VSS-Southern Theatres Announces Reopening Plans.
The Grand Theatres and Amstar Cinemas will safely welcome back guests starting August 28th
NEW ORLEANS, LA – (August 18, 2020) – VSS-Southern Theatres, LLC announces its plans to reopen 15 of 18 theatre locations on August 28, 2020. Three locations in North Carolina will reopen when given clearance to do so by state authorities.
“At the Grand Theatres and Amstar Cinemas, we have implemented significant measures to help ensure our guests and employees feel comfortable and safe,” said James Wood, CEO of VSS-Southern Theatres. “We know our guests are eager to return to the theatre and with these new precautions in place, we are excited to welcome them back.
All Grand Theatre and Amstar Cinemas locations are adhering to CDC, state and local government guidance with respect to safety protocols and occupancy. These measures include:
Enhanced Cleaning – All high touch surface areas are cleaned at least every 30 minutes and every theatre seat is cleaned after each use with products that are 99% effective in killing bacteria and viruses.
Safety Protocols – Masks must be worn in all common areas including the lobby, concession stand area, corridors, and in the restrooms. Once seated in the auditorium, masks may be removed for enjoying food and beverage since socially distanced seating will be enforced by our ticketing system and by auditorium capacity limits. Employees are also required to wear facial coverings and gloves during their shifts and continue to frequently wash their hands.
Additional Precautions – Our theater staff and management must complete a health pre-check, including safety precautions such as taking their temperature, to ensure they are ready and able to work prior to beginning every shift. We will also be installing higher filtration MERV filters in our HVAC systems.
Socially Distanced Seating – Seating occupancy will be limited per government guidelines (typically 50% depending upon the state) which will provide for family groups to sit together and other groups to sufficiently distance from them in the auditorium.
We encourage our guests to download our updated Grand & Amstar app for a touchless transaction experience. Using the updated Grand & Amstar app, guests can select a theatre, purchase tickets in advance, and pay. They can also pre-order concessions for pickup at a designated area of the concession stand creating a touchless transaction experience. Additionally, all online ticketing fees have been waived until September 30th.
Upon reopening tickets will be significantly discounted for retro titles featuring such classics as The Goonies, Aquaman, and The Harry Potter Series among many more. First run ticket pricing will be in place for those new titles opening 8/28 and for all titles starting 9/3.
“ The classic titles we are opening with will no doubt wet our guest’s appetite on the moviegoing experience but the fantastic lineup of first run films beginning with Unhinged (8/21), New Mutants (8/28), Tenet (9/3), The Kings Man (9/18) and Wonder Woman 1984 (10/2) just to name a few will no doubt appeal to an even broader base”, said James Wood
Also, for a limited time guests can enjoy some new offers including:
Special showtimes for Seniors – The first showtime every Tuesday, generally starting around 2PM, will be dedicated to seniors and those who are most at risk in the community.
BOGO Tickets for First Responders and Health Care workers – As a way to thank those who help the community every day, buy one get one free tickets will be available for First Responders and Health Care workers.
Reel Rewards® account extensions – All loyalty Reel Rewards Dollars®, Recognitions, and Birthday Bonuses will be extended to October 30th. All accounts will have 6 months added to their expiration date.
At many of our locations we are currently offering private screenings. An auditorium can be reserved for up to 20 people. Guest can select from a variety of tiles and enjoy exclusive access to the concession stand. For more info on booking a private screening including title selections and participating theatres, please visit TheGrandTheatre.com/PrivateScreenings & AmstarCinemas.com/PrivateScreenings
For more details on the reopening process and advance tickets please visit:
TheGrandTheatre.com/reopening & AmstarCinemas.com/reopening
About Southern Theatres
VSS-Southern Theatres, LLC is a top 20 theatre circuit in the United States and is responsible for the daily operations of The Grand Theatres and AmStar Cinemas. The company operates 18 locations with 266 screens in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Texas. VSS-Southern Theatres, LLC (“Southern”) is a portfolio company of Veronis Suhler Stevenson (“VSS”), a leading private equity firm dedicated to investing in media, communications and information industries in North America and Europe.
