More Than a Movie Theatre – Santikos Entertainment, A Social Enterprise

This is a sponsored post in collaboration with Santikos Entertainment. All opinions are my own.

Did you know that every purchase at a Santikos Theatre benefits the local community? Well, it’s true. At the recent grand opening of Santiko’s Entertainment’s newest location, The Casa Blanca Theatre, I learned all about how Santiko’s Entertainment is the only theater group in the world that operates as a social enterprise for the sole benefit of the community.

Santikos Entertaniment

How does this work? The company, as part of the estate of the late John L. Santikos, was gifted to the San Antonio Area Foundation. That means that the net result of dollars spent on movie tickets and amenities at any Santikos theatre funnels back into the local community in the form of donations, sponsorships, grants and programming that educate, cure, support and enhance the lives of our community.

“What’s unique about the John Santikos gift is that he had a vision for how charities should be in San Antonio.  Instead of giving a cash contribution (like a lot of people are doing as suggested by Warren Buffett), Mr. Santikos vision was to give a private enterprise – an organization that is growing, that employs over 1,400 people in San Antonio with great paying jobs. Let’s continue to grow it. It’s not like a cash gift where every year you give a little bit away and then one day it’s gone. His vision was to put something in place that will last another 100 years,” said David Holmes, CEO of Santikos Entertainment at the Casa Blanca grand opening.

Inside Santkios Casa Blanca TheatreAfter setting up a framework for the board of directors, Mr. Santikos set up areas of interest in broad categories because he understood that in 100 years from now, the needs of our community may be different. The areas of interest include timeless things like people in need, disaster relief, medical research, scholarships, youth and early childhood development. The San Antonio Area Foundation, as a convener of causes, disperses the funds to the various organizations which meet the areas of interest. Mr. Santikos ultimately wanted to leverage the infrastructure of SAAF, fund it, and eliminate problems (in our local community). It’s a different giving model and Holmes says is “the cutting edge in philanthropy globally”.

“We’re here to fund the future of our city. We just happen to do it via theatre.” -David Holmes, CEO Santikos Entertainment

Through the John L. Santikos Charitable Foundation, an expected $12 million will be gifted to nonprofits in 2016. Holmes estimates that over the next 10 years, the fund will generate $20 million per year of $400,000 per week for the community.

For more information on this unique Santikos gift, visit saafdn.org/santikos.

The Santikos Casa Blanca Theatre

¿Listos San Antonio? Are you ready, San Antonio for The Casa Blanca multiplex movie theatre?! I know residents in Alamo Ranch are ready for this 16-screen theatre, bowling alley and restaurant in their neighborhood. Watch my tour via this Facebook LIVE video!

[fbvideo link=”https://www.facebook.com/quemeanswhat/videos/1010446555657151/” width=”800″ height=”640″ onlyvideo=”1″]

Movie Theatre, Dining with Full-Service Bar and Bowling Alley

Casa Blanca is the first 100% laser projection multiplex movie theater in the world. Laser projection delivers better picture clarity, better color saturation, and three times brighter image. With premium Klipsch speakers and Dolby Atmos Surround Sound System, the AVX house (Santikos private-label IMAX) will deliver an amazing movie experience. Plus, it’s the little things like luxurious recliner seating in six auditoriums and oversized seating in the others. Just saying, Queridos. It can get pretty comfy in there.

The First 100 percent Laser Projection Theatre in the World - Santikos Casa Blanca

With café and full-service bar in the lobby, you can turn your Casa Blanca experience into dinner and a movie with drinks! But if you want to head straight to see your flick, there are four auditoriums with full food and drink service at your seats.

There are 16 bowling lanes for your enjoyment at Casa Blanca. A bowling alley isn’t complete without an arcade! There really is something for everyone.

Bowling at Santikos Casa Blanca


THIS GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED

GIVEAWAY – FOUR Santikos Movie Passes

Thanks to our new friends at Santiko’s Entertainment, I have FOUR movies passes to giveaway! I want you to go and watch a movie of your choice at this brand new multiplex movie theatre!  For a chance to win, tell me in the comments which summer blockbuster you will go see with your four passes! 

For additional entries (please leave a comment in the comment section for each entry so I won’t miss them):

[Tweet “See the next summer blockbuster at @Santikos #CasaBlanca!”]

Tag a friend or leave a comment on this QueMeansWhat Facebook post.

Tag a friend or leave a comment on this QueMeansWhat Instagram post.

Good luck!

 


 

Prizes were provided to QueMeansWhat.com This contest is in no way affiliated with Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. The winner will be notified via the email used to leave a comment. This contest ends and the winner will be chosen on June 19, 2016, 11:59 p.m.