Metreon

The Metreon, an entertainment shopping center, launched on June 16, 1999 as the first in a proposed succession of Sony urban centers aggregating dining, gaming, music, exhibitions, shopping, and movies. Located in downtown San Francisco, all attractions are enclosed in a four story 350,000 square foot (33,000 m²) building. Sony intended the ambitious USD $85 million dollar project not only to be a theme park and gallery for Sony products but an anchor for strengthening a hip image to the Sony brand. Although enthusiastic, Sony would open two additional centers in Tokyo and Berlin in 1999, profitability would be elusive for the maiden venture. Despite promising foot traffic of six million in the first year, one million ahead of pre-launch projections, by the summer of 2001, a major exhibit, "The Way Things Work", was closed and a major tenant, the Microsoft store exited in late 2001. The 15 screen Loews theater was a manifest success, operating as one of the most profitable theaters in the country and claiming a good portion of the Metreon foot traffic. The lease agreement, however, did not apportion ticket or concession sales to Metreon. By 2002, rumors persisted that Sony wished to pull out of management of the property.

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As a hub for Sony products, consumers clamoring for high-demand items such as the PlayStation 2 or PSP have flocked to the Metreon on release day.

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The Metreon is also home to the Walk of Game, which is loosely based on the Walk of Fame - honorees include Shigeru Miyamoto and Nolan Bushnell.

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June 16: June 16 is the 167th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (168th in leap years), with 198 days remaining....

1999: :For the album by Prince, see 1999 (album)...

Sony: Sony Corporation (Japanese katakana: ソニー) , is a global consumer electronics corporation based in Tokyo, Japan. It is currently one of the world's largest producers of consumer electronics and is one of the biggest corporations in Japan....

Metreon related Images and Photos (experimental)

GLEEK SNEAK 3D Movie Tickets: Metreon - San Francisco, CA