Kinepolis Group NV has agreed to acquire Landmark Cinemas Canada LP from TriWest Capital Partners and other shareholders.
Landmark Cinemas Canada LP, located in Calgary, Alberta, is Canada’s second largest theatre exhibition company. Founded in 1965, Landmark operates 44 cinemas and a total of 303 screens throughout Western Canada, Ontario and the Yukon Territory including five IMAX®, four ‘Extra’ and one ‘Xtreme’ screen.
In November 2013, Landmark completed the acquisition from Empire Theatres of 22 theatres (227 Screens) in Ontario, Manitoba, Alberta and BC.
TriWest Capital Partners, in partnership with the senior management team, acquired a majority interest in Landmark Cinemas and financed the equity for Empire Theatres acquisition.
Kinepolis Group NV located in Ghent, Belgium, was formed in 1997 through the merger of two family cinema groups and was listed on the stock exchange in 1998. Kinepolis offers an innovative cinema concept which serves as a pioneering model within the industry. Kinepolis Group NV has 48 cinemas, and a total of 500 screens spread across Belgium, the Netherlands, France, Spain, Luxembourg, Switzerland and Poland. In addition to its cinema business, the Group is also active in film distribution, event organization, on-screen advertising and property management.
“Landmark’s significant investment in recliner seating to create an industry-leading movie-going experience aligns directly with similar initiatives by Kinepolis across Europe,” said Neil Campbell, Chief Executive Officer, Landmark Cinemas Canada. “Combining with Kinepolis will also provide Canadian movie lovers with greater access to world class cinema experiences.”
Eddy Duquenne, CEO of Kinepolis Group, says: “Both Kinepolis and Landmark Cinemas are passionate about offering the ultimate customer experience. The combination of the Kinepolis three-pillar strategy of being the best cinema operator, the best marketer and best real estate manager, its focus on providing an excellent customer experience, also through the use of enhanced customer feedback tools, together with its financial strength provides a unique opportunity to accelerate the growth of the Landmark Cinema network in Canada. Working together, the two groups will be able to create long-term value, resulting in an unparalleled customer experience for the Canadian moviegoers.”
“The innovative and entrepreneurial culture that we have been fortunate to build over the past 52 years at Landmark matches perfectly with Kinepolis,” said Brian F. McIntosh, Executive Chairman, Landmark Cinemas Canada. “Joining the Kinepolis family is a terrific opportunity for Landmark’s people, who will continue to lead the Canadian business and build their careers as part of a global leader in the cinema industry. Our guests and business partners will also benefit from the expertise that Landmark will be able to leverage from Kinepolis.”
photo credit: Landmark Cinemas