A view of the Regal Loews Cinemas movie theater in Times Square in New York City.
Noam Galai | Getty Images
Two weeks after Cineworld closed more than 500 Regal Cinemas in the U.S., the second-largest movie theater chain is reopening 11 locations in New York state.
The move comes days after Gov. Andrew Cuomo said that movie theaters outside of New York City would be permitted to reopen at a limited capacity.
Regal theaters in other U.S. markets will remain closed due to the lack of new movie releases, however.
Earlier this month, Mooky Greidinger, the CEO of Cineworld, told CNBC that closing locations in the U.S. and the U.K. was a way to stem the “bleeding.” He said his business lost less money by not operating.
Representatives for Cineworld did not immediately respond to CNBC’s request for comment.
Cineworld’s decision to reopen its New York locations showcases the importance of this market to the movie theater industry. While it only accounts for around 6% of total ticket sales, movies that perform well in the state can generate buzz and help sell tickets in other parts of the country.
Not to mention, studios had told cinema owners that they would not release major blockbusters if the state did not allow theaters to reopen.
