Megaplex Theatres to reopen as soon as June 18
(KUTV) — Megaplex Theatres announced Friday that it will reopen its movie theaters, with modified business operations, as soon as Thursday, June 18.
Most Utah locations will reopen on that day, however, the remaining locations in Utah and Nevada will open their doors as soon as circumstances permit, according to a press release.
Movie theaters have been closed since mid-March because of the coronavirus pandemic.
“The Intermission is finally over!” said Blake Andersen, Megaplex Theatres president. “Our team is ready. Our buildings are ready. Our technology is ready, and we are thrilled to be welcoming guests back to Megaplex Theatres to enjoy great movies on the biggest screens in Utah.”
In order to comply with coronavirus restrictions, the theaters will open with enhanced cleaning, sanitizing, and operational protocols to ensure the health and safety of guests and employees, including:
- Limiting capacity per each auditorium based on state and local guidelines
- Requiring observance by all guests and employees to CDC guidelines, including discouraging at-risk or high-risk individuals from attending
- Wellness checks for employees
- Gloves and masks required for all employees
- Strongly encouraging guests to wear masks, available as needed upon request
- Cleaning of high-contact surfaces and areas
- Sanitizing each occupied seat between show times
- Frequent and proper handwashing
- Social distancing procedures
- Expanded cashless payment options
- Scaling back or temporarily suspending selected menu items in the food court
- Concessions ordering via the Megaplex mobile app for in-theatre pick up
- Encouraging guests to practice appropriate health and safety measures
Based on best health recommendations by experts, these steps will also be taken to help stop the spread of COVID-19:
- Adding multiple hand sanitizing stations located in prominent areas throughout our theatres and our event spaces for guest and employee use
- Enhancing our nightly deep cleaning standards and protocols
- Adding to the frequency of cleaning and disinfecting of high-traffic areas throughout the day
- While wearing gloves, we are cleaning and sanitizing chairs, armrests, and seat trays after each use
- Frequently sanitizing door handles, counters, touch screens at the box office, Coca-Cola Freestyle machines as well as railings and other surfaces
- Extra attention to cleaning and sanitizing our public restrooms, keeping handles, doors, baby changing stations and faucet handles clean
- Servicing touchless soap dispensers and hand dryers for added protection
- Increased signage to encourage proper handwashing for guests and employees
- Always wearing gloves while preparing food
- Employees handling money/card transactions do not directly handle food
- Added additional “touchless” devices to eliminate physical contact with high-traffic surfaces
- Enhanced cashless transaction technology for ticket and concessions purchases
- Developed innovative social distancing technology for reserved seating maps to create appropriate spacing between guests
- Expanded breaks between show times to allow time for additional cleaning and sanitization protocols
Megaplex plans to bring back some of Utah's favorite films in the days leading up to the release of new Hollywood feature film content. The marquee will include, "The Hobbit" and "The Lord of the Rings" series, "Dunkirk" and "Just Mercy", as well as popular musicals like "Bohemian Rhapsody" and "The Greatest Showman."
"Just in time for Utah’s Pioneer Day holiday weekend, new Hollywood films will arrive at the Megaplex starting with Christopher Nolan’s much anticipated film, Tenet on July 17, followed by the live-action version of Disney’s Mulan on July 24,” said Andersen.
For more information, visit: www.MegaplexTheatres.com/i/reopening
