SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) – Four Central New York theaters will open on Friday, Oct. 23 for the first time since March when Gov. Andrew Cuomo shut down theaters statewide in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Movie Tavern in Camillus, Manlius Art Cinema, Hollywood Theatre, and Oswego Cinema 7 all plan to open this week. Regal Cinemas has not yet announced that their Destiny USA location will be among the theaters opening this week.
Those that do open will do so under strict guidelines to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. Face masks will be required at all times unless eating or drinking, and theaters will not operate at full capacity to accommodate social distancing. Seating will be capped at 25% or no more than 50 people. Theaters will also have to maintain new standards for air filtration and ventilation.
In accordance with New York state’s reopening guidelines, theaters will be permitted to operate in counties that are cluster-free and maintain positive rates under 2%. This rule is impacting Cortland County. Theaters there have not been permitted to open since the County has not cleared the mandated threshold.
Some theaters are offering rentals to adjust to reduced capacity. For $99, some theaters can be rented out for private screenings with parties under 20.
The Movie Tavern plans to screen Christopher Nolan’s “Tenet,” Liam Neeson’s “Honest Thief,” and older movies like “Casper,” among others.
Theaters across the area plan on showing a mix of new films and older classics. Older movies may be mixed into screenings since many new films have delayed releases to adjust to the pandemic.
