Response to RFP: Thomas Street Shop Space at Seattle Center

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1 Response to RFP: Thomas Street Shop Space at Seattle Center Seattle Center Executive Office 305 Harrison Street, Suite 215 Seattle, Washington September 30, 2015

2 Project Overview SimEx-Iwerks Entertainment proposes to install and operate a state-of-the-art 4-D Theater in the Thomas St. Space. The new Seattle Center 4-D Theater will support the Century 21 Master Plan goal to have a campus that holds a promise of surprise and delight, interaction or contemplation As the first 4-D Theater in Seattle, the 4-D Theater will provide an exciting, immersive, and engaging welcome for visitors to the Seattle Center. The 4-D Theater will feature 15-minute films from our world-class library from breathtaking nature films that inspire conservation of the Pacific Northwest (BBC Earth; National Geographic) to Hollywood mega brands, (The Simpsons, Ice Age, SpongeBob) and holiday favorites (The Polar Express, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer). It will be an exciting return to the original use of the Thomas St. Space that was home to the Quick Draw Theater for the 1962 World s Fair. Signage in the new theater lobby can pay homage to the theater s historic past. Company Profile SimEx-Iwerks Entertainment (SI) is the world leader in 4-D Theater entertainment. We create immersive and memorable 3-D and 4-D experiences; and are the foremost distributor of the industry s top 4-D films. SimEx-Iwerks partners on more than 150 attractions in more than 30 countries. Over 80 million guests visit a SimEx-Iwerks 4-D Theater each year. Our attractions integrate the highest quality 3-D high definition projection and both in-seat and intheater special effects to create the ultimate 4-D experience. SimEx-Iwerks is committed to providing high quality products and 24/7 service to its partners, from initial project review, to design and engineering, installation, staff training, marketing, support, warranty and on-going technical support. SimEx-Iwerks has the trained staff, service network and commitment to maintaining a 99% uptime record. SimEx-Iwerks theaters generate revenue, complement the missions of our prestigious partners, and improve visitor satisfaction ratings. We offer an extensive library of branded films with proven sales results. SimEx-Iwerks Entertainment maintains three offices in North America. Our headquarters and manufacturing plant are located in Toronto, Ontario. Film Production, Film Licensing and Customer Service are located in Santa Clarita, California. Business Development and Attraction Operations Division are located in Baltimore, Maryland. SimEx-Iwerks has a credit facility in place with its corporate banker that addresses the requirements of this proposal. We have reviewed the expected usage of this credit facility and can confirm that we have more than adequate capacity to fund this Proposal.

3 Proposed Use Plan SimEx-Iwerks proposes to demolish the existing building and build a new space to house the following: 100-seat 4-D Theater Box office Retail Staff offices Monorail offices Planned capital investment: $4 million+ Proposed Term and Financials SimEx-Iwerks proposed a 20-year term with a base lease of $100,000 per annum plus a percentage share of revenues to be determined and mutually agreed upon. Annual revenues projected at $1.5 million. Contribution to Seattle Center s Statement of Purpose The new 4-D Theater will provide an exciting, immersive, and engaging welcome for guests to the Seattle Center. All shows in the 4-D Theater open will open with a 60-second Welcome to the Seattle Center spot that highlights key Seattle Center messages, promotions and initiatives. The Seattle Center 4-D Theater will enhance the existing tenants and mix of programs, attractions and open spaces. It will provide an excellent starting point for any visit to the Seattle Center campus and will drive repeat visits through its changing film line up and holiday programming. 4-D Theaters are family-friendly and appeal to a wide demographic. Toddlers to grandparents can enjoy a 4-D Experience together! With film content that ranges from nature documentaries to animated blockbusters; there is something to meet every background and interest. SimEx-Iwerks will be a financially stable tenant and partner of the Seattle Center. We are a financially sound corporation that has been in business for 25 years and have significant, revenue-generating partnerships with many of the country s leading tourist destinations.

4 A sampling of our partners includes: San Diego Zoo Bronx Zoo Museum of Science, Boston Madame Tussauds, New York Shedd Aquarium, Chicago Vancouver Aquarium Queen Mary, Long Beach, CA (opening 11/15) Management and Operation The Seattle Center 4-D Theater will be managed by the SimEx-Iwerks Attractions Development group based in Baltimore, Maryland. Mark Cornell is the Senior Vice President of Attractions Development as well as an officer of SimEx-Iwerks, and will have corporate oversight of the 4-D Theater. Mark joined SimEx-Iwerks in He oversees partnerships, marketing strategy, co-venture performance, business development, film development, and customer service. Mark previously held a senior position at IMAX, and was responsible for ride operations, project management, technical sales, manufacturing, and customer service. Sean McAllister, Senior Director of Attractions Operations and Revenue, will have operational oversight and will be on-site routinely. He oversees new theater openings and operations for SimEx-Iwerks. Prior to joining SimEx-Iwerks, Sean was the Director of Guest Services at the Bronx Zoo/Wildlife Conservation Society for 11 years and the Operations Director at Six Flags Great Adventure. Over the course of 17 years with Six Flags Sean ran park operations, including admissions, rides and attractions, guest relations, security, internal investigations, and grounds. Sal Agosta, Vice President of Architecture and Design, is responsible for professional architectural work by designing and managing projects from inception through to installation. Sal has been at SimEx-Iwerks for 18 years and worked on more than 100 theater projects. Sal leads the project design team consisting of architects, engineers and designers which includes coordinating outside consultants in the design/build of SimEx-Iwerks attraction projects. General Manager for Seattle Center 4-D Theater. SimEx-Iwerks will hire a General Manager for the 4-D Theater who will be on-site five days per week to oversee the operation of the attraction.

5 The Seattle Center 4-D Theater will be open seven days a week. Operating hours will be determined based upon the operating hours of surrounding attractions and businesses. The Seattle Center 4-D Theater will have 3 5 staff members to perform daily operations at the theater. At peak operating capacity, staff will be stationed as follows: Manager/Supervisor 4-D Theater Operators (2) Cashier Breaker/Support Working with Seattle Center With more than 40 locations in the US, SimEx-Iwerks has extensive experience working with other organizations to ensure the successful launch and operation of our 4-D Theaters. With an experienced team of professionals in marketing, operations, pricing strategies, POS, graphic design, PR, communications, and branding; we are confident that we will work seamlessly with the Seattle Center s professionals. For construction, we will appoint a Project Manager to oversee the demolition of existing space and creation of the new space. Company Financials See attached Implementation Schedule With a project start date of early 2016, we anticipate that we could be open by December 2016 or early More information is needed regarding building codes, etc. to generate a specific schedule.

6 Moody Gardens: Madame Tussauds Hollywood: Nickelodeon Suites Resort: John G. Shedd Aquarium:

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20 Contact Details: Submitted By, Mark Cornell Senior Vice President, Attractions Development SimEx-Iwerks Entertainment York Road, Suite 200, Baltimore, Maryland