UGC spreads its empire
The evening of April 26 marked the grand opening of the UGC Ciné Cité Défense, in the heart of the Parisian business district. The new complex was inaugurated by Hollywood star Tom Cruise, who arrived in style by helicopter.
Designed by Alberto Cattani, the new 16-screen multiplex with seating for 3,627 houses the former IMAX dome, which has been reconverted into a grand theatre. The €20m project, is UGC’s latest in the French capital, a city already dominated by the UGC Ciné Cité les Halles and UGC Ciné Cité Bercy, each of which has yearly admissions of 3m.
The present UGC empire boasts 49 cinemas and 563 screens across Europe, and registered over 36m admissions last year. France has the most UGC cinemas in Europe, with 37 cinemas and 367 screens, but UGC continues its growth in Spain (5 cinemas and 88 screens), Belgium (4 cinemas and 56 screens) and Italy (3 cinemas and 52 screens).
According to the group’s director, Guy Verrecchia, a site in Liège is in the planning stage, as well as the opening of a third cinema in Madrid. In Italy, following the opening of UGC cinemas in Forli, Turin and Fiumicino (24 screens for the massive Parco Leonardo), UGC is now working on a project for a 14-screen multiplex with seating for 2,200 in the Porta di Roma district. It is expected to open in mid-2007.
(Translated from French)
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