West Carroll Chamber of Commerce

Holland Entertainment LLC, operators of the Fiske Theatre in Oak Grove, have announced movie attendance in 2012 increased by 17.5% over 2011 posting its largest attendance numbers since the theatre returned to operation in 2009 with 16,967 movie goers this past year.

“2012 started slow and scary,” Adam Holland, President of Holland Entertainment said. “Only 3,288 people came to the movies from January – March last year which was our lowest attendance since we have been back, but things seemed to turn around in March and stayed hot posting quarterly increases in the second and fourth quarters of the year.”

The slow start of 2012 can be attributed to the lack luster performance of the box office nationally for the final quarter of 2011 when Hollywood flooded the market with what many called less than average movie going product.  The Fiske, who generally gets movies three to four weeks after the national release date carried those products over to the new year.

The increase locally follows the national trend where attendance was up 6% nationwide in 2012 with 1.36 billion people going to the movies compared to 1.29 billion which was the lowest movie going attendance since 1994 breaking two years of declines in movie attendance.

“The slow start had us on pins and needles,” Holland said. “After being forced by the industry to make a sizeable investment in digital technology to start the year as slow as we did caused some major concerns, but when the blockbusters began to roll in mid spring we saw the people of West Carroll still saw us as a valuable part to their quality of life.”

Much of the increase in attendance can be attributed to the solid product Hollywood put out in 2012 with such films as Breaking Dawn Pt. 2, The Avengers, Dark Knight, Hunger Games, The Amazing Spiderman and the sleeper hit, The Odd Life of Timothy Green, all of which performed better than expected at the box office.

“Movie going is a tradition in America,” Holland said. “Yes home technology has improved and release windows are getting shorter, but you cannot get at home what we offer at the cinema and that is Big Screens, Big Sound and most importantly that escape from reality and the communal movie going experience.  That is why movie going    has been and always will be the American people’s first choice for away from the home entertainment.”

The Fiske also debuted its newly renovated auditorium thanks to the overwhelming support of the people of Northeast Louisiana with the Chamber’s Operation 2012 Fundraiser and Project which gave the theatre her biggest facelift since she opened in April of 1950.

Holland is very optimistic about 2013 as Hollywood seems to have gotten the picture after the dismal to 2011 and the product seems to be strong in the coming year.

“We look to start 2013 strong with big award winning hits like LINCOLN, THE HOBBIT, and LES MISERABLES,” Holland said.  “Things look like they will fade some mid-spring but the summer and fall look hot with the new SUPER MAN “MAN OF STEEL,” LONE RANGER and many more.”

The Fiske Theatre is Northeast Louisiana’s oldest operating and last single screen movie theatre.  The Fiske is owned by the West Carroll Chamber of Commerce and operated by Holland Entertainment LLC of Oak Grove, La.

MONROE, La. — The Office of the Louisiana State Fire Marshall gave his stamp of approval to the West Carroll Chamber of Commerce’s Operation 2012 Project to restore the Fiske Theatre in Oak Grove, La., Thursday at his satellite office in Monroe, La. clearing the way for the project to start once the bid selection and fund raising portions of the project are complete.

“This is a step in the right direction, “ W.C. Chamber President H. Doug Ainsworth said. “We knew going in that we had to have the fire marshall’s approval before we could begin actual work on the project.  Now that this hurdle has been completed, everything is on go to begin the project hopefully at the end of July/first part of August.”

The State Fire Marshall’s approval of the project was necessary due to changing the seating layout of the theatre and the reduction of its seating capacity due to the new seats being larger than those that were installed in the theatre in 1950.

Under the new seating layout, the seating capacity of the theatre will be reduced from its current capacity of 653 to 524. By reducing the seating capacity, the area between seats will be widened from 20 inches to 35 inches which will allow for more comfort and leg room for movie goers. The new seats will also be about 4 inches wider and will feature cup holders. The new layout also features eight reserved assessable seating areas with permanent companion seats that will be located in the center of the auditorium rather than those with disabilities being segregated to the rear aisle of the auditorium.

The Fire Marshall also approved the Chamber and Holland Entertainment’s plans to continue to occupy and operate the theatre during the construction phase of the project.

“In its initial writing on the project, the Fire Marshall’s office had said occupation of the theatre would not be permitted until the project was complete, and he had signed a completion certificate which caused us some concern,” Adam Holland, President of Holland Entertainment which operates the theatre for the chamber said. “However his approval letter is quoted as saying, ‘It shall not be the intent of this office to prevent operation of the theatre during phases of the renovation work as long as our conditions are followed.’ which means normal operation of the theatre will continue uninterrupted.”

During the construction phase of the project the theatre will operate out of the balcony and movies will continue as scheduled.

To date the fundraising tally is at $23,228 which is just only $6,772 away from its goal of $30,000 which will allow for all of the committee’s charge to be completed. To make a donation contact John Elliott at Regions Bank (318-428-9626) or Robyn Creech at 318-282-9996.

The Fiske Theatre is owned by the West Carroll Chamber of Commerce and operated by Holland Entertainment, LLC of Oak Grove.  All funds raised will be used for theatre restoration and project books are available for review upon request.

Denmon Propels Chamber Closer to Goal

Oak Grove native and successful businessman Terry Denmon propelled the West Carroll Chamber of Commerce’s Operation 2012 Committee closer to its goal of $30,000 to be used to restore the Fiske Theatre in Oak Grove, La with a donation of $10,000 toward the project which includes replacing the seats, repairing and painting the ceiling and replacing the front doors.

As of press time the tally to date stands at $22,183.

“We are very appreciative of Mr. Denmon’s donation to our cause,” Chamber President Doug Ainsworth who accepted the check on behalf of the committee said.  “It is always great to have a person who has become as successful as Mr. Denmon has in his field give back to his home town.  This donation brings us within striking distance of being able to complete all we have planned to do in returning our theatre to her rightful spot as the ‘Grand Dame of Movie Theatres’ in Northeast Louisiana.”

Donations are still being accepted by the chamber and can be made by visiting your neighborhood Regions Bank (Instruct them to contact the Oak Grove Branch for Account Information) or by contacting John Elliott at 318-428-9626 or Robyn Creech at 318-282-9996.

The committee is also currently accepting bids for the painting portion of the project.  For more information on the bidding process contact Adam Holland at 318-282-6938.

The Fiske Theatre is owned by the West Carroll Chamber of Commerce and operated by Holland Entertainment LLC of Oak Grove.  All contributions to the Operation 2012 Project will be used for theatre restoration with no funds being used for general theatre operations.  Project books are available to the public upon request.

OAK GROVE, La.— The West Carroll Chamber of Commerce has announced the formation of its Operation 2012 Committee which is charged with raising $30,000 to complete the restoration of the Fiske Theatre which began in 2007.

Goals of the project are to replace the seating on the main floor of the theatre, repair and paint the auditorium ceiling, and replace the front doors to the theatre.

“This is an ambitious project,” Operation 2012 Chairman Robyn Creech said. “But it is a project that is attainable and will be an asset to our community not just Oak Grove, and West Carroll Parish but all of Northeast Louisiana.”

The Fiske Theatre was built in 1950 and at the time was one of the nicest theatres in the nation with a seating capacity of 700. However in 62 years’ time buildings begin to show their age. Since 2007 the Chamber, under the guidance of the Fiske Theatre Committee has made approximately $100,000 in improvements to the building using primarily theatre income, with some financial and in-kind donations from local businessmen and donations of equipment from larger theatre chains across the nation.

“In 1988, my father, Donald B. Fiske Sr., and our family donated the theatre to the West Carroll Chamber to provide a place to enhance the quality of life for the citizens of Northeast Louisiana,” Honorary Committee Chairman Ronald C. Fiske said. “We knew that the chamber would maintain this facility that meant so much to our family and this community, and would keep it from going the same way as so many of these downtown theatres across the nation have gone throughout the years. They should be commended for their work and I am honored to be asked to help them finish their goal of bringing Dad’s theatre back to her glory.”

The number one complaint that patrons have when coming to the Fiske Theatre is its seating. In 1950 people were a lot smaller, plus the architectural trend of the time was not comfort, but to fit as many seats into the room as possible. The chamber has located 500 used, but vibrant, seats in Idaho that can be purchased for a reasonable price. These seats are about 5 inches wider than the existing seats and have cup holders attached. When the seats are replaced 13 inches of leg room will be added between rows. While the seats are out of the auditorium it is also the time to repair and paint the ceiling that suffered significant damage from roof leaks during the 1980’s. These enhancements, along with replacing the front doors to the theatre that can’t be locked due to an outdated manufactures’ style will cost approximately $30,000.

The Operation 2012 Committee is currently in contact with numerous potential donors and has set-up an account at Regions Bank of Oak Grove, La. for anyone who would like to make an anonymous donation. For a $100 donation or more your name will be placed on a plaque in the theatre lobby and you will be invited to an exclusive red-carpet screening when the project is complete. Also with any donation of $50 or more you may have one of the existing seats for your nostalgia purposes once the project begins.

The Fiske Theatre is owned by the West Carroll Chamber of Commerce and operated by Holland Entertainment LLC. All donations to the Operation 2012 fund will be administered by the chamber and none of the funds will be used for general theatre operation. The books for the project will be made available to the public by request.

If you have questions or would like to speak to someone in regards to making a donation, contact Robyn Creech at 318-282-9996 or call the theatre at 318-428-8289.

OAK GROVE, La. — Friday November 18 at 4 p.m. a century old era officially came to an end and a new era began as the Fiske Theatre in Oak Grove, La. became the first Independent Theatre in North Louisiana to become 100% digital.

The West Carroll Chamber of Commerce, owners of the Fiske Theatre and Holland Entertainment LLC, operators, announce the transition of the Fiske Theatre to Digital Cinema Presentation in time for the beginning of its Christmas Season.The first film to be shown in this new format was “Twlight: Breaking Dawn.”

“We are proud of the commitment the Holland family has made to the theatre,” W.C. Chamber President Brenda Hagan said. “The sizable investment they are making to make this transition shows their dedication to providing quality family entertainment in our historic theatre for years to come.”

The motion picture industry in the United States have been transitioning away from 35 mm film over the past few years and this transition has picked up pace within the last few months, experts say that by January 2013, 35 mm prints will no longer be available for exhibition in the USA.

“In one since this transition is like losing and old friend,” Adam Holland, President, Holland Entertainment said. “35 mm has been the bread and butter of our industry since the days of Thomas Edison, but the quality and versatility that this 21^st Century technology will allow us to provide our patrons brings with it much excitement and possibilities, this will be the biggest advancement in the West Carroll Parish cinema going experience since movies learned to talk with the “Jazz Singer” in 1928.”

Digital projection will provide movie goers top quality presentation each time a movie plays, and will also allow the theatre the capabilities of providing alternative content such as Broadway Plays, Metropolitan Opera, Rock Concerts, Classic Movies and live sporting events.

Throughout the history of the Fiske Theatre, it has always been on the cutting edge of technology.  In 1951 the year after the new theatre opened Mr. Fiske was awarded Exhibitor and Theatre Catalog’s Merit Award as being the most modern and well-appointed theatre in the nation.

“Since we returned the theatre to operations as a motion picture house it has always been our goal to bring the theatre back to her glory as one of the most advanced theatres in the region,” Holland said. “Being the first independent to make this move shows that we are once again one of the leaders in our industry.”

The Fiske Theatre is owned by the West Carroll Chamber of Commerce and operated by Holland Entertainment LLC of Oak Grove, La.

Tony Gilley, President of Gilley Enterprises of West Monroe, La. recently donated $5,000 to the West Carroll Chamber of Commerce Fiske Theatre Account to be used for renovations to the theatre’s marquee lighting.

“We extend the utmost appreciation to Mr. Gilley and his staff.” Chamber Director Adam Holland said. “We have come along way with our renovation of the theatre and this donation allowed us to check off one more of our needs list to get the theatre back to pristine condition.”

The theatre wasted no time in putting the money to work, theatre staff along with David Stauffer of S&S Electrical and inmates from the West Carroll Sheriff’s office replaced the 81 light fixtures in just three days having the marquee back in operation by the weekend’s showing of Madea’s Big Happy Family.

“This donation from Mr. Gilley shows how his organization is dedicated to the communities they are apart of, we look forward to working with him even more when the restaurant opens this fall,” Holland said.

The Louisiana Business Emergency Operations Center, or LA BEOC, an annex to the State Emergency Operations Center, is now activated to prepare for Mississippi River flooding and related impacts.

Louisiana’s businesses are strongly encouraged to register with the LA BEOC portal –- http://www.labeoc.org — so that they can participate in the process and have a voice in the state’s preparedness, response and recovery efforts.

The LA BEOC provides timely and official information of importance to registered businesses before, during and after a major event. This includes notification of state and local decisions pertinent to business recovery and employee safety. Registered businesses, in turn, can provide on-the-ground intelligence related to the status of their business. By reporting problems directly to the LA BEOC, businesses can help public sector officials prioritize recovery operations.

Participation by state businesses of all sizes and from all sectors helps government officials make informed decisions and speeds up the economic recovery process. The LA BEOC also uses Louisiana businesses to fill resource requests from the affected areas. A business must be registered on the portal to communicate its ability to provide goods and services through emergency disaster contracting mechanisms. While the LA BEOC connects Louisiana companies to the state’s emergency contracting processes, no governmental agency can guarantee the utilization of any business during an activation of the LA BEOC.

The LA BEOC represents the collaboration of Louisiana Economic Development, the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, the University of Louisiana at Lafayette’s National Incident Management Systems and Advanced Technologies Institute, and LSU’s Stephenson Disaster Management Institute. During a disaster in Louisiana, the LA BEOC supports the coordination of activities and resources for businesses and volunteer organizations in Louisiana and across the nation. LA BEOC support of the private sector will improve response and self-sufficiency and will reduce reliance on FEMA and other federal assistance.

Partners driving progress,

The NELEA team

info@nelea.us

http://www.nelea.us

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