GE Provides $55 Million in Financing to Cinema Circuit Owner-Operator Reading International
February 25 2008 - 9:14AM
Business Wire
GE Commercial Finance�s Media, Communications & Entertainment
business has provided $55 million in financing to Reading
International (AMEX:RDI), a Commerce, Calif.-based cinema
exhibition and real estate company. The financing will support
Reading International�s acquisition of a number of cinemas in
California and Hawaii, operated by Pacific Theatres Exhibition
Corp. Reading International currently owns and operates a majority
of leasehold assets in Australia and New Zealand making this
acquisition a key component for its plans to expand its presence in
the United States. �The uncertainty that exists in the credit
market has caused many lenders to scale back and because of that,
there has been an overall decrease in capital flowing into the film
industry,� said Ray Shu, managing director, media for GE � Media,
Communications & Entertainment. �GE has remained steadfast in
its commitment to its clients as a world-class financier. We view
Reading International�s U.S. expansion, which will add cinemas with
annual revenue of approximately $80 million, as a major growth
opportunity for the organization and the entertainment industry as
a whole.� Reading International primarily develops, owns and
operates multiplex cinemas in the United States, Australia and New
Zealand. Reading is also involved in the development, ownership and
operation of retail and commercial real estate in Australia, New
Zealand and the United States, including entertainment-themed
retail centers (�ETRCs�) in Australia and New Zealand and live
theater assets in Manhattan and Chicago in the United States. �We
are excited that this acquisition has given Reading the pre-eminent
market position on the Hawaiian Islands at such an attractive
multiple,� said Andrzej Matyczynski, chief financial officer,
Reading International. �We are eager to provide the Reading quality
experience to our new customers and are pleased that we have the
opportunity to work with GE as we expand operations in the U.S.,
especially in the light of the difficult financial market
conditions.� GE acted as administrative agent for the transaction,
which closed on February 22, along with GE Capital Markets as sole
lead arranger. The GE business has committed over $1 billion in
financing to companies in the film and theater industry, including
Rave Motion Pictures, Panavision, and Christie/AccessIT. About GE
Commercial Finance � Media, Communications & Entertainment With
nearly $10 billion in assets and offices in Atlanta, Chicago, Hong
Kong, London, Los Angeles, Munich, New York, Norwalk (HQ), San
Francisco, Singapore and Toronto, the Media, Communications &
Entertainment business is a global strategic partner to these
industries and the technologies that enable them. We bring GE�s
full resources and financial strength to each relationship, while
delivering industry expertise and flexible financing solutions that
maximize stakeholder value. www.geMCE.com About GE Commercial
Finance GE Commercial Finance, which offers businesses around the
globe an array of financial products and services, has assets of
approximately $300 billion and is headquartered in Norwalk,
Connecticut. GE (NYSE: GE) is Imagination at Work � a diversified
technology, media and financial services company focused on solving
some of the world�s toughest problems. GE serves customers in more
than 100 countries and employs more than 300,000 people worldwide.
www.ge.com
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