The Charlotte Observer from Charlotte, North Carolina • 67

THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER FRIDAY NOVEMBER 15 1006 3E High-tech theater has old-time look Leopard? Hyena? The Cheshire Cat? By LAWRENCE TOPPMAN Movie Writer Aubrey Stone cares about noise He takes a personal interest in the surround-sound speakers that stand in ranks along the walls of the new Phillips Place Stadium 10 Cinemas bought all three digital cinema sound systems DTS Dolby and Sony Digital for these digs He frets about proper placement of subwoofers to give the most realistic jolt to people sitting around the auditoriums In fact the only sound that seem to matter Tuesday night was the hammering and buzz-sawing around his $5 million theater open said Stone vice president for Charlotte-based Consolidated Theatres looks like chaos but be on see the results tonight if you visit Phillips Place which sits off Fairview Road about a quarter-mile north of SouthPark mall Construction dust rises from a Harris Group complex that will include an inn restaurants food stores a pedestrian area of 120000 square feet and 402 apartments giving Consolidated a walking-distance audience in the age group (18 to 30) likeliest to go to movies Consolidated now has an exhibition zone roughly defined as five miles almost to itself when you count its six screens at Park Terrace Its only direct competitor is General Cinema with three screens at SouthPark mall This 10-plex gives Consolidated 28 first-run screens in Mecklenburg County second to Eastern 32 But Mecklenburg So what sets the new joint apart9 As the name implies it has stadium seating in all auditoriums: Instead of walking up a ramp to get to the rear seats you walk up steps The tiered effect lets short people see over tall ones But unlike AMC which uses high-backed seats seats come up to a neck you can hear sound better when it comes from says Stone) And the steps are steep enough that you almost get the effect of being in a balcony when you reach the top All auditoriums have retractable armrests and cup-holders useful for drinks (including bottled water and cappuccino) available at two concession stands The most old-fashioned thing about the place will be a marquee stipulated when the Harris Group agreed to make Consolidated part of its real estate development The building reflects the past inside: Wesley Stone Brock designed an interior of red and gold colors suggestive of 1930s theater decor with semi-opaque wall sconces set off by cloth tassels Phillips Place is a family project in every way: Wesley is sister and her husband Casey Brock oversaw construction PS Consolidated will give free popcorn to every patron for the first week of operation and disc jockeys from WNKS-FM (951) will hand out goodies from 7 to 8 pm today and Saturday For the first two weeks or so patrons can register to win a yearlong Consolidated pass and the right to appear as an extra in an upcoming film DIEDRA LAIRDStaff Phillips Place Stadium 10 Cinemas cost $5 million to build The state-of-the-art cinema opens today Go figure for yourself at the Animals in African Ain through January 5th But bring a kid for a definitive opinion Go on a scavenger hunt with the Chitdmi 's Animat Tim king Guide available at the front desk Or take a free guided exhibition tour held at 2 pm each day Bring in a new stuffed animal to be donated to the Salvation Christmas Bureau and your family gets in free Sponsored by Land Rover Charlotte Mint Museum of kit 27V) Rvsdoi i'll Rd Cuvm otih NO 704H7-2000 5he (Charlotte (Dbsemr WHERE SMART SHOPPERS START County now holds a whopping 131 screens Can a new place survive? think at a critical mass of says Stone we came into the market with the Arboretum in 1993 Charlotte was underserved Now we feel well-served But I think always have our eyes on this Stone and father Herman president started from scratch in 1990 The old Consoli dated a family business started partly by Herman father-in-law had sold its theaters to Carmike Cinemas in 1989 The Stones hung on to the name and quickly rebuilt by erecting 28 screens in the last three years become Mecklenburg fastest-growing movie chain (Consolidated controls 44 screens all told including eight in Monroe and eight in Columbia) CuddleChairs-High Back Plush Seats with Retractable Padded Armrests in Magnificent Auditoriums! Fantastic Convenient Location! 6 Channel DIGITAL SOUND! Tremendous Wall-to-Wall Screens! Fantastic Refreshments including double-dipped Chocolates Natural Beverages Yogurt Cappuccino and More! MovieAwards GOLD CARD Program the fastest way to earn FREE Movies! mrWDo LrOC-ATEDlON)FAlRyiEWa SOUTHPARK Barbara Streisand in The Mirror Has Two Faces (PG) Presented on 2 Screens I Today at 7:00 9:50 Sat at 1:25 4:15 7:00 9:50 II Today at 7:40 10:25 Sat at 11am 2:15 5:00 7:40 10:25 The Grass Harp (PG) Today at 7:20 10:00 High School High (PG1 3) Today at 7:50 10:05 Micliael Jordan in Space Jam (pg 6 Channel Digital Sound I- Today at 6:50 9:00 Sat at 12:20 2:30 4:40 6:50 9:00 II- Today at 7:30 9:40 Sat at 1:00 310 5:20 7:30 94Q III Today 8t 8:05 10:15 Sat at 11am 1:40 3:50 5:55 8:05 10:15 First Wives Club (PG) Today at 7:15 9:30 Larger Than Life (PG) Today at 7:10 9:20 WE HONOR: 5 Brought to you by: CnSSOUMTED THEATRES tfijffcZlWiCe iticze ion me tie GUARANTEED TEa Card 4 I 1.