California's ArcLight and Pacific Theaters to close for good
Hollywood’s theatrical business may be slowly rebounding but for some exhibitors the last year has been catastrophic. Pacific Theaters, which operates some 300 screens in California, including the beloved ArcLight theaters and the historic Cinerama Dome in Hollywood, said Monday that it will not be reopening.
“This was not the outcome anyone wanted, but despite a huge effort that exhausted all potential options, the company does not have a viable way forward,” a Pacific Theaters representative said in a written statement.
Pacific Theaters also operates the multiplexes at The Grove and The Americana shopping malls in the Los Angeles area.
Los Angeles County recently expanded capacity for indoor moviegoing to 50% after more than a year of being closed, but many smaller chains have struggled to remain solvent.
The ArcLight theaters were a favorite of many entertainment industry professionals and celebrities, with locations throughout Southern California. The ArcLight Hollywood was the first in the chain to open in 2002 featuring the then-novel concept of reserved seating and ushers who introduced each showing. Latecomers were not admitted entry.
Many took to social media to express their dismay over the news. “Love & Basketball” filmmaker Gina Prince-Bythewood tweeted, “This is so painful. The Arclight is my go-to. Clean, great sound, assigned stadium seating, great popcorn, usher movie introductions. A true movie-going experience.”
Comedian and “Parks and Recreation” a ctor Ben Schwartz wrote that the news was “truly a bummer.”
“The Arclight Hollywood was my most favorite theatre in the world to see movies. My home court of cinema in LA. I saw my first movie in LA there when I moved here in 2009 and the last movie before the pandemic...
