Regal pushes back reopening of first NC movie theater after closing during COVID
UPDATE: Since this published story, Regal changed the first reopening date of North Carolina theaters from April 16 to April 23.
The Regal movie theater chain will now reopen its first North Carolina location on April 23, in the Charlotte area, as more people get vaccinated, which is helping prevent outbreaks and serious illness.
That new date for Regal is a week later than previously announced.
The chain posted a phased reopened plan on its website March 29 that had a Charlotte cinema, Regal Stonecrest at Piper Glen, reopening this Friday, April 16, and other theaters reopening soon after. But an update on Regal’s website showed the new reopening date in Charlotte had changed.
The theater opening was in conjunction with the opening of Warner Bros. fantasy-action film “Mortal Kombat,” about an intergalactic martial arts tournament starring Joe Taslim and Jessica McNamee.
Its release was scheduled for April 16. “Within the last month, the opening date was pushed a week to April 23 with several of our theaters opening dates following suit with the change,” Regal spokesman Richard Grover said Friday.
Still, It’s the latest sign that some businesses are ramping up activities in North Carolina as coronavirus restrictions are loosened. Last month, N.C. Gov. Roy Cooper eased a wide swath of COVID rules, including movie theaters to operate at 50% capacity, up from 30%.
A handful of other movie theaters in the Charlotte area have been open, while others remain closed.
But Regal has the most Charlotte-area locations and most screens, 101, followed by AMC with four venues and 66 screens, according to data compiled by the Observer.
Regal theaters reopening dates
Charlotte’s Regal Stonecrest at Piper Glen 4DX, IMAX & RPX will reopen April 23, the company announced.
Other reopening dates and theaters are:
▪ May 7: Regal Birkdale in Huntersville and Regal Starlight in Charlotte, as well as Regal North Hills and Regal Brier Creek in Raleigh and Regal Crossroads & IMAX in Cary.
▪ May 14: Regal Phillips Place in Charlotte and Regal Franklin Square in Gastonia, Regal Manchester in Rock Hill, and Regal Beaver Creek in Raleigh.
▪ May 21: Regal Cinebarre Arboretum in Charlotte.
Meanwhile, several Charlotte area movie theaters reopened in October after being closed since March 2020.
Charlotte’s Cinemark Movie Bistro, The Cinemark Tinseltown USA in Salisbury, four Charlotte area AMC Theatres, and Southeast Cinemas in Concord and Albemarle are open with safety protocols.
Theaters had reopened, closed quickly
Some Charlotte Regal theaters briefly reopened Oct. 2 after Cooper loosened COVID-19 restrictions allowing movie theaters to reopen with capacity limits.
However, less than week later, the Knoxville-Tennessee chain closed all of its theaters nationwide. Parent company Cineworld cited closures in its major markets like New York and limited new film releases from studios as reasons why.
Regal has seven Charlotte area locations, including in Rock Hill and Gastonia.
The theater chain said it would begin reopening theaters in time for “Godzilla vs. King Kong” in states like New York, California, Florida and Tennessee on April 2.
COVID safety features
Movie goers can expect safety and health procedures including new contactless options to buy tickets and concessions at Regal.
All employees and customers will be required to wear masks at all times, other than when actively eating or drinking.
Theaters will offer a reduced menu, no self-service stands or refills. Reserved seating will leave two empty seats between groups, or one seat at recline locations. Guests will be asked to follow to maintain social distancing
Workers will see daily health screenings and washing hands every 30 to 60 minutes.
Regal has about 40,000 employees in the U.S. and of 7,076 screens in 536 theaters in 42 states.
Other theaters still closed
But not all theaters have reopened.
Texas-based Studio Movie Grill, with one Charlotte location in the University area, remains temporarily closed. Charlotte is one of three in the 21-chain that is listed as closed online.
The theater, which shows first-run films combined with a dining experience, has laid out its safety protocols on its website as other theaters across the country are open.
Charlotte-based Stone Theatres has five theaters and only its Myrtle Beach location is open.
Two theaters are in the Charlotte area, in Indian Trail and Indian Land, S.C. Indian Trail has been closed for over a year. The South Carolina theater briefly reopened in August but the chain decided to close all theaters again less than a month later, citing low attendance and lack of new releases.
Closed, but not over COVID
The historic Kannapolis movie theater, The Gem, is temporarily closed as it undergoes $1.1 million in renovations.
The downtown theater reopened in October as the state moved into Phase 3 but then temporarily closed again in February. The Gem opened in 1936.
Opening later this year
The nonprofit Charlotte Film Society plans to open its own three-screen cinema art house on Raleigh Street in NoDa.
Called The Independent Picture House, 5,500-square-feet of a 32,000-square-foot industrial building is under renovation. It expects to open in fall.
The city has been without a single art house theater since May, when Regal announced it would not reopen Regal Manor Twin in Myers Park.
This story was originally published March 29, 2021 at 1:20 PM with the headline "Regal pushes back reopening of first NC movie theater after closing during COVID."