Update: Cinemark Theaters Delay Reopenings
Plans to reopen four local theaters by July 10 have been delayed.
There’s nothing like the altered reality of going to the movies during the day and leaving when it’s dark out — a strange yet awesome phenomenon COVID-19 has taken from everyone. In Pittsburgh, that experience will return in late July.
Cinemark announced Monday the North Hills and Robinson locations will reopen on July 24. No word yet on when the Monroeville and Center Township locations will open. Originally, the four theaters were to have been open by July 10.
The updates come a little more than a month since Cinemark announced it will close the theater in the Pittsburgh Mills mall in Frazer, and three months since the company temporarily closed all venues due to COVID-19.
Visitors can purchase tickets online and show the confirmation QR code to the usher. In-person purchases will be available with a printed ticket, but the usher won’t need to tear it.
Once you buy a ticket, the theater will block off the seats surrounding your assigned spot to encourage social distancing. Cinemark will stagger showtimes to make this easier and give employees more time to sanitize between each showing. Seat wipe dispensers will be available in the hallways outside the auditoriums and hand sanitizer dispensers available throughout the venue.
Staff will sanitize concession stands, restrooms, and other high-touch areas every 30 minutes, in addition to a routine morning cleaning.
Visitors are encouraged to wear a mask, and face coverings are required for staff members, in addition to protective gloves.
“The health and safety of our employees and guests and communities is a top priority,” Cinemark CEO Mark Zoradi says in a company video. “We are evolving how we operate to make sure that you feel confident and comfortable when you visit one of our theaters.”
Read more about Cinemark’s guidelines here and other reopening dates here.