EL PASO, Texas & COLUMBUS, Ga. -- (Business Wire)

Carmike Cinemas, Inc. (NASDAQ: CKEC), a leading DIGITAL cinema and 3D motion picture exhibitor, today announced that construction will begin shortly on a new Carmike Cinemas entertainment complex in El Paso, TX. The Carmike 13 will be an anchor tenant of a 230 acre multi-use planned development to be constructed at the northeast corner of Montana Avenue (US 62) and Loop 375 in one of El Paso’s fastest growing areas. The planned development is located directly across the street from a new Lowe’s Home Improvement Center and a Wal-Mart Supercenter.

Jay Anthony, Principal of Dallas, TX-based Anthony Properties, developers of the project, stated, “New construction at Fort Bliss, proximity to the planned Army Medical Campus and the future El Paso Community College Campus make this a prime site that will attract additional top-tier retail, restaurant and commercial tenants to the area.”

The new theatre will feature 13 screens with total seating for over 2,800 guests and will be highlighted by a state-of-the-art “BIGD” auditorium, Carmike’s acclaimed premium theatre environment. The new facility will be equipped with auditoriums featuring stadium style seating, with comfortable high back rocking luxury seats, in addition to retractable armrests and convenient cup holders. The Carmike 13 will also contain large, wall-to-wall screens, as well as DLP DIGITAL projection and DIGITAL sound. The new theatre will have an upscale lobby and multiple concession areas featuring Coca Cola Freestyle drink centers. One-stop ticketing and concessions stations are a unique design feature of the Carmike 13. Filmgoers can escape the elements, purchase their tickets and favorite concessions and quickly move into their comfortable seats. The new complex will also feature special services for the visual and hearing impaired.

Notes Carmike President and CEO David Passman: “We’re providing the ultimate entertainment experience that centerpieces large format DIGITAL with bigger screens, bigger sound, and luxurious theatre seating for cutting-edge presentation and the definitive enjoyment of our audiences. With the opening of the new location, the El Paso area joins a select and growing list of communities across the nation offering Carmike theatregoers the exciting new “BIGD” format. The “BIGD” auditorium will seat nearly 600 guests in luxurious comfort.

Expected to draw area movie-goers from across the region to the “BIGD” Experience will be its totally enhanced theatre amenities, including a wall-to-wall screen measuring over 81 feet wide and three stories tall, enhanced by the latest in 7.1 surround sound and DIGITAL projection of both 2D and 3D features. In technical terms, Carmike’s “BIGD” DIGITAL Experience is powered by a cutting-edge Christie Brilliant 3D flash projector. The end result is a light output of 30,000 lumens, creating a picture quality with noticeably higher resolution than HD.

The “BIGD” environment will be further embellished by the comfort of plush leather high-back rocking seats placed for optimal viewing in a stadium-seating configuration. – in either 3-D or 2-D DIGITAL – Carmike has the full capability to provide our audiences with the technology and total luxury that brings theatergoing to a new level.”

“The success of 3-D releases for features like ‘Avatar,’ ’Marvel’s The Avengers,’ ‘Transformers Dark of the Moon,’ ‘Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2’ and the record-breaking re-launch of ’The Lion King in 3-D,’ proves that audiences are excited about and enjoy a premium DIGITAL experience, and are demanding it,” said Mr. Passman. “These successes will no doubt persuade producers to release more movies in this format, so moviegoers can truly enjoy our “BIGD” experience.”

“We have developed more than 40 theatres for Carmike Cinemas over the past 25 years and are very pleased to add this outstanding location to the growing portfolio,” added Mr. Anthony. “The El Paso market offers strong demographics, a diverse economy and a pro-growth business environment.”

Plans for Carmike’s “BIGD” Experience includes more locations in 2012-13 such as Cleveland, TN, Sandestin, FL, Jacksonville, NC, Winchester, VA, and Decatur, AL. “Whether it is a movie, concert, sporting event, motivational speaker or church service, Carmike guests will find “BIGD” placing them at the heart of the event,” notes Terrell Mayton, Carmike’s Director of Marketing.

About Carmike Cinemas (NASDAQ: CKEC) - www.carmike.com

Carmike Cinemas, Inc. is a U.S. leader in digital cinema and 3-D cinema deployments and one of the nation’s largest motion picture exhibitors. As of June 30, 2012, Carmike had 233 theatres with 2,245 screens in 35 states. Carmike’s digital cinema footprint reached 2,122 screens, including 209 theatres with 750 screens that are also equipped for 3-D. The circuit also includes 13 Big D large format digital

Contacts:

Carmike Cinemas
Terrell Mayton, Director of Marketing
706-576-3464
or
Anthony Properties
Jay Anthony, Principal
214-432-9511
www.anthonyproperties.com

Source: Carmike Cinemas, Inc.