Although a ribbon cutting event was held on Thursday, Nov 17 to mark the official grand opening of Clifton Park’s new Regal Cinemas at Clifton Park Center, 12,000 moviegoers had walked through its doors by the next day.
The huge attendance numbers were partly due to the midnight opening of the new Twilight movie “Breaking Dawn Pt.1.” Pre-order tickets were nearly sold-out by 10 a.m., according to Regal officials, and fans waited in line for hours in order to get good seats.
The theater also hosted three days of grand opening events and movie screenings. Regal offered discounted tickets on previously released movies and summer blockbusters like “Thor,” “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Pt. II” and “Transformers: Dark Side of the Moon.” The proceeds from the $2 movie tickets, popcorn and soda went to charities.
“We at Regal recognize that a movie theater is a special gathering place for the community. It’s a place where people come together,” said Regal Entertainment Group Marketing Manager Jewel Gallagher in a statement. “That’s why we took the opportunity during this grand opening to give back to the community while letting crowds of moviegoers come experience the all new Regal Clifton Park and RPX.”
Nearly $45,000 will be donated to the Books for Troops program in Saratoga County, CAPTAIN Youth and Family Services in Clifton Park and Times Union’s Hope Fund.
“The new cinema is a huge boost for the Clifton Park Center Mall and the town,” said Pete Bardunias, president and CEO of the Chamber of Southern Saratoga County at Thursday’s event. “This, plus the opening of the new Hilton Garden Inn, will give people even more reasons to stay and shop in our area.”
Bardunias said he is delighted to see such exciting developments in the community of Clifton Park.
Demolition on the old Regal theater that use to be housed in Clifton Park Center began in early January, with construction on the new 10-theater cinema starting right after. The new cinema has nearly doubled in size and theaters are now digital, with 3D capability.
“This is just another phase of our ongoing upgrade to the mall,” said Donald MacElroy, vice president of DCG Development, which operates the center. “We are thrilled.”
MacElroy said traffic to the mall has increased dramatically since the theater opened and that the response from the community has been “tremendous.”
Regal Clifton Park is one of only two cinemas in New York State to have a Regal Premium Experience (RPX) theater. It has 400 leather, Memory Foam seats for optimal viewing and surround sound. But the extra comfort and crisp pictures comes with an additional fee of $4.50.
“Regal premiered RPX at our theater on 42nd Street in Times Square with great success and now we are proud to bring this amazing giant screen experience to upstate New York,” said Gallagher.
MacElroy said the new Hilton Garden Inn is scheduled to open in December, which will hold Angelo’s Prime Bar and Grille. An Olive Garden will follow in 2012 and upgrades to the mall, like new interior floors and store fronts, will continue.
