It has been a long wait for movie fans, but the opening of the NCG theaters on Ga. highways 34 and 54 near Fischer Road is set for Friday, April 22. The opening of the 10-screen, 40,000 square-foot cinema had been accompanied by the reluctance of Coweta County this week to issue a certificate of occupancy (CO). That hesitancy was offset by an approval for the opening by the state fire marshal
and Ga. Dept. of Transportation (DOT) and the fulfillment by the developer of the conditions for the opening. Those approvals were followed by one on April 22 from the Coweta County Commission. With that, NCG officials said they are ready to provide Coweta and Fayette County movie-goers will a new cinema experience.
NCG will unveil what is arguably the largest theater screen in Coweta and Fayette counties with the premier of Water for Elephants on the NCG’s Extreme Screen, featuring a 30-foot by 50-foot screen, enhanced digital sound and “Real D 3-D” capability.
The issue of the certificate of occupancy dealt with the completion of the new entrance at highway 54 and 34, where Hwy. 54 turns south just east of Fischer Road, not being completed by the cinema’s opening date. The intersection improvement will include a new entrance into the development. The existing entrance, a right-in, right-out access way, is situated immediately to the east.
Developer Scott Seymour said the hold-up over completing the new entrance was over the relocation of Atlanta Gas Light lines. The issue was resolved April 22 when Coweta commissioners approved a temporary certificate of occupancy to cover a 90-day period that is expected to provide sufficient time to have the gas lines relocated and the new entrance into the development at the Hwy. 54 traffic light completed.
As for the new cinema, what is it like inside? NCG Vice President of Corporate Development Jeff Geiger said one of the differences in the cinemas begins when moviegoers walk up to the door. First off, there is no ticket booth. Tickets for the cinemas’ all first-run movies will be purchased just inside the building along the left wall at the concession area.
And as for the popcorn and drinks, just order them up and the attendant will hand you an empty cup and tub. That might not make much sense at first but it soon will, because just beyond the ticket-taker and lining the rear of the lobby are the dispensers for a variety of drinks and several popcorn machines, which again an attendant will fill. The popcorn can be spruced up, Geiger said, with butter and various salts that will be located on an island in the area. But perhaps the greatest difference at NCG are the free refills that come with any size drink and tub of popcorn.
Geiger said there will be something else in the lobby that almost no moviegoer has ever seen in any cinema. It’s the digital projection equipment for one of the theaters, placed on the exterior of the seating area and on a small balcony area high up on the wall across from the concession area.
Down either hallway are the cinema’s 10 screens. The seating accommodations range from 150-350 seats, all of which are form-fitting, high-back rockers, Geiger said. All theaters will come with stadium seating with some limited seating up close and directly in front of the screen. Keeping the floor seating to a minimum allows NCG to bring the screen closer to the stadium seating platforms, Geiger explained.
Geiger said all 10 theaters will be outfitted with digital projection and sound and four of the screens will have 3D-capable projectors.
For more information visit www.ncgmovies.com
