SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WGEM) — The National Association of Theatre Owners of Illinois has outlined a proposal to safely reopen the movie theatre industry more quickly than outlined under Gov. J.B. Pritzker's Restore Illinois plan.
The National Association of Theatre Owners stated Wednesday that Illinois is also a major national movie market, and its reopening is key to whether studios release new films this summer. It takes several weeks for studios to deploy marketing and other assets ahead of a film's release. Further delay in reopening Illinois theatres could prevent many more films from opening this summer, creating a ripple effect in the film and entertainment industry that will impact jobs and tax revenues across the nation for years to come.
Under the governor's plan, movie theatres cannot reopen until Phase 4 - meaning the earliest that could happen in some regions is June 26. The governor's plan also sets a strict limit of 50 people per auditorium. The National Association of Theatre Owners stated that this is an arbitrary limit, especially considering the vast differences in auditorium sizes, with some seating up to 1,000 people. The alternative plan proposed by the National Association of Theatre Owners of Illinois would allow theaters to safely reopen sooner with new safety and sanitization procedures. It calls for limiting auditorium attendance to 50 percent of their seat capacity, the same standard the governor has outlined for restaurants and bars.
New safety measures outlined in the proposed reopening plan include:
- Requiring all employees to undergo training before returning to work on enhanced cleaning procedures, personal health and wellness, use of face masks and gloves, and maintaining social distancing.
- Taking employee temperatures before reporting to work for each shift.
- Mandating that cloth masks be worn at all times and disposable gloves be worn during customer interactions.
- Maintaining a minimum of six-foot distance between viewing parties, using empty seats and rows as necessary.
- Placing six-foot spacing markings in areas where guests may have to queue and assigning staff to ensure social distancing is respected.
- Encouraging customers to purchase tickets online to decrease contact opportunities.
"Movie theatres have long served as a source of joy and an avenue of escape from everyday struggles, but they do much more by directly supporting thousands of jobs and generating tax revenue for towns across Illinois. It is important Illinois theaters be allowed to safely reopen right away so workers can return to their jobs, and the movie industry at large can move forward with major film releases. Our proposal balances the protection of employees and guests with the need to restart our economy," said Chris Johnson, president of the National Association of Theatre Owners of Illinois and CEO of Classic Cinemas.
The National Association of Theatre Owners stated that permitting movie theatres to reopen sooner with these new enhanced safety guidelines will help the state and local communities recover faster from the economic blow caused by COVID-19. In small towns across Illinois, movie theatres have proven to be immensely important, providing support to local businesses, restaurants and nightlife as well as providing first-time jobs to teens. Further, refurbished theatres have already been shown to bring new life to towns, as can be seen in Freeport, Kankakee, Elmhurst and Park Ridge in northern Illinois. The positive impact of theatres can be seen in downstate towns as well as from Canton to Lincoln, with Alton recently announcing the planned reopening of its downtown theatre this summer.
The National Association of Theatre Owners stated that allowing Illinois theaters to reopen sooner will provide stability to the national movie market, as it is third behind California and New York in terms of ticket sales and related revenue. Over the past few months, the movie industry has been at a standstill, delaying spring premiere dates to the fall. Without a clear reopening date, film studios are unable to advertise for premieres ahead of release dates, and upcoming films will continue to be delayed. This will threaten jobs for years to come.
"The pandemic has had a very serious impact on all aspects of the theatre industry, but the hardship is felt most directly by our employees. We pride ourselves in providing skills and growth opportunities that help our employees advance no matter their background," said Ruth Bellm, Director of Operations at Kerasotes Showplace Theatres in Chicago. "Among our employees is a single mother who was able to transition off public assistance by earning a management position and a college student who was paying her way through college. They are now both on furlough, along with the rest of our staff. That is why it is so important we are able to safely reopen sooner. We are confident we can provide a safe movie-going experience while giving our employees the opportunity to return to the lives they have worked so hard to obtain."
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May 27, 2020 at 11:45PM
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Illinois movie theatres propose plan to safely reopen industry - WGEM
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