Rising cost of corn threatens theater ticket prices

The rising cost of corn is increasing movie ticket prices by upping costs at the concession stand, and while all cinemas are feeling the pressure, many area theaters are trying to find ways to skirt the issue.

AMC Entertainment Inc. announced that as of last week, ticket and concession prices at the company’s theaters would rise. This price hike is partly because of an increase in the cost of corn, which is now priced at about $6 a bushel on the Chicago Board of Trade.

However, Pittsburg movie-goers might have nothing to worry about, at least for a while.

Al Lane, chief financial officer of Dickinson Theatres Inc. in Overland Park, said the company is trying to keep the high cost of corn from raising ticket and concession prices at the company’s theaters in the near future.

“We have no intention of raising prices as of now,” Lane said. “We’re doing everything we can to keep our prices competitive and give everyone an enjoyable experience at the theater.”

Amy Manrique, assistant manager of the Dickinson Mall Cinema 8 in Pittsburg, said the theater always is trying to keep prices at a relative standstill.

“We actually haven’t raised our prices in quite a while,” Manrique said. “I think we’re just generally trying to keep them where they’re at right now.”

No matter the company, however, everyone is feeling the heat when having to make the decision whether to raise prices, Lane said.

“That obviously comes into play in any business when the cost of goods increases,” he said. “You do everything you can to keep the customer from footing that bill.”

Lee Salyers, manager of the Parsons Theatre, said the main way his independently-owned theater supports itself is through concession prices, and the rising costs of corn and fuel have affected him.

“They always affect you, they affect everyone,” Salyers said. “[But] concession prices aren’t that high. Look at concessions at baseball games. If people don’t want to pay $20 a ticket ... ticket prices in southeast Kansas are cheaper than anywhere else.”

And when it comes to determining which prices have to be raised — tickets or concessions — to keep the theater running, Salyers said it depends.

“If you’re not making as much money on ticket prices, you might want to raise concession prices,” he said. “Hopefully that’s enough to pay all your bills.”

Brent Cavin, manager of Fort Cinema in Fort Scott, another independently owned theater, said prices usually only have to rise at Fort Cinema when minimum wage goes up, but the theater tries not to raise concession prices.

“We try to keep our [concession prices] lower than the competitors, but at the same time ... we have to make money,” Cavin said.

Kimber Wenzelburger can be reached at t.kimber.wenzelburge@morningsun.net or by calling 231-2600 Ext. 135.