AMC Theatres CEO Adam Aron said your family will be safe from COVID-19 if you see a movie at an AMC theater — as long as you practice some of the encouraged guidelines.
What’s going on?
- Aron recently spoke with CNN Business about AMC’s return, saying the company would begin a phased reopening of U.S. theaters in July with new health and safety measures.
- CNN asked Aron why American families should feel safe heading to the movies. Here is his full response:
“We’ve had three full months to plan the reopening of our AMC theaters and we didn’t waste those three months. We consulted with scientists. We consulted with experts. We partnered with Clorox (CLX). We hired as consultants faculty of Harvard University School of Public Health, and we’ve put together a sweeping, comprehensive initiative called ‘AMC Safe & Clean’ that looks at a whole host of initiatives to make our theaters safe, both for our guests and for our employees.
The things that you would expect we’re of course doing. Social distancing, seat limitations, intensify creating protocols, employee health procedures, contactless ticketing, mobile food and beverage ordering. But we’ve also invested millions of dollars in high tech solutions to purifying our theaters. We’re buying electrostatic sprayers, HEPA vacuums, MERV 13 ventilation air filters. We’re taking the safety and health of our guests and our associates as seriously as we possibly can.”
- Aron said the company will put these guidelines into effect. But it is up to customers to help others stay safe, too.
- That includes the company’s mask policy.
Controversy over mask policy
On Thursday night, AMC Theatres announced plans to reopen its theater chain, saying it will not require masks from guests because they did not “want to be drawn into a political controversy,” Variety reports.
Employees will be forced to wear masks, Aron told Variety. But regular guests won’t have to wear them — unless they are in cities or states where masks are required.
Aron told Variety: “We did not want to be drawn into a political controversy. We thought it might be counterproductive if we forced mask wearing on those people who believe strongly that it is not necessary. We think that the vast majority of AMC guests will be wearing masks. When I go to an AMC feature, I will certainly be wearing a mask and leading by example.”
In the interview with CNN — which was done before the Variety piece — Aron talked about the mask policy:
“It’s well-known that there are some parts of the U.S. population and some parts of the country that are resisting wearing masks even though the scientists are saying it’s a very good idea to do so. We didn’t want to step into that controversy. So what we’re doing is we’re encouraging people to wear a mask, but not necessarily requiring it.
“And I can tell you this, on July 15, when we start opening our theaters, I’m going to be going to a movie theater and on the very first day. I might go to a double feature, and you can be sure that I’ll be wearing a mask, leading by example.”