Movie theater owners say they are ready to open

Movie theater operators in Western New York are wondering if they were forgotten, as bowling alleys are opening and gyms are set to receive instructions on how to open this coming week.

WHICH WAS WHENTHEY WEREORIGINALLY SLATEDTO REOPEN.WHILE GYMS GETREADY TO REOPEN --THERE'S ONE GROUPOF BUSINESSES THATSAY THEY FEEL LEFTBEHIND.MOVIE THEATERS ARESTILL WAITING FORTHE GOVERNOR'SGREEN LIGHT.MEANTIME - THENATIONALASSOCIATION OFTHEATRE OWNERS ISOUT WITH THEIR OWNGUIDANCE.THEY HAVE SENT OUTEIGHT PAGES OFRECOMMENDATIONSTO THEATERS ACROSSTHE COUNTRY.THEIRRECOMMENDATIONSINCLUDE PROPER P-P-E TRAINING FOR ALLEMPLOYEES... ANDOFFERING FAMILIESTHE OPPORTUNITY TORENT OUT AN ENTIREAUDITORIUM.WE GET MORE NOWFROM 7 EYEWITNESSNEWS REPORTER ALAERREBHI.MOVIE THEATEROPERATORS INWESTERN NEW YORKARE WONDERING IFTHEY WEREFORGOTTEN.BOWLING ALLEYS AREOPENING AND GYMSARE SET TO RECEIVEINSTRUCTIONS ONHOW TO OPEN THISCOMING WEEK.MEANTIME, SOMEMOVIE THEATERS ARELOSING MONEY."LITERALLY WE DON'THAVE A BUSINESSRIGHT NOW.

WE'RE INA SITUATION WHERE -WITH THE EXCEPTIONOF SOME POPCORNMONEY COMING IN -WE HAVE NO INCOMECOMING IN.""WE HAVE TRIED TO BEINNOVATIVE.

WE'VEDONE A VIRTUALCINEMA, WE'VEOFFERED FILMSONLINE BUT PEOPLEREALLY ENJOYCOMING TO A CINEMAAND HAVING THATSOCIAL EXPERIENCE.AND SO IT'S BEENTOUGH, CASH FLOWHAS BEEN AN ISSUE."THEY'RE STILLRESPONSIBLE FORPAYING BILLS,UTILITIES, LEASE ANDINSURANCE.

AURORATHEATER OWNERLYNN KINSELLA SAYSSHE'S ABLE TO MAKESOME PROFIT FROMSELLING POPCORNAND HOSTING PRIVATEEVENTS.

THE NORTHPARK AND AURORATHEATERS HAVE BEENCLOSED SINCE MIDMARCH.STANDUP: "IT'S BEENFIVE MONTHS SINCETHIS THEATER HASSEEN ANYCUSTOMERS.

THEOWNER TELLS METHEY'RE READY TOREOPEN.""OUR STATEORGANIZATION HASBEEN WORKING FORMONTHS INPRESENTINGPROPOSEDGUIDELINES TO NEWYORK STATE FOR THEREOPENING OF MOVIETHEATERS, AND WEHAVE REALLYRECEIVED NOINDICATIONS THATTHOSE HAVE BEENACCEPTED.""WE'RE GOING TO PUTINTO PLACE SOCIALDISTANCING.

NOWKEEP IN MIND IN ATHEATER, PEOPLE SITBACK-TO-BACK.

SO IFWE HAVE TWO SEATSON EITHER SIDE OFTHE PERSON, THATGIVES US THE SIXFEET RECOMMENDEDDISTANCE FROM THECDC.

SO WITH PEOPLESITTING BACK TO BACKWITH SOCIALDISTANCING, WITHMASKS, I THINK WECAN KEEP PEOPLESAFE."AMC HAS ANNOUNCEDREOPENING DATESFOR THEATERSNATIONWIDE EXCEPTNEW YORK ANDCALIFORNIA -- WHICHARE MAJOR MARKETSFOR MOVIE RELEASES.NEW JERSEY, NORTHCAROLINA, MICHIGAN,WASHINGTON, ANDARIZONA ALSO REMAINCLOSED.STUDIOS AND FILMDISTRIBUTERS AREEITHER POSTPONINGMOVIE RELEASES, ORSOME MOVIES WILL GOSTRAIGHT TOSTREAMING."WE HAVE CLEANINGSUPPLIES, WE HAVEGLOVES, WE HAVEMASKS, WE HAVEPLEXIGLASS...WE HAVEA PLAN, WE HAVETRAINING FOR OURSTAFF.

SO WE'REREADY, IT'S JUSTWAITING TO FIND OUTIF WHAT WE AREPROPOSING TO BEDONE IS GOING TO BEACCEPTABLE."A STATEMENT TO 7EWN THE FROMGOVERNOR'S OFFICESAYS IN PART:"OUR NUMBER ONEPRIORITY REMAINSPROTECTING THEHEALTH OF NEWYORKERS AND WEARE CONTINUING TOLOOK AT THE ISSUEAND ARE INDISCUSSIONS WITHTHE INDUSTRY ABOUTAPPROPRIATE SAFETYPROTOCOLS."ALA ERREBHI, 7