Sports News

Plano-based Cinemark opens its theaters for college football playoffs

Now this is the way to watch football.

Photo courtesy of Cinemark

The Cinemark movie theater chain is hosting an unusual series aimed at college football fans. Plano-based Cinemark Holdings, Inc. has teamed up with ESPN to bring the college football playoffs to the big screen.

A select number of Cinemark theaters will host screenings of three playoff games, as follows:

Semifinal at the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic, at AT&T Stadium in Arlington
Semifinal at the Capital One Orange Bowl, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens
National Championship, the biggest game of all, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis

Cinemark senior VP Justin McDaniel says in a statement that it'll be a one-of-a-kind viewing experience that will make viewers feel like they are part of the on-field action.

"We are thrilled to offer an incredible opportunity for college football fans to gather and cheer on their teams in our immersive auditoriums with larger-than-life screens and surround sound," McDaniel says.

The schedule is as follows:

Friday, December 31, at 4:30 pm: No. 1 Alabama will square off against No. 4 Cincinnati in the College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic
Friday, December 31, at 8:30 pm: No. 2 Michigan will take on No. 3 Georgia at the College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Capital One Orange Bowl
Monday, January 10, at 9 pm: The winners of the two games will go head-to-head for the College Football Playoff National Championship

All showings will include ESPN’s live pre-game studio programming.

The local markets for all four CFP semifinalists will feature theatres providing this unique experience. The full list of markets includes:

Huntsville, Alabama
Los Angeles
Sacramento
San Francisco
Colorado Springs
Hartford, Connecticut
Jacksonville, Florida
Atlanta
Baton Rouge
Baltimore
Detroit
Jackson, Mississippi
Albuquerque
Las Vegas
New York
Rochester
Cincinnati
Cleveland
Columbus
Dayton
Oklahoma City
Eugene, Oregon
Austin
Dallas
El Paso
Houston
Salt Lake City
Seattle

A $10 concessions package allows attendees to reserve their seat. Fans will score special prizes after each contest based on the winning team.

For information or to buy tickets, visit Cinemark.com/CFP or the Cinemark mobile app.

Fortunately, these games are not among those that have been canceled due to a COVID-19 surge — specifically, players who've gotten COVID-19, which prevented the teams from having enough players. So far, five bowl games that were to have been played this week have been impacted.

The full schedule of games is listed on NCAA.com.

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Roller Coaster News

Six Flags Over Texas in Arlington retires 2 roller coasters for newbie

Six Flags

La Vibora roller coaster at Six Flags, RIP.

Amusement park operator Six Flags Entertainment Corporation is investing more than $1 billion in its theme parks over the next two years, with an array of enhancements for Six Flags Over Texas that include a record-breaking dive roller coaster, slated to launch at the Arlington theme park in 2026.

Hurricane Harbor Arlington will also receive the largest investment in its history, with the introduction of a massive interactive kids area, Splash Island.

Waterparks and water features have become an increasingly popular category, aided by technological advancements such as man-made surf machines. According to a report by Hotel & Leisure Advisors, 16 indoor waterparks opened or expanded in 2023, and 12 new outdoor waterparks opened. The largest new outdoor waterpark of the year was Kalahari Resort in Round Rock, featuring 11 slides, a lazy river, pools, and swim-up bars.

“Six Flags is dedicated to creating unforgettable experiences and will be implementing a wide array of enhancements throughout the property. Our park's multi-year expansion plans will bring major investments including cutting-edge thrill rides, revitalized family experiences, elevated dining and expanded events,” says the park's president Richard Douaihy in a statement.

And now the sad news. To make room for the all-new dive coaster they're installing at Six Flags, they're retiring two roller coasters:

La Vibora, a steel bobsled-style roller coaster, which opened in 1986
El Diablo, known as a giga loop coaster, which has been in operation since 2019

The rides’ retirement enables the park to make way for a new generation of thrill machines in the Spain section of the park.

'We understand that saying goodbye to beloved rides can be difficult, and we appreciate our guests' passion. These changes are an important part of our growth and dedication to delivering exceptional new experiences. We look forward to sharing more details this summer,” Douaihy says.

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