MOA hopes real butter, wine will woo movie fans
By Gita Sitaramiah

The movie complex at the Mall of America is closed for a serious and some say much-needed renovation to attract more moviegoers.

Can wine, dessert, popcorn with real butter and revamped auditoriums draw crowds? Time will tell. The 14-screen cinema will reopen Friday afternoon while work continues to replace old seats and upgrade two screens to digital sound and 3D-image capabilities. In addition, a no-kids-allowed VIP theater at the complex will serve wine at specified times.

The Bloomington megamall will operate the 16-year-old movie complex as Theatres-Mall of America. It had been run by the AMC Theatre chain and before that by General Cinema.

"It gives us the freedom to do some special things, like bringing in more independent films and doing movie marathons... around the holidays," said mall spokesman Dan Jasper.

East metro cinema owner Nathan Block believes the mall's movie complex needed the upgrade but is skeptical the film rotation will change much given that blockbusters pay the bills at cinemas with fewer screens.

"If they really wanted to bring in special events and more independent films, they should have put in four more screens," said Block, owner of the $2-a-seat Plaza Maplewood and discount first-run Woodbury Theatre.

Block does laud the effort to spruce up the mall's movie complex, however, saying it faces competition from megaplexes that have popped up in the area. Trying to attract more mature crowds with wine and a 21-and-overcinema is something of a gamble but not a bad idea since surveys say the major reason people aren't going to movies is patron behavior. That includes ringing cell phones and nonstop texting.
"That's just driving everybody crazy," he said.

Steve Mann, owner of Mann Theatres including the Grandview and Highland in St. Paul, said he and other operators need to look at adding 3D technology. No matter the changes made, he suspects the economy will impact movie-going frequency this fall and winter.

"I think we'll feel the pinch, too," he said.

A movie-going slowdown already may be underway. This past weekend's $67.7 million overall box office gross was the lowest since 2003, the Associated Press reported, citing data from Media by Numbers.

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