Hoyts unveils new city cinema
A striking new image show how a proposed new $50 million Hoyts cinema development in central Christchurch will look.
The computer-generated image shows the large cinema, retail and food complex proposed for the corner of Colombo and Lichfield streets, opposite the new bus interchange.
Hoyts Cinemas is returning to the city centre for the first time since the 2011 earthquakes destroyed its eight screen complex on Moorhouse Ave in the former railway station building.
Construction is due to start next year on the new cinema and expected to be complete by the middle of 2018. The three-level complex will have a food precinct on the ground floor with 16 dining outlets, two very large cinema screens and two screens featuring luxury seating and food and drinks service.
The project is being developed by Calder Stewart Development, which purchased the land from state regeneration agency Otakaro.
Hoyts New Zealand general manager Matthew Garelli said last month the company had been looking at the region since the quakes.
‘‘Over the past couple of years it has become a bit easier to understand what the vision for the CBD was going to look like. That was hard to understand four years ago.
‘‘Once we knew that the bus interchange was going to be a hub of activity, it was a bit of a nobrainer.’’
Hoyts will lease the $50m complex when it opens in May 2018.
Jonathan Lyttle, managing director of Savills Real Estate, which brokered the land deal, said in August the development was a vote of confidence in the city centre rebuild.
‘‘It’s a real coup for the Christchurch CBD rebuild that we have been able to attract Hoyts to this key piece of central city land.
‘‘It’s another big piece in the central city rebuild jigsaw that we’re pleased to have helped put in place.’’
The Hoyts development will not include parking, but Lyttle said there were about 2000 parking spaces within 300 metres of the site.
"Once we knew that the bus interchange was going to be a hub of activity, it was a bit of a no- brainer." Hoyts New Zealand general manager Matthew Garelli