California allows movie theaters to reopen if counties go along

GARY QUACKENBUSH

FOR THE NORTH BAY BUSINESS JOURNAL

June 10, 2020

Movie Theater Opening Guidelines

The California Department of Public Health provided COVID-19 guidance for movie theaters as the state has allowed counties to permit opening of theaters as soon as Friday, if they meet metrics set by the state. Here are recommendations from the department for movie theater operators:

• Limit the number of attendees in each theater to 25% of theater capacity or a maximum of 100 attendees, whichever is lower.

• Implement a reservation system to limit the number of attendees entering the theater at a time whenever possible. Designate arrival times as part of reservations, if possible, so that customers arrive at and enter the theater in staggered groups.

• Establish directional entry and exit into theaters where possible.

• Reconfigure, close, or otherwise remove seats from use to ensure physical distancing of at least six feet between attendees. This may require seating every other row or blocking off or removing seats in a “checkerboard” style (use each row but make sure no one is directly behind other patrons) so that distances are maintained in all directions. Members of the same household may be seated together but should maintain at least six feet of distance from other households.

• Face coverings should be worn by patrons when not eating or drinking. At a minimum, face coverings should be worn when entering and exiting theaters, when obtaining refreshments at the concession stand, and whenever physical distancing cannot be maintained. Postings for patrons should include this information.

• Dedicate staff to help people maintain distances before and after screenings. This could include ushering to seats prior to the start of a show and dismissing customers in an orderly fashion to reduce the crossflow of traffic or crowding in exit rows.

• Consider using disposable or washable seat covers in theaters, particularly on porous surfaces that are difficult to properly clean. Discard and replace seat covers between each use.

• Prop or hold doors open during peak periods when attendees are entering and exiting facilities, if possible and in accordance with security and safety protocols.

• Turn off public drinking water fountains and place signs informing attendees they are inoperable.

• Consider limiting the number of people that use the restroom at one time to allow for physical distancing.

• Reconfigure parking lots to limit congregation points and ensure proper separation (e.g., closing every other space).

• If offering drive-in movies, ensure that vehicles have at least six feet of distance between them. Operators of these establishments should follow additional applicable guidance for retailers of Drive-In Movie Theaters.

Source: California Department of Public Health

Beginning June 12, California allowed movie theaters to reopen as long as they limit attendance to 25% of theater capacity or a maximum of 100 customers per auditorium – whichever is lower - with county health officer approval

The state issued guidelines for the reopening on June 8.

However, for many area independent theaters and entertainment chains actual openings may be delayed for a variety of reasons including staff rehiring and training, making modifications to ensure a safe environment - including hand sanitizer stations and considering the use of seat coverings - along with prepackaging concession items and condiments, removing or blocking off seats that would exceed reduced capacity limits, as well as rules regarding when moviegoers should wear and/or remove masks. Having an advance seat reservation system in place to avoid lines at the box office is also among the state’s guidelines.

There are also detailed guidelines on where widescreen film enthusiasts can park and how close, as well as rules regarding the careful timing of when movies will end and begin to reduce crowd congestion and limit exposure risks.

Movie goers must also maintain six feet separation from others as well as family groups, and theater water fountains must be turned off.

The relaxed statewide order issued on June 8 also applies to gyms, hotels, restaurants, bars and wineries as well as other business categories as part of its measured, go slow approach to relaxing stay-at-home orders as a way to restart the economy, while hopefully avoiding possible spikes in coronavirus cases. Film, music and television production can also resume subject to labor agreements.

Other entertainment venues, such as bowling alleys, miniature golf courses and arcades can reopen later. Restaurants, churches, hair salons and retail stores have already been allowed to reopen in many counties that meet metrics including the number of COVID-19 cases per 100,000 of population, the rate of test positivity and local preparedness to support a health care surge with emphasis on vulnerable populations, contact tracing and testing.

The latest state decision comes just a few weeks before the start of the summer blockbuster movie season. Theater operator Cinemark announced its four-phase reopening plan beginning on June 19 after a test phase involving five theaters in Texas on the June 12 weekend, followed by one-third of its locations opening their doors during the next three phases.

North Bay Cinemark locations include Century Cinema-Corte Madera; Century Northgate-San Rafael; Century Regency-San Rafael; Century Larkspur; Century Napa Valley and XD; Century Rowland Plaza, and CineArts Sequoia-Mill Valley.

AMC Entertainment Holdings, Inc., said it expects to reopen almost all of its more than 50 theaters in California in July after closing them March 17, but has expressed fears that it may not survive after months without revenue after reporting $2.18 billion first quarter loss.

AMC operates the Metreon 16 theater in Rohnert Park.

In the North Bay, the Santa Rosa Entertainment Group (SREG), doing business as Santa Rosa Cinemas, has an online electronic seat reservation system in place. Some of its theaters have been redesigned to expand aisles to accommodate the ?introduction of recliner seats with wider spacing at its theaters in Sonoma County. SREG’s list of Sonoma County locations includes Airport Cinema 12, 3rd Street ?Cinema, Santa Rosa Roxy Stadium 14, the Raven Film Center, and Summerfield Cinemas.

While plans are being made, no date has been determined for SREG to reopen its theaters, according to Catherine Deprima, with Santa Rosa Cinemas support services.

In the City of Sonoma, the Sebastiani Theater, built in 1933 shows classic films and hosts live productions at its First Street location on the square, will delay its opening until at least June 26 as construction modifications are completed for ADA compliance, according to Roger Rhoten, executive director of the Sebastiani Theater Foundation.

“We won’t open until procedures are in place to make it safe for everyone, including seniors that comprise a significant percentage of our patrons. We have 300 seats so we can still fill 100 of these during the initial phase of theater re-openings in our state,” Rhoten said.

Most theater operators hope the state will quickly increase the capacity limit from 25% to 50% or higher in coming weeks to improve revenue flow and meet pent up demand among cinefiles.

While the state suggests that theaters prop open doors so people will not have to touch door handles, and to use disposable or washable seat covers that are easy to clean, these covers could be a problem for theaters to obtain and provide in time for their startup.

“We have checked with a number of suppliers and no one so far makes disposable or washable theater seat covers or has a number of sizes to fit varying seat dimensions,” according to Kathy Buck, proprietor of the Cameo Cinema in St. Helena and program director of its nonprofit foundation. Cameo Cinema is the oldest single-screen theater in the U.S. built in 1913 with 140 seats.

“While we have been here for more than a century, we acquired the first digital projector that cost approximately $250,000 to present a quality experience for our customers (which will be used July 15 to show the psychological thriller “Tenent”).

Like other theaters, Cameo Cinema has also obtained streaming video movie rights to give customers access to films via computer and Smart TV for a fee as an additional revenue source during the shutdown.

This theater has also relaunched the drive-in concept of yesteryear by raising a 30-foot wide screen with a scissor lift on a wall adjacent to its parking lot providing another source of income. The parking lot can accommodate 45 cars (at $27 per car) with separate lines for SUVs and trucks, and pre-bagged popcorn is available.

Buck said she hopes to book movies for June 19 or 26, and plans to host a drive-in event June 25 -- but the opening depends on the ability to hire and train staff while also blocking off 50% of its seats, and ordering sanitary mustard and ketchup packets. Online ticket sales with advance seat assignments is already the standard.

“Most people miss having active, ongoing community engagement and social interaction at movie theaters and other public places. We have been part of this process for more than 107 years.”

CBS, Associated Press, Bloomberg, Boxoffice contributed to this story.