The quality of the Auburn movie-going experience will receive quite a shot in the arm with the addition of a 16-screen movie theater that includes all of the bells and whistles of current top-of-the-line theaters. The Carmike-owned Wynnsong 16 features a large video game arcade and 16 auditoriums with stadium seating and high quality sound capability.
Randy Boleman, southern division manager for Carmike, said the theater is the highest quality venue that his company produces.
"This is our Cadillac," he said of the theater.
Boleman is in charge of 140 theaters in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Alabama. Two theaters in this region opened yesterday: the one in Auburn and one in Mobile.
Boleman was pleased with the enthusiastic reception Auburn has given the theater.
"I think we've had a great response. People seem to be very excited," he said.
The grand opening of the theater was celebrated with a VIP party Tuesday night. People in attendance ranged from local dignitaries to company investors to the CEO of Carmike Mike Patrick.
The people at the VIP party were invited to choose a movie, such as "Life is Beautiful" or "Saving Private Ryan," to watch in the theaters and were later given the opportunity to purchase tickets to "Star Wars Episode I The Phantom Menace" before the general public was able to do so.
Emmett Winn, a film studies professor in the department of communication, attended the VIP party. He said the moviegoing environment offered by the new theater is quite a step up from current conditions.
"I thought it was very nice," Winn said. "I would say it's a quantum leap. It's quite an improvement."
After the VIP party, the theater was scheduled to feature a special showing of "The Phantom Menace" at midnight.
Boleman said the opening of the new theater coincided well with the premiere of the newest episode of "Star Wars," one of the most highly anticipated releases in history.
"Not only is this 'Star Wars,' but it's 'Star Wars' the way it was meant to be seen. With THX and DTS sound and stadium seating, it's a great night."
However, the night was not great for everyone involved.
Several hundred people stood in line, many of them for hours, outside the theater in order to buy tickets to the first showing.
Unfortunately, few of those people got in to see the movie because people attending the VIP party were allowed to purchase as many as 10 tickets at a time. The three screens showing "The Phantom Menace" had nearly sold out before any of the people waiting outside were even given the opportunity to buy
Ash Jonas, a sophomore in international business, waited all afternoon in one of the eight lines outside the theater and was not able to purchase tickets. Luckily for Jonas, a friend in another line was able to buy seven tickets.
"We got out there a little after 11 (a.m.). I was like fourth in my line and when they started selling tickets, my line didn't move at all," Jonas said. "A couple of the lines didn't move at all."
The theater staff was forced to deal with an angry crowd that became impatient.
Jason Coker, a projectionist at the theater and a junior in aerospace engineering and business, stood in the passageway between the main lobby and the auditoriums with several other employees in order to keep people out of the theaters until the proper time.
"They used us as human barriers because they were afraid people would rush the theaters," Coker said.
Coker said the theater added an additional showing of "The Phantom Menace" at 2:30 a.m. to appease the angry crowd outside.
"They asked the employees if they could stay, and if they could, they stayed later," he said.
"They didn't have hardly any tickets left because the people in the VIP party bought almost all the tickets," Jonas said. "We were out there in the rain all day and hardly anybody got into the midnight show. And the 2:30 show sold out just like that."
Jonas said as many as 1,500 to 2,000 people were waiting outside to buy tickets. Most of them did not get in to see either show.
"I thought it was ridiculous. Everyone was upset because we were never told about it.
"I feel bad for the people that sat out there just as long as we did and didn't get to see anything," Jonas said.
Despite the hassles he was forced to put up with throughout the day, Jonas said he would have done it again.
"Everyone was exhausted, but it was worth it in the end. If you are a 'Star Wars' fan, you wouldn't mind waiting all day to see it."
