Reopening rules for the city's movie theaters include:
- Venues are restricted to 25% capacity, with no more than 50 people per screen at a time.
- Masks will be required except when seated and eating or drinking.
- Assigned seating will be required.
- Social distancing will be required at all times.
- Additional staffing will be required to control occupancy, traffic and seating.
- Enhanced air filtration, ventilation and purification standards must be met.
Cuomo has pushed to start easing COVID-19 restrictions on
businesses this year in hopes of jumpstarting an economy hit by a drop in sales
tax revenue.
After the holidays, the state weathered a mid-January spike
in cases, hospitalizations and deaths.
Cases and hospitalizations are now dropping overall
statewide, but parts of New York City – particularly the Bronx – are still
seeing high rates of infection and slower declines in hospitalization.
Cuomo’s move drew praise from theater owners who have pushed
for months for the governor to ease restrictions, and who hope Cuomo will soon
expand capacity to 50%.
“New York City is a major market for moviegoing in the
U.S.,” said Patrick Corcoran, a spokesperson for the National Association of
Theater Owners (NATO). “Re-opening there gives confidence to film distributors
in setting and holding their theatrical release dates, and is an important step
in the recovery of the entire industry.”
According to NATO, New York City accounts for roughly 5% of
the national box office. Theaters in the nation's other biggest movie market,
Los Angeles, are still shuttered with no known plans to reopen.
Monday's announcement is welcome news for beleaguered
theater owners, after domestic ticket sales fell to a nearly 40-year low last
year due to the pandemic. Though smaller films continue to open in theaters
where available, the next major theatrical release on the calendar is
Disney/Marvel's "Black Widow" May 7, just over a year after its
originally scheduled release last May.