Bowling Alleys

[NALs]

Caribbean Cinemas is from Puerto Rico, Palacio del Cine Dominican.

The former movie theaters of Palacio del Cine could be bought (some or all) by Caribbean Cinema (not desirable since CC’s monopoly would continue) or some foreign movie theater chain such as the Mexican Cinépolis or Cine Colombia (most Latin adquisitions of Dominican companies have been from those two countries or Brazil, much investment from El Salvador too, but I’m not sure if they have a local movie theater chain or not (El Salvador is a tiny country, but it has one of the most important business class with presence in many Latin American countries, big suprises come in small packages, lol.)

A new Dominican movie chain could technically be created too named whatever, Cine Cibao, etc.

 

[JD Jones]

I was told once by an employee in the know that these theaters don't make any money on tickets, most of their income comes from the advertisements/announcements.
I believe it; every time I go it's for the Sat or Sun Matinee, and I am either alone in the theater or one of 4-5 persons.

 

[NALs]

The value of the advertisements is based on the amount of people that look at it. Otherwise, a particular price point for an advertisement place isn’t sustainable. That’s basically how it’s with advertisement in most things (billboards, TV commercials, internet ad banners, etc.)

I guess matinee is in the day before the main movie theater going time. In the DR it could also be like with the opening of a new food franchise, lots of visit when it opens and then quickly die down.

 

[MariaRubia]

Getting back to talking about what we're supposed to be discussing (ahem), I took the kids and MiEsposo to Sebelen Bowling today and we had a great time. It is a bit shabby. - the escalators don't work when you go in and the entrance looks like it could do with a lot of TLC. But the staff were all smiles, the food was good value (burgers at RD$ 450 ++, most mains at under RD$ 500 ++). Mixed drinks are about RD$ 250-300 ++, fresh juice is RD$ 200 ++. Bowling is RD$ 1700 for one hour for up to 5 people, they then force you to rent their shoes at RD$ 100 a pair and also say you need to wear socks, which they helpfully sell at RD$ 150 a pair. All in we spent about RD$ 10,000 so it wasn't super cheap, but admittedly that included quite a few drinks (3 or 4 each). We all said it was a nice change and made a fun day out.

On the top floor they have go-karts and you race in groups of 5, so if 5 of you went and did some karting and then played bowls it would be fun. Definitely thinking of this for a kid's birthday coming up.

 

[MiamiDRGuy]

Getting back to talking about what we're supposed to be discussing (ahem), I took the kids and MiEsposo to Sebelen Bowling today and we had a great time. It is a bit shabby. - the escalators don't work when you go in and the entrance looks like it could do with a lot of TLC. But the staff were all smiles, the food was good value (burgers at RD$ 450 ++, most mains at under RD$ 500 ++). Mixed drinks are about RD$ 250-300 ++, fresh juice is RD$ 200 ++. Bowling is RD$ 1700 for one hour for up to 5 people, they then force you to rent their shoes at RD$ 100 a pair and also say you need to wear socks, which they helpfully sell at RD$ 150 a pair. All in we spent about RD$ 10,000 so it wasn't super cheap, but admittedly that included quite a few drinks (3 or 4 each). We all said it was a nice change and made a fun day out.

On the top floor they have go-karts and you race in groups of 5, so if 5 of you went and did some karting and then played bowls it would be fun. Definitely thinking of this for a kid's birthday coming up.

Dang, $1700RD for one hour??? Yo, that's $28USD. I can go bowling here for $5 for 90 minutes of bowling and $3 for shoe rental. Obviously that bowling alley is an ripoff, so I say.

 

[MariaRubia]

Dang, $1700RD for one hour??? Yo, that's $28USD. I can go bowling here for $5 for 90 minutes of bowling and $3 for shoe rental. Obviously that bowling alley is an ripoff, so I say.

The US$ 1700 is for one hour, covering 5 players. So that works out at about US$ 5.50 per player. And the shoe rental was RD$ 100 which is about US$ 1.50. So it's pretty much the same price as you're paying (I presume you're in Miami). DR is no longer a cheap country, I think food here costs a lot more than in Europe or the US. There was a waiting list to play by the time we left (at 6pm) so there are clearly a lot of Dominicans with money to lay down. We eat very well, we buy top quality and don't worry about what it is costing, but I find it very very easy to spend US$ 100 on just a few bits in the supermarket.

 

[MiamiDRGuy]

The US$ 1700 is for one hour, covering 5 players. So that works out at about US$ 5.50 per player. And the shoe rental was RD$ 100 which is about US$ 1.50. So it's pretty much the same price as you're paying (I presume you're in Miami). DR is no longer a cheap country, I think food here costs a lot more than in Europe or the US. There was a waiting list to play by the time we left (at 6pm) so there are clearly a lot of Dominicans with money to lay down. We eat very well, we buy top quality and don't worry about what it is costing, but I find it very very easy to spend US$ 100 on just a few bits in the supermarket.

Interesting point of view but honestly that place needs a remodel, even worse a rebuilt to a bigger place and add bigger parking garage maybe? I am not in Miami but used to, I live in NY.

 

[MariaRubia]

Interesting point of view but honestly that place needs a remodel, even worse a rebuilt to a bigger place and add bigger parking garage maybe? I am not in Miami but used to, I live in NY.

Yes, I agree but honestly it's so tough running a business in DR, I'm pretty sure if they were making big money they would spend some of it on the business.

 

[JD Jones]

Yes, I agree but honestly it's so tough running a business in DR, I'm pretty sure if they were making big money they would spend some of it on the business.

Right. They have been struggling for as long as I can remember.

 

[NALs]

Palacio del Cine. They went belly up quite recently. Covid change the going to movie theaters habit (basically, people that would had gone to a movie thester before Covid, instead decide to watch a movie at home), though I’m surprised they lasted as long as they did.

Technically, Caribbean Cinemas now has a monopoly.

Well, the Caribbean Cinemas monopoly isn’t a technicality anymore. News hit that they bought Palacio del Cine.

A monoply in movie theaters with time usually means lower quality and higher prices. This can’t be good for Dominican movie theaters goers. The DR government needs to step in and prevent this from happening. If it means the state taking over Palacio del Cine and turn it into a public-private company to ensure competition in the sector, then so be it.*

At the very least, the government should put in place certain incentives to encourage and support the creation of new Dominican movie theaters companies and that way ensure competition, which only benefits consumers with better service and lower prices.

* It’s a given that if the government gets in the movie theaters business, expect political ads before the start of every movie. It will make horror movies much more palatable. lol

 

[JD Jones]

As long as they still have 1pm Saturday matinees, I don't care who owns them.