Rave Cinemas
| File:Huntsville Rave.jpg Valley Bend 18 by Rave Cinemas in Huntsville, Alabama | |
| Company type | Privately held (1999–2013) Brand (2013–present) |
|---|---|
| Industry | Entertainment—Theaters |
| Founded | Dallas, Texas, USA 1999 |
| Founder | Thomas W. Stevenson, Jr. |
| Headquarters | Plano, Texas, US |
Key people |
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| Parent | Cinemark Theatres (2013–present) |
Rave Cinemas, originally known as "Rave Motion Pictures," is a cinema chain established in 1999 and currently owned by Cinemark Theatres. The company was founded by Thomas W. Stephenson, Jr., who previously served as CEO of Hollywood Theaters, with leadership including CEO Rolando B. Rodriguez, a former Walmart executive. Before its acquisition by Cinemark, the chain was based in Dallas, Texas.
Company history
In late 2009, TowerBrook Capital Partners together with Lambert Media Group and Charles B Moss, Jr. formed Rave Cinemas, LLC by acquiring four locations and the Rave Motion Pictures brand from Boston Ventures’ Rave Reviews Cinemas (RRC). Under a management agreement with Rave Cinemas, RRC continued to operate 21 theaters branded as "Rave Motion Pictures."
At the same time, Rave Cinemas took over the operations and real estate of 35 theaters from National Amusements, Inc., the parent company of Viacom and CBS Corporation; these venues were rebranded as "Rave Motion Pictures" during 2010.
In October 2012, Carmike Cinemas purchased 16 theaters encompassing 251 screens from Rave Reviews Cinemas for $19 million in cash plus $100.4 million in lease commitments. Prior to this transaction, Rave managed a total of 62 theaters with 939 screens across 21 states.
By November 2012, Cinemark reached an agreement to acquire 32 Rave Cinemas sites for $240 million, subject to regulatory approval. Following this sale, only two theaters remained under the Rave name, raising questions about their long-term status.
During November 2012 and January 2013, AMC Theatres acquired ten additional Rave locations not included in the Carmike or Cinemark deals across various states.
In May 2013, Starplex Cinemas purchased the Berlin 12 theater located in Connecticut from Rave Cinemas.
The acquisition of Rave Cinemas by Cinemark was finalized on May 29, 2013. To comply with antitrust regulations, Cinemark divested several venues including Stonybrook 20 + IMAX (Louisville), Ritz Center 16 (New Jersey), and either Hickory Creek 16 (Texas) or Cinemark 14 (Denton). Concurrently, chairman Lee Roy Mitchell sold Movie Tavern Inc. to Southern Theatres. Some former Rave properties were subsequently rebranded under the Cinemark banner.
In July 2013, Carmike acquired three theaters divested by Cinemark: Stonybrook 20 & IMAX, Ritz Center 16, and Hickory Creek 16; meanwhile the Denton location remained under Cinemark ownership. These transactions influenced advertising agreements between Screenvision and National CineMedia.
Following the required divestitures, Southern Theatres purchased Movie Tavern from Lee Roy Mitchell in September 2013; meanwhile, Cinemark introduced its own dine-in theater concept named Movie Bistro at four sites. In June 2014, Movie Tavern switched its advertising affiliation to National CineMedia. By December 2016, AMC had acquired several former Carmike theaters, some of which were rebranded as AMC locations.
Additionally, Rave operated a division called "Rave Digital Media" in partnership with Continental Retail Development based in Columbus, Ohio. This entity managed six venues under that brand until its sale to AMC Theatres on January 4, 2013.
Amenities and features
Rave theaters generally provide multiple concession areas, arcade gaming options, online and kiosk ticket purchasing, and a contemporary atmosphere featuring specialized lighting, LCD menu boards, and film preview displays. Select venues also offer themed event spaces.
Auditoriums are equipped with:
- DLP Cinema projection technology
- DTS digital surround sound systems
- Stadium-style seating with 18-inch row elevation for unobstructed views
- Extra-large luxury reclining chairs with retractable armrests, cup holders, and tray tables
- 48 inches of legroom between rows
Larger auditoriums frequently include dual-level exits, centrally located seating for guests with disabilities, and elevator access. A majority of theaters support RealD 3D technology. All newly constructed facilities employ fully digital audio-visual systems.
Theaters acquired from National Amusements might not feature all these amenities.
Rave and Christie Digital
In June 2006, Rave Motion Pictures collaborated with Christie/AIX to deploy 445 digital cinema systems across its locations, completing the full digital upgrade by August 2007. Early installations were implemented in theaters located in Peoria, Illinois, and Huntsville, Alabama.
After acquiring National Amusements theaters between 2009 and 2010, Rave transitioned to Barco projectors rather than Christie units. Following Cinemark’s acquisition of Rave Cinemas, Christie projectors have been phased out in favor of Barco models. At AMC Theatres, most screens replaced Christie and Barco projectors with Sony 4K Digital Cinema systems. Carmike theaters exhibit a mix of projector brands: Hickory Creek continues using Christie equipment, whereas Louisville and Voorhees are shifting from Barco to Christie projectors.
External links
- Pages with broken file links
- Companies based in Dallas
- Economy of the Eastern United States
- Movie theatre chains in the United States
- American companies established in 1999
- Entertainment companies established in 1999
- 1999 establishments in Texas
- 2013 mergers and acquisitions
- 5
- Companies of the United States by year of establishment