Magic Johnson Theatres is a chain of
movie theaters, originally developed in 1994 by Johnson Development Corporation, the business holding of
basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular court, compete with the primary objective of shooting a basketball (approximately in diameter) through the defender's h ...
player-turned-entrepreneur
Magic Johnson, and
Sony Pictures Entertainment through a partnership with Sony-Loews Theatres.
A 1998 merger between Sony-Loews and
Cineplex Odeon Corporation
Cineplex Odeon Corporation was one of North America's largest movie theatre operators and live theatre, with theatres in its home country of Canada and the United States. The Cineplex Odeon brand is still being used by Cineplex Entertainment at ...
caused them to become part of the new
Loews Cineplex Entertainment
Loews Cineplex Entertainment, also known as Loews Incorporated, is an American theater chain operating in North America. From 1924 until 1959, it was also the parent company of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios (MGM).
The company was originally cal ...
Corp. Magic Johnson worked with Lawrence Ruisi, CEO of Loews Cineplex Entertainment, during the planning and development of these theaters. Currently the chain's former locations are owned by
AMC Theatres
AMC Entertainment Holdings, Inc. (d/b/a AMC Theatres, originally an abbreviation for American Multi-Cinema; often referred to simply as AMC and known in some countries as AMC Cinemas or AMC Multi-Cinemas) is an American movie theater chain fou ...
, after Sony-Loews was acquired by that company in 2006. Although they are still branded Magic Johnson Theatres, they are solely controlled by AMC.
Earvin "Magic" Johnson, Jr., is no longer actively involved in the management committee, strategic planning, operations, or public relations.
History
The focus of Magic Theatres was to build first-rate multiplexes in
urban
Urban means "related to a city". In that sense, the term may refer to:
* Urban area, geographical area distinct from rural areas
* Urban culture, the culture of towns and cities
Urban may also refer to:
General
* Urban (name), a list of people ...
communities, bringing high quality facilities and technology, as well as job development, encouraging local
economic growth. While Magic Theatres are patterned after the Loews Cineplex Entertainment model, they focus on urban markets. Each complex is around with multiple concession areas, 10 to 15 screens with
SDDS stereo sound, stadium seating and a capacity of 3,200 to 5,000. After building the Magic Theatre in
Harlem
Harlem is a neighborhood in Upper Manhattan, New York City. It is bounded roughly by the Hudson River on the west; the Harlem River and 155th Street on the north; Fifth Avenue on the east; and Central Park North on the south. The greater Ha ...
, multiple businesses followed suit including
Old Navy
Old Navy is an American clothing and accessories retailing company owned by multinational corporation Gap Inc. It has corporate operations in the Mission Bay neighborhood of San Francisco, California. The largest of the Old Navy stores are its ...
,
Disney
The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was originally founded on October ...
, and
HMV
Sunrise Records and Entertainment, trading as HMV (for His Master's Voice), is a British music and entertainment retailer, currently operating exclusively in the United Kingdom.
The first HMV-branded store was opened by the Gramophone Company ...
.
There are/were two multiplex theatres in, or near, major cities of the
United States of America
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territo ...
, namely in areas which are predominantly
African-American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ensl ...
and previously were underserved by modern cineplexes.
Johnson brought his understanding of the community to his theater operations. In his concessions he planned on his customers eating their dinner with the movie adding chicken wings and buffalo shrimp to the selection. Flavored sodas were added to emulate the
Kool-Aid
Kool-Aid is an American brand of flavored drink mix owned by Kraft Heinz based in Chicago, Illinois. The powder form was created by Edwin Perkins in 1927 based upon a liquid concentrate called Fruit Smack.
History
Kool-Aid was invented by ...
the kids he grew up with would drink at home.
No gang colors or "hanging out" in large groups was permitted in the theaters. Johnson would personally appear before each movie:
Los Angeles multiplex
The venture dates back to July 1995, when the Magic Johnson Crenshaw 15 opened in the
Baldwin Hills Mall in the
South region of
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
.
It was the first multiplex theatre opened, and was closed in 2010. It was completely renovated and reopened as the Rave Cinemas Baldwin Hills 15 by the
Rave Cinemas
Rave Cinemas, formerly known as "Rave Motion Pictures", is a movie theater brand founded in 1999 and owned by Cinemark Theatres. It previously was headed by Thomas W. Stephenson, Jr., former CEO of Hollywood Theaters, and Rolando B. Rodriguez, fo ...
chain in 2011. It is now owned by
Cinemark Theatres
Cinemark Holdings, Inc. (stylized as CineMark from 1998 to 2022 and CINEMARK since 2022) is an American movie theater chain that started operations in 1984 and since then it has operated theaters with hundreds of locations throughout the Americ ...
and is renamed the
Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza 15 and XD.
Other multiplexes
The only two multiplexes that were opened during the partnership with Magic Johnson, and are still operating, is the AMC Magic Johnson Harlem 9 in
Harlem, New York City and the AMC Magic Johnson 12 Capital Center in
Largo, MD
Largo, located within greater Upper Marlboro, Maryland, is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The population was 11,605 at the 2020 census.
Largo is located just east of the ...
, a suburb of
Washington, D.C.
)
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
The
Randall Park 12 in Cleveland, Ohio;
Northline 12 in Houston, Texas; and
Greenbriar 12 in Atlanta, Georgia — were all closed by AMC due to lack of profitability.
The Magic Theatres
Cap Center 12 in Largo, Maryland is still open and operated by AMC Theatres. The Cap Center 12 was the first multiplex opened that was not a partnership with Magic Johnson. Loews Cineplex Entertainment had used the Magic Theatres name only to brand the location.
See also
*
References
External links
Magic Johnson Enterprises website
Movie theatre chains in the United States
AMC Theatres
Theatres
Theatre or theater is a collaborative form of performing art that uses live performers, usually actors or actresses, to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place, often a stage. The perform ...
Entertainment companies based in California
American companies established in 1994
Entertainment companies established in 1994
1994 establishments in California
Cinemas and movie theaters in Los Angeles
Cinemas and movie theaters in New York City
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