MovieTickets.com Launches for Holiday Weekend

MovieTickets.com Inc., Boca Raton, Fla., launched its online movie ticketing service in time for Memorial Day weekend. The company was founded by the heads of some of the top theater chains in the country, including Mitchell Rubenstein, chairman and CEO of Hollywood.com Inc.; Peter Brown, chairman and CEO of AMC Entertainment Inc., Shari E. Redstone, president of National Amusements; and John Bailey, president of Famous Players Inc. Consumers can purchase tickets at the site by first entering their ZIP code to locate theatres and showtimes, reserving tickets with a credit card and then picking up the tickets at a theater's will-call window, customer service counter or automated ticket machines. The service initially will have no service charge, with advertising sales supporting the Web site. Customers will be able to register payment information with the site for future ticket purchases. In addition to buying tickets, consumers can read information about current and upcoming movies on the site, which features reviews, trailers and entertainment news. MovieTickets.com, currently affiliated with 5,500 movie theatre screens in the U.S., plans to launch the service in Canada on Sept. 1. The company also has signed an agreement in principle for CBS to receive 5% ownership in the company in exchange for $25 million worth of CBS advertising over five years.