9. Investment in Digital Cinema Implementation Partners

On February 12, 2007, the Company, AMC and Regal entered into a joint venture known as Digital Cinema Implementation Partners LLC (“DCIP”) to facilitate the implementation of digital cinema in the Company’s theatres and to establish agreements with major motion picture studios for the financing of digital cinema. On March 10, 2010, the Company signed a master equipment lease agreement and other related agreements (collectively the “agreements”) with Kasima LLC (“Kasima”), which is an indirect subsidiary of DCIP and a related party to the Company. As of March 31, 2013, the Company had a 33% voting interest in DCIP and a 24.3% economic interest in DCIP.

The Company has a variable interest in Kasima through the terms of its master equipment lease agreement; however, the Company has determined that it is not the primary beneficiary of Kasima, as the Company does not have the ability to direct the activities of Kasima that most significantly impact Kasima’s economic performance. The Company accounts for its investment in DCIP and its subsidiaries under the equity method of accounting. During the three months ended March 31, 2013 and 2012, the Company recorded equity income of $1,552 and $1,099, respectively, relating to this investment.

Below is a summary of changes in the Company’s investment in DCIP for the three months ended March 31, 2013:


	Investment in DCIP
Balance as of January 1, 2013	$	23,012
Equity in income		1,552

Balance as of March 31, 2013	$	24,564

The digital projection systems that are leased from Kasima are under an operating lease with an initial term of twelve years that contains ten one-year fair value renewal options. The equipment lease agreement also contains a fair value purchase option. Under the equipment lease agreement, the Company pays minimum annual rent of one thousand dollars per digital projection system for the first six and a half years from the effective date of the agreement and minimum annual rent of three thousand dollars per digital projection system beginning at six and a half years from the effective date through the end of the lease term. The Company is also subject to various types of other rent if such digital projection systems do not meet minimum performance requirements as outlined in the agreements. Certain of the other rent payments are subject to either a monthly or an annual maximum. As of March 31, 2013, the Company had 3,515 digital projection systems being leased under the master equipment lease agreement with Kasima. The Company recorded equipment lease expense of approximately $1,966 and $1,929 during the three months ended March 31, 2013 and 2012, respectively, which is included in utilities and other costs on the condensed consolidated statements of income.

Below is summary financial information for DCIP for the year ended December 31, 2012 (financial information for the three months ended March 31, 2013 was not yet available).


	Year Ended December 31, 2012
Revenues	$	166,017
Operating income	$	102,663
Net income	$	36,752