Arclight Cinemas, Pacific Theaters to Permanently Close
Just as movie theaters looked to rebounding from their worst year in a century thanks to the coronavirus pandemic, the industry has been walloped yet again. Decurion, the company that owns the Pacific Theatres and Arclight Cinemas chains, has decided not to reopen any of their locations. That includes the Arclight Cinemas on Sunset Boulevard that includes the Cinerama Dome, one of the most famous and beloved movie theaters in the entire world.
Here’s the company’s statement on the news, via Deadline:
After shutting our doors more than a year ago, today we must share the difficult and sad news that Pacific will not be reopening its ArcLight Cinemas and Pacific Theatres locations. This was not the outcome anyone wanted, but despite a huge effort that exhausted all potential options, the company does not have a viable way forward. To all the Pacific and ArcLight employees who have devoted their professional lives to making our theaters the very best places in the world to see movies: we are grateful for your service and your dedication to our customers. To our guests and members of the film industry who have made going to the movies such a magical experience over the years: our deepest thanks. It has been an honor and a pleasure to serve you.
Between the two multiplex chains, Decurion controlled hundreds of screens across the United States that are now gone, maybe forever. It’s possible that someone could take over some of these locations — and you have to think that someone is going to want to operate the Arclight in Hollywood; it’s one of the top-grossing theaters in the entire country and it also has the Cinerama Dome, which was built in 1963, has been featured in films like Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, and is one of the most easily recognizable movie theaters on the planet. But this does look like the end of the line for two long-running and popular movie theater chains (Pacific has been in business since the 1940s), not to mention a lot of jobs. This is a sad day.
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