SAVE OUR SCREENS

Oklahoma owners and operators thank our lawmakers for their leadership throughout the COVID-19 crisis. The state’s movie theaters are among the hardest-hit industries and need help to ensure they will continue operations, rehire workers, and return to profitability (and pay taxes on those profits) after the public health crisis abates. Please support financial relief for struggling movie theaters of all sizes in Oklahoma. With your help, our cinemas will play an important role in rebuilding the state’s economy and continue to bring the shared cultural experience of moviegoing to our communities.

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Economic and Cultural Engines. From Main Street to the state’s urban centers, cinemas are business anchors and economic multipliers in the communities they serve. Cinemas (1) invigorate and revitalize neighborhoods, (2) drive foot traffic to local small businesses, (3) foster cultural vibrancy, and (4) create employment opportunities in communities across Oklahoma where jobs can be few and far between.

Unprecedented Industry Disruption. Prior to the pandemic, Oklahoma had a robust movie theater market that generated more than $150 million in revenue each year. Capacity limitations combined with a lack of new movie releases, however, have caused cinema revenues to plunge by 80 percent industrywide.

Cinemas Need Help. There are approximately 50 cinema companies operating more than 530 screens at over 85 locations across the state. Each passing day without help, however, is another day closer to more cinema owners in Oklahoma reaching their breaking point.

Grant and Tax Relief Programs. A grant program of up to $5.5 million and tax relief would provide critical lifelines to help movie theaters bridge the pandemic and contribute to the state’s broader economic recovery when new movies return to our screens later this year. The following states recognized our industry’s economic and cultural importance and established grant programs to help cinema owners:

• Iowa: The Iowa Movie Theatre Relief Fund allocated $5.5 million to provide up to $10,000 per screen to assist the state’s cinemas. • Kansas: The state’s $5 million SPARK grant program provided $10,000 per screen to movie theaters operating in Kansas. • Minnesota: The state’s Movie Theater Relief Grant Program provided grants of up to $150,000 for eligible Minnesota cinemas. • Nebraska: The $3.2 million Movie Theater Stabilization Program awarded $10,000 per screen for cinemas operating in Nebraska. • Wisconsin: The state, which designated $10 million for its COVID-19 Movie Theater Grant Program, provided cinemas awards averaging $14,600 per screen.

Oklahoma Movie Theaters Sources: Comscore

89er Theatre The District Poncan Theatre Kingfisher Durant Ponca City

Admiral Twin Drive-In El-Co Drive-In Poteau Theatre Tulsa Shattuck Poteau

AMC Theatres Eton Square Cinemas Redskin Theatre Ardmore, Cushing, Enid, Lawton, Tulsa Anadarko Norman, , Owasso, Ponca City, Shawnee, Stillwater, Flix Brewhouse Regal Entertainment Group Tulsa, Yukon Oklahoma City Bartlesville, Broken Arrow, Midwest City, Moore, Norman Apex Cinemas Fourth St. Theatre McAlester, Muskogee, Tahlequah Tuttle Rex II Theater Caddo B&B Theatres Gentry Cinema Claremore, El Reno, Miami Checotah Rialto Cinema Alva Sapulpa, Tulsa H & S Theatre Beacon Drive-In Chandler Rodeo Arthouse Cinema Oklahoma City Guthrie Harkins Theatres Buffalo Theatre Oklahoma City Royal Theatre Fairview Buffalo Heritage Park Theatres Center Cinemas Altus, Chickasha, Duncan, Royal Twin Theatre Grove, Pryor, Vinita Elk City, Weatherford Pauls Valley

Centre Theatre Indie Cinema Showbiz Cinemas El Reno Tishomingo Edmond

Chief Drive-In Jones Theatres Strothers Twin Cinema Ninnekah Shawnee Seminole

Cinema One Kickingbird Cinema Time Theatre Antlers Edmond Stigler

Cinemark Liberty Theatre Tower Drive-In Ada, Broken Arrow, Oklahoma City, Carnegie Poteau Sand Springs, Tulsa McCurtain Cinema Tower Theatre Cinergy Entertainment Group Idabel Oklahoma City Tulsa Mitchell Theatres Vaska Theatre Circle Cinema Theatre Guymon, Woodward Lawton Tulsa Orpheum Theatre Washita Theatre Constantine Center Okmulgee Cordell Pawhuska Palace Twin Theatre Winchester Drive-In Crystal Theater Duncan Oklahoma City Okemah