[El Scorcho]

News & Advance Article says maybe so

IMAX at LU?
By Ron Brown
rbrown@newsadvance.com
Sunday, May 28, 2006

Should Liberty University build an IMAX theater?

That’s the question a Yelm, Wash., consultant is trying to help the Lynchburg school answer.

Mark R. Peterson, the director of theater analysis and planning for White Oak Associates Inc. said the proposed theater is getting a fairly warm reception.

“I’ve done this presentation many times,” he said. “It has not always been as positively received as it has been here.”

IMAX is considered a state-of-the-art audio-visual presentation.

In an IMAX theater, moviegoers are positioned on steeply elevated seating decks that have the viewer looking directly ahead at a massive screen rather than looking up like in traditional theaters.

The theater has a 15-kilowatt sound system that literally shakes the viewer as he or she is drawn into the action of the film.

For example, if there is a jet flyover of a canyon on a film in an IMAX theater, the moviegoer is surrounded by the roar of the jet engines while getting the sensation of looking down into the canyon.

“It is a fairly high impact experience,” Peterson said. “It’s a big screen. It is excellent sound.”

The reels for typical IMAX film are six feet long and weigh 400 pounds.

Peterson has spent three days this week talking about the theater with Lynchburg area civic leaders, such as school superintendents, Chamber of Commerce directors and economic development officials.

His job is to assess the potential market by analyzing population and other data.

He is trying to determine if there is enough broad-based interest in the project to make it go.

He will enter the data he collects into a computer model that will help him assess the theater’s potential performance. His report should be completed in about a month or six weeks.

LU officials will make the final call on whether the theater is built or not.

An IMAX theater has potential uses as a high-tech classroom, a community movie theater or a place for sophisticated business and civic presentations.

“In smaller markets, we look for theaters that can perform in many different modes,” he said. “It’s going to be a multi-use facility.”

LU officials see the theater as a tool to enhance the school’s community outreach, recruiting and retention.

“It just adds to the overall experience at Liberty,” said Jerry Falwell Jr., LU’s vice-chancellor and the theater’s chief proponent.

If the theater is built, the university will have a single recreational complex containing an IMAX theater, an ice rink, an indoor track and a student center with weight rooms, an aerobics area, five gym floors and an NCAA regulation swimming pool.

“What better way to recruit students than to bring them in on field trips to the theater,” Falwell Jr. said. “This ministry’s philosophy from Day 1 - even in the 1950s - was to use the most modern technology to reach as many people as possible. That’s why the Old Time Gospel Hour was on television within months after (Thomas Road Baptist Church) started.”

While Peterson has done studies on 110 IMAX theaters, only one other college has requested a study. The University of North Carolina looked into the feasibility of an IMAX theater. It never opened.

Peterson said the theater could provide a significant opportunity for the Lynchburg area to market itself.

The closest IMAX theater is in Richmond.

“One very nice opportunity is to produce regionally produced signature film of five to seven minutes to introduce the Lynchburg market to people,” he said. “It ties in very well with tourism efforts.”

The signature film would be a five- to seven-minute presentation showcasing noteworthy features of the LU campus and the region, such as the Blue Ridge Parkway and Smith Mountain Lake.

“The theater would add an hour to a visitors travel experience,” Peterson said. “That often produces an extra meal purchased. It will improve shopping and can mean overnight stays as well.”

LU benefits from having a space that is likely suitable for the theater.

A tower in the former Ericsson building is 85 feet high and 79 feet wide.

An IMAX theater could be an attractive lure for a donor looking to have a named space on the LU campus.

Building an IMAX theater from scratch would cost $6 million.

“I hope we can get the cost down to $3 or $4 million,” Falwell Jr. said.

[Flamesfanva]

I think it would be cool for not only LU but for Lynchburg.

[Hold My Own]

I guess if you are a IMAX theater you can pick and choose what movies come in? I know IMAX has a lot of movies that involve evolution and things like that....hmmmmm

[A.G.]

Without getting into details, there are so many things the university needs (and I heard have cut the budgets on) other than an IMAX. This would make absolutely no sense at all. Sorry, I'm selling on this one.

[LUconn]

It's all about marketing A.G. Prospective students apprently don't care about our trailer park dorms. But an IMAX could pull in the masses I guess.

[A.G.]

"Oh boy. Daddy, when I graduate I want to go to Liberty, they have the absolutely gnarliest IMAX theater."

"Well son, that settles it. To heck with Harvard, UVA, and Stanford. MY son is going to a college with an IMAX!"

[jimflamesfan]

AG, it may be sad, BUT IT'S TRUE...

I didn't know much about LU at all before comming...I just wanted to go to a Christian school that had a football team, hockey team, and marching band.

Came up with LU...and I stayed in one of those "trailer" dorms (dorm 10) for a year and had fun!

Go IMAX!!

[TallyW]

Harvard? Your point is overshadowed by the extreme example you've produced. How about naming any of the schools outside of the top 25 in quality and we can compete within the next 5-10 years.

[A.G.]

"But Daddy, I don't CARE about academics. All I want is a cool place to watch a movie."

My point is, that it is a sad day if a kid chooses a college because of an IMAX. I guess that is the going rate in being "The World's Most Exciting University."

[BJWilliams]

Well...for what it's worth, what's so wrong with having both...a good quality academic program and exciting stuff like an IMAX theater and an indoor track and a pool, etc.

The amenities should be what gets us in their heads...the academics should be what gets them on the campus in the fall

[Brokeback Flamer]

Wow, I read the article this morning and the comment was "Can you name 5 things that would be a more wasteful use of resources than this?" (And I didn't even make it!) IMAX is great, as a novelty. I love going to those things at VA Beach or Chicago or DC, but they are not great revenue generators. HMO hit on a great point, what would we show? There are only a limited number of movies available in IMAX format. I don't think they will be showing any of the Star Wars stuff or Charlie and The Chocolate Factory. So what is left? It sounded like it would just be a huge stop along the tour where they would watch a 7 minute video and move on. I am thinking (ok hoping) that this is just a story that got picked up and no serious consideration is being given too it.

[A.G.]

Thank you, Cowboy. My sentiments exactly. I don't think even the Altavista-Rustburg crowd would make a special trip for an overpriced IMAX movie when they can go across the street from campus and catch a flick for 2 bucks.

[SuperJon]

Back when we were all arguing over going I-A and stuff I said something would need to be done to improve student life. This is one of those things. More and more movies are coming out in IMAX. When students look at a school, the most common questions are:

a) Is it a good school in general?
b) How are the dorms?
c) What is there to do around campus?

Those are the three most asked questions. If we can say IMAX, ice skating, along with the other stuff in Lynchburg, I think we're in good shape.

[LUconn]

I worked at JFM for a week. I was temporary help moving the warehouse from what is now LCA over to that big giant tower. So having spent a lot of time in that tower, I don't even think it'd be a good IMAX theatre. Sure it's tall, but it's really not that long or wide. It seems like the perfect warehouse, which is what it's being used for. On top of that, the forklift that is in there is too big to be removed. They actually had to destroy a bunch of walls to get it in there, and then they walled it back up. Seems like a pain in the butt to me. Also, I thought we were supposed to have a sweet alumni clubhouse on top of that baby.

[thesportscritic]

Bring on the imax!!!!!!!! This would be a good attraction to the city of Lynchburg along with other prospective students. Face it, there is nothing to do in this city. I think this would be a great idea. Imax can be used for other things other than leisure things.

[A.G.]

Drink up, fellas!

[El Scorcho]

Yeah, I'm not so into the idea. Normally I'm all for whiz-bang technology, but at that price tag, I can't get behind that. Aside from other projects the money could be used for, I can think of at least one other very good use for a spare $6mil. I do understand LU wanting to bring something unique and attractive to both the school and the city, though.

[LUconn]

How about a zoo. We could start a zoology program all while attracting people to our zoo. And then fill their minds with creationism.

[Brokeback Flamer]

AG You know I LOVE it when you call me Cowboy!!! Good point about the dollar flix too, I wasn't even thinking about that. Also, ask the theatre owner(s) how much money they make when LU is OUT for the year. (HINT: Not a lot)
SJ - I thought we had you converted but alas, more work is needed. I agree that IMAX flix are coming out more and more, but there is an acquisition cost for these films that would probably NOT be covered by the ticket prices in the area. Also, what movies are they going to be allowed to show? PG-13? Certainly not "R" and what college kid is really going to get juiced up over ANOTHER Antarctica nature film? Just some thoughts.
Now the ZOO, that would be a GREAT idea!! I can think of some people I would LOVE To put in the monkey and donkey cages!!

[SuperJon]

I didn't read over the cost and stuff earlier. Six million is way too much for this. With that six million, I can think of a way to spend a couple hundred thousand: lights. Instead of ponying up that money for an IMAX theater, put lights on the baseball, soccer, and softball fields so that more people can come to these games. A game at 7 on a Friday night for baseball or softball would draw a lot more than a game at 3 in the afternoon. It'd also put us in the running for hosting conference tournaments in softball and baseball. Soccer games at night are MUCH more enjoyable than those during the day.

[ATrain]

I didn't read over the cost and stuff earlier. Six million is way too much for this. With that six million, I can think of a way to spend a couple hundred thousand: lights. Instead of ponying up that money for an IMAX theater, put lights on the baseball, soccer, and softball fields so that more people can come to these games. A game at 7 on a Friday night for baseball or softball would draw a lot more than a game at 3 in the afternoon. It'd also put us in the running for hosting conference tournaments in softball and baseball. Soccer games at night are MUCH more enjoyable than those during the day.

New scoreboards would be nice...heck, even give tennis their own scoreboard and give baseball, soccer, football and basketball plus lights for baseball and softball and it'd cost less than this. But I'm sure that they're going to do this project like they've done all the others: find a major donor that'll designate the money specifically for it, and then name it after them.

[krh44]

No kidding Atrain some seats at the baseball and soccer fields would be nice. I just saw the one photo someone posted from the tourney of Coastals stadium and it looks like we have a lot of work to do

[Hold My Own]

it's like the hockey rink....nobody (except hockey players) will come to LU b/c we have one....but when you add things like that, and a IMAX and other things all of these things add up in a young persons mind and their decision is easier, nobody knows (not even the student) at what point their mind was made up but it was the collection of things that helped make the process easier

[jimflamesfan]

Oh gosh...you guys are convincing me...I would rather see LU have more lights at the fields than the IMAX as well. Also, they could have those cool diamondvision type scoreboards at Williams and AL Worthington field (even if there the small ones like they have at Calvin Falwell Field).

Also, the rumer is that they have 1500 real seats for the hockey rink...anyone else here this...when will they actually be put it? I'd like to see more seats in there and a better scoreboard...as long as were talking about spending.

[bigsmooth]

this IMAX thing is ridiculous. their is one in raleigh where i used to live and every year they talked about it going out of business. LU has plenty to offer prospective students. use that money for something else. we need a soccer stadium, and captial improvements to baseball, softball and tennis. remodel or tear down the dorm circle and re-build, pave the streets....the list goes on and on.