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Kerasotes Theatres
The company's founder, Gus Kerasotes, a Greek immigrant, had opened his first nickelodeon in Springfield, Illinois, in 1909. In 1933, University of Illinois graduate George Kerasotes, one of Gus Kerasotes' sons, became the company's general manager. Under his management Kerasotes Theatres soon began to expand outside of Springfield into small Illinois towns like Havana, Onarga, and Highland. In 1937, the company had built the 900-seat Beverly Theater in Peoria, IL, and later added the Varsity Theater near the campus of Bradley University. By the mid-1940s, the company was operating a total of 11 theaters in mid and southern Illinois, and Gus' sons George, John, Nicholas, and Louis were all working in the family business (a fifth son, Dr. Anthony Kerasotes, died in World War II). In 1958, a company head George Kerasotes was elected president of the National Association of Theater Owners, and after Gus Kerasotes' death in 1960 he was officially named the company's president. Brother Nicholas was vice-president, Louis was secretary, and John was the company's treasurer. In 1967, Kerasotes Theatres has opened its 50th theater. During the early 1970s, some Kerasotes theaters were converted into two-, three-, and four-screen movie houses. Growth was steady during the decade, and by the early 1980s, Kerasotes Theatres had grown to become the ninth-largest cinema chain in the U.S., with 220 screens in small- and mid-sized markets in Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, Arkansas and Ohio. In 1985, George Kerasotes splits from his three brothers to form George Kerasotes Corporation. New Springfield-based GKC received 75 former Kerasotes Theatres screens in Illinois, as well as all 21 of the Michigan ones obtained from Butterfield. In 2006, GKC was purchased by Carmike Cinemas. In 1996, Kerasotes Theatres has built a 12-screen multiplex instead of old drive-in in Pekin, Illinois, that had burned down five years earlier, as well as two new 16-screen multiplexes in South Bend, Indiana, and Rockford, Illinois. In early 1997, Kerasotes Theatres secured a $115M credit line from Bankers Trust to fund its expansion program. The company's new megaplexes were often built in markets where it already had smaller theaters, and these now-outdated venues typically began to feature bargain price second-run films before eventually being closed. In the spring of 1999, the company had a total of 468 screens, while GKC had grown to 320. By the end of 1990s, Kerasotes had opened its 500th screen. In 2000, Kerasotes Theatres' headquarters moved to Chicago, where the company was seeking to expand, though some operations remained at the Kerasotes Building in Springfield. In March of 2001, George Kerasotes died at age 89, after which his daughter Beth auctioned off a number of GKC theaters and undeveloped properties. Kerasotes Theatres then had 525 screens at 82 locations. In 2003, Providence Equity Partners, Inc. has bought a Kerasotes Theatres stake for $75M. In 2004, some theatrical companies including Kerasotes began featuring special daytime shows called Matinee Movie Magic for parents with very young children. Auditorium lights were raised to a higher level so toddlers could safely wander the aisles, and sound was lowered so babies could sleep while their parents tried to enjoy the film. In 2005, the company's 600th screen is added. In September 2005, Kerasotes ShowPlace has sold 17 of its theaters to Realty Income Corp. for $200M. In January 2008, Kerasotes acquired AGT Enterprise's Star Cinema brand. The purchase includes two theaters in Iowa and four in Wisconsin. The theaters will retain the Star Cinema name. Kerasotes ShowPlace Theatres remains a privately held, family business, and is co-owned by Providence Equity Partners, Inc. Employees: around 2,300 . . . . Kerasotes ShowPlace Theatres, LLC - 224 North Des Plaines, Suite 200, Chicago, IL 60661. Tel: (312) 756 3360, fax: (312) 777 0480 . . . . Kerasotes Theatres locations Arvada, CO - Olde Town 14 Aurora, CO - Chinese 16 at Arapahoe Crossing Aurora, CO - Southlands Stadium 16 Benton, IL - Toler Bloomington, IN - ShowPlace East 11 Bloomington, IN - ShowPlace West 12 Bolingbrook, IL - ShowPlace 12 Brighton, CO - Brighton Pavilions Stadium 12 Cape Girardeau, MO - Town Plaza Cinema Carbondale, IL - ShowPlace 8 Carbondale, IL - University Place 8 Castle Rock, CO - Castle Rock Stadium 12 Centralia, IL - Plaza 5 Charleston, IL - Will Rogers Chicago, IL - City North 14 Chicago, IL - Showplace 14 - Galewood Crossings Chicago, IL - Webster Place 11 Cicero, IL - ShowPlace 14 Columbus, IN - ShowPlace 12 Coon Rapids, MN - ShowPlace 16 Council Bluffs, IA - Star Cinema 16 and IMAX Danville, IL - Village Mall Denver, CO - Cherry Creek 8 Dexter, MO - Town Country Cinema Dubuque, IA - Star 14 East Alton, IL - Eastgate Cinema Edwardsville, IL - ShowPlace 12 Evansville, IN - Stadium 16 Evergreen, CO - Bergen Park 7 Farmington, MO – ShowPlace Fitchburg, WI - Star 18 and IMAX Fort Collins, CO - Cinema Saver 6 Galesburg, IL - ShowPlace 8 Glenview, IL - Glen 10 Hamilton, OH - Cinema 10 Hamilton, OH - ShowPlace 8 Harrisburg, IL - Cinema 4 Highland, IL - Lory Theatre Hobart, IN - ShowPlace 12 Indianapolis, IN - ShowPlace 12 - Glendale Mall Indianapolis, IN - ShowPlace 12 - Traders Point Indianapolis, IN - ShowPlace 12 - Washington Square Indianapolis, IN - ShowPlace 16 and IMAX Inver Grove Heights, MN - ShowPlace 16 Jacksonville, IL - Illinois Theatre Jacksonville, IL - Times Theatre Jerseyville, IL - Stadium Johnson Creek, WI - Star 12 Kennett, MO - Cinema Keokuk, IA - Plaza 3 Kokomo, IN - ShowPlace 12 Lake Delton, WI - Desert Star 15 Lake in the Hills, IL - Lake in the Hills 12 LaPorte, IN - LaPorte Cinema Littleton, CO - Bowles Crossing 12 Louisville, CO - Colony Square 12 Machesney Park, IL - ShowPlace 14 Manteca, CA - ShowPlace 16 Marion, IL - Illinois Centre 8 Marion, IN - ShowPlace 12 Mattoon, IL - ShowPlace 10 Merrillville, IN - Merrillville 10 Merrilville/Hobart, IN - Showplace 12 Michigan City, IN - ShowPlace 14 Minneapolis, MN - Kerasotes Block E Stadium 15 Mt. Vernon, IL - ShowPlace 8 Muncie, IN - ShowPlace 12 Muncie, IN - ShowPlace 7 Naperville, IL - ShowPlace 16 New Castle, IN - Castle Theatre New Lenox, IL - ShowPlace 14 Niles, IL - ShowPlace 12 Paris, IL - Paris Theatre Park Hills, MO - Movies Parker, CO - 20 Mile Village 10 Pekin, IL - ShowPlace 14 Peru, IN - Eastwood Cinema Poplar Bluff, MO - ShowPlace 8 Princeton, IN - Princeton Theatre Quincy, IL - Quincy Mall Cinema Quincy, IL - Quincy ShowPlace 6 Reedsburg, WI - Star 6 Richmond, IN - Cinema 10 Richmond, IN - ShowPlace 11 Rockford, IL - Colonial Village Rockford, IL - North Towne Rockford, IL - ShowPlace 16 Rockford/Machesney Park, IL - ShowPlace 14 Schererville, IN - ShowPlace 12 Schererville, IN - ShowPlace 16 Skokie, IL - Village Crossing 18 South Bend, IN - ShowPlace 16 Springfield, IL - Parkway Pointe Springfield, IL - ShowPlace 12 West Springfield, IL - ShowPlace 8 East Springfield, IL - White Oaks Cinema Taylorville, IL – Cinema Terre Haute, IN - Honey Creek West 8 Terre Haute, IN - ShowPlace 12 Vernon Hills, IL - Rivertree Court Cinema Vernon Hills, IL - ShowPlace 8 Vincennes, IN - ShowPlace 8 Washington, IN - Indiana © Preems.com |
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Kerasotes
Theatres is one of the largest theater chains in the United States.
Based in Chicago, the company currently operates 100 theaters with
945 screens in Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Ohio, Missouri,
Minnesota and Wisconsin.