement, 3 cinemas on the top floor). I'll assume there will be 6 cinemas each across two floors (similar size to the standard cinemas at Marion perhaps) and the 2 VMAX cinemas on one floor with bigger capacity.

Given the early rumours were that it would become 6 cinemas that a big jump to 14 (which would make it about half of what Marion has now).

[Patrick_27]

A bit more info on the GU Film House... It will be three levels; 12 standard cinemas, as well as two VMAX cinemas (14 in total). No wonder Palace Nova are expanding.

The original complex was 5 cinemas across multiple levels (2 cinemas in the basement, 3 cinemas on the top floor). I'll assume there will be 6 cinemas each across two floors (similar size to the standard cinemas at Marion perhaps) and the 2 VMAX cinemas on one floor with bigger capacity.

Given the early rumours were that it would become 6 cinemas that a big jump to 14 (which would make it about half of what Marion has now).

Good point. Admittedly I was intoxicated when the person I was talking to about it told me the number of cinemas screens. I know for a fact that she said two VMAX cinemas and twelve cinemas. So given your point, perhaps she meant 12 altogether. We'll know soon enough, all of the staff have now been employed and are in training.

[Patrick_27]

Will the PN and GU cinemas be in direct competition with one another? I always remembered PN having a totally different offering - arthouse, foreign films etc. Did it stay that way in the last 10 years or dd they widen the offering to something more resembling the Dendy cinemas on the East coast? I wouldn't have thought GU would be targeting their audience in any meaingful way. If anything opening a mainstream cinema in the city would help PN, as it would restore the city centre's status as a film destination (rather than skipping out entirely to go to Marion/TTP etc.

Following on from other comments on this; Palace Nova Cinemas have shifted in the local market in recent years to reflect the offerings that both the Palace and Nova brands provide interstate, and also conveniently due to the fact that the city has had a long enough absence of competition to allow them to do so (with the closest alternatives being Piccadilly and Hoyts Norwood). That said, GU Film House is a new thing (from Event Cinemas) that to my knowledge is on trial in SA; a similar concept to PN, mixture of large and smaller screens to cater mainstream, art-house/foreign language, and live theatre offerings. That said, if you've been to the GU Film House in Glenelg it has a very Wallis Cinemas Mitcham vibe about it, so I guess they're probably just trying to bring themselves back down to a similar level of their competitors. As a side note, apparently Glenelg's cinemas have gone off to a quiet start largely due to the time of the year when they first opened. With the new Palace Nova Cinemas about to commence construction in Prospect, I'd say that Maras is finally starting to give the brand some of the love and attention that it needs.

[Algernon]

Will the PN and GU cinemas be in direct competition with one another? I always remembered PN having a totally different offering - arthouse, foreign films etc. Did it stay that way in the last 10 years or dd they widen the offering to something more resembling the Dendy cinemas on the East coast? I wouldn't have thought GU would be targeting their audience in any meaingful way. If anything opening a mainstream cinema in the city would help PN, as it would restore the city centre's status as a film destination (rather than skipping out entirely to go to Marion/TTP etc.

Following on from other comments on this; Palace Nova Cinemas have shifted in the local market in recent years to reflect the offerings that both the Palace and Nova brands provide interstate, and also conveniently due to the fact that the city has had a long enough absence of competition to allow them to do so (with the closest alternatives being Piccadilly and Hoyts Norwood). That said, GU Film House is a new thing (from Event Cinemas) that to my knowledge is on trial in SA; a similar concept to PN, mixture of large and smaller screens to cater mainstream, art-house/foreign language, and live theatre offerings. That said, if you've been to the GU Film House in Glenelg it has a very Wallis Cinemas Mitcham vibe about it, so I guess they're probably just trying to bring themselves back down to a similar level of their competitors. As a side note, apparently Glenelg's cinemas have gone off to a quiet start largely due to the time of the year when they first opened. With the new Palace Nova Cinemas about to commence construction in Prospect, I'd say that Maras is finally starting to give the brand some of the love and attention that it needs.

Clears things up for me. So, GU Film House is actually a new boutique style brand operating under GU?

[bearhunta]

A bit more info on the GU Film House... It will be three levels; 12 standard cinemas, as well as two VMAX cinemas (14 in total). No wonder Palace Nova are expanding.

According to this, only 6 screens

https://www.eventcinemas.com.au/Cinema/ ... #tab=about

[Ben]

A bit more info on the GU Film House... It will be three levels; 12 standard cinemas, as well as two VMAX cinemas (14 in total). No wonder Palace Nova are expanding.

According to this, only 6 screens

https://www.eventcinemas.com.au/Cinema/ ... #tab=about

The pics and info are copied from the Glenelg page so I wouldn't take too much notice of that yet.

[Brucetiki]

A bit more info on the GU Film House... It will be three levels; 12 standard cinemas, as well as two VMAX cinemas (14 in total). No wonder Palace Nova are expanding.

According to this, only 6 screens

https://www.eventcinemas.com.au/Cinema/ ... #tab=about

The pics and info are copied from the Glenelg page so I wouldn't take too much notice of that yet.

Though they've added VMax to the Adelaide description.

I reckon 6 will be the more realistic number for Adelaide. Can't see a) where they'll fit 12-14 cinemas in the current footprint and b) how 12-14 cinemas in that location will be viable.

[Patrick_27]

According to this, only 6 screens

https://www.eventcinemas.com.au/Cinema/ ... #tab=about

The pics and info are copied from the Glenelg page so I wouldn't take too much notice of that yet.

Though they've added VMax to the Adelaide description.

I reckon 6 will be the more realistic number for Adelaide. Can't see a) where they'll fit 12-14 cinemas in the current footprint and b) how 12-14 cinemas in that location will be viable.

Considering the info I was provided was from a staff member of the new complex, I'm hesitant to back down on what I've already said.

Perhaps it might seem more realistic to have only six when compared to the more commercial cinemas, but if you've seen the size of four of the theatres at GU Film House at Glenelg, you'll understand how it would be possible to have 12-14 screens within the current footprint, especially over three levels. For example, six 50-80 seaters on the ground floor, six 100-300 seaters on the upper floors. You've also got to take into account that when the building was first built, big projection rooms were a thing; now it's all done from a box the size of a large microwave, which makes it easier to have more theatres because you don't need to have them all linked up to a central projection room (or any kind of projection room for that matter).