Imax Unveils Four-Theater China Deal with Blue Ocean

TORONTO -- Imax on Thursday signed a deal with Jiangsu Eudemonia Blue Ocean Cinema Development Co. to double the Chinese exhibitor's stable of digital theatres to eight.

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Imax and Blue inked a deal for another four theaters, which follows an earlier February 2011 deal that saw the Chinese exhibitor launch a super-sized Imax theater in Suzhou Xinsu Tiandi International's Cineplex at Xinsu Plaza and in another three Blue Ocean-branded multiplexes in Kunming, Taizhou and in Xuzhou, in Jiangsu province.

The latest deal will see Blue Ocean install a digital theater system at the Eudemonia Blue Ocean International Cineplex at the Songlei Department Store, located in Daqing, Heilongjiang Province, in early 2012.

The remaining three systems are scheduled to open by 2014 at the Renhe Spring International Plaza in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, the Central International Shopping Plaza in Suqian, and the Yurun Central International Plaza in Huai'an, both in Jiangsu province.

Blue Ocean was launched by the state-owned Jiangsu Broadcasting Corporation to develop cinemas in the eastern China province.

Thursday’s agreement brings to 181 the number of Imax theaters scheduled to open in China, 48 of which are now operating.