Sy-led movie theater operator SM Cinema plans to open at least 30 more cinemas this year, expanding its network to more than 270 screens nationwide.

Edgar C. Tejerero, senior vice-president of West Avenue Theatres Corp. — the operator of SM movie theaters nationwide — said the company plans to open new digital cinemas as its parent firm SM Prime Holdings, Inc. launches more mall developments in the coming months.

Mr. Tejerero said the company will open new cinemas in SM City San Fernando, Pampanga; SM City General Santos City; SM Fort Bonifacio, Taguig; SM City Lanang, Davao City; and SM City Consolacion in Cebu.

The new cinemas will all be digital, in line with SM Cinema’s plans to fully digitize its operations. ‘Our target is to make all our cinemas digital by July this year,’ Mr. Tejerero told BusinessWorld in an interview last week.

Of the 30 new cinemas, Mr. Tejerero said two will be IMAX theaters, one each in SM Fort Bonifacio and in SM Davao.

SM Cinema has IMAX theaters in SM Mall of Asia, SM North EDSA, SM Cebu and SM Southmall in Las Piñas.

IMAX (short for Image MAXimum) is a motion picture film format and projection standard created by Canada’s IMAX Corp. IMAX has the capacity to record and display images of far greater size and resolution than conventional film systems, and is able to recreate moving images of the third dimension (3-D), which gives the illusion of depth.

SM Cinema currently operates more than 240 movie theaters in more than 40 SM shopping malls nationwide. SM Cinema boasts of its more than 60% market share nationwide, with as high as 90% market share among movie theater operators in key cities outside Metro Manila.

SM Cinema’s tickets sales for 2011 increased by 10% from the previous year, driven by major Hollywood blockbusters like Transformers 3: Dark of the Moon, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows Part 2, and Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1, as well as local films like Praybeyt Benjamin and No Other Woman.

RELOADABLE PREPAID CARD
Last week, SM Cinema launched its e-PLUS card, which is a reloadable prepaid card that can be used to purchase movie tickets and snacks at SM cinemas nationwide.

Mr. Tejerero said the e-PLUS also doubles up as a rewards card and a VIP card, which allows cardholders to enjoy discount privileges, special promo offers from partner establishments, and invitations to exclusive movie premieres.

Aside from these benefits, Mr. Tejerero said e-PLUS cardholders will have special lanes at the ticket booth when they reload, a free drink upsize when they present their card at SM snack counters, and a meal credit for every P500 or P1,000 reload which cardholders can use to avail of popcorn and drinks.

He said those who are interested to get the e-PLUS card can fill up an application form at any SM Cinema outlet nationwide, and avail of the starter kit for P300. The kit includes an automatic pass to a movie plus a large popcorn pack and a soda.

‘While e-PLUS is one’s gateway to our exclusive offers, it is also our way of rewarding out loyal patrons,’ Mr. Tejerero said.

For more information about SM Cinema’s e-PLUS card, visit www.smcinema.com or call the customer hotline at 470-2222.