Following Gov. Phil Murphy’s announcement this week that movie theaters are permitted to reopen, AMC Theatres said Thursday that the AMC Jersey Gardens 20 and AMC Wayne 14 locations are ready to be its first two to welcome back New Jersey customers on Sept. 4.
In fact, all 27 of AMC’s New Jersey theaters will open during the next week.
Those begin with Friday’s reopenings – in time for guests to enjoy Warner Bros.’ TENET on opening weekend – with the theater chain expecting to begin showings at seven additional locations as early as Sept. 7: AMC Brick Plaza 10, AMC Brunswick Square 13, AMC Clifton Commons 16, AMC Deptford 8, AMC East Hanover 12, AMC Newport Centre 11 and AMC Garden State 16.
The remaining New Jersey locations are set to open on or around Sept. 10.
“This is a great day for moviegoers in the state of New Jersey, for AMC and for our hundreds of employees in the state. We are especially pleased that our studio partners can rely on an expanding and enthusiastic audience for their new movie releases, as more and more states in the U.S. approve the opening of cinemas,” Chief Executive Officer and President of AMC Theatres Adam Aron said in a prepared statement.
New Jersey is AMC’s sixth largest state in its circuit by screen count.
The movie theater chain said it implemented its new AMC Safe & Clean policies and procedures, which include operating with social distancing through limiting ticket sales and automatic seat blocking, seamless contactless ticketing, enhanced cleaning procedures, the availability of hand sanitizer and disinfecting wipes throughout locations, and a mandatory mask policy for all guests and crew members.
Additionally, AMC said it will be closely monitoring local and state guidelines, and comply with any additional capacity restrictions. The company also invested millions of dollars in high tech solutions such as sanitization and disinfection including electrostatic sprayers, HEPA vacuums and MERV 13 air filters.
As an added treat, AMC is offering an array of $5 food and beverage products, including regular popcorn, regular Coca-Cola Freestyle drinks and KidsPacks, through the end of October. All AMC Stubs members will earn double points on all ticket and food and drink purchases through the end of October.
In July, a law suit was filed by several of the nation’s largest movie theater chains – including AMC – to reopen Garden State cinemas closed by statewide orders in place due to COVID-19. That suit was ultimately thrown out by a federal judge in August, with a ruling from U.S. District Judge Brian Martinotti that the establishments’ closure did not mark a violation of First Amendment liberties.
