The Showplace 14 movie theater in Pekin closed at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, but it appears that closure may not be permanent.
Federal Judge Randolph Moss modified a previous consent decree on Friday to allow AMC to repurchase 10 of the theaters it sold to New Vision Theaters in 2017 to avoid federal antitrust concerns when it purchased Carmike Theaters, a main rival. Locally, AMC also operates the Sunnyland Cinemas and the AMC Classic at Grand Prairie.
New Vision Theaters went out of business in July due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
"The COVID-19 pandemic has caused extreme economic hardship in the movie theater industry, and the proposed amendments are necessary to ameliorate additional harm to the industry," wrote Moss in his order.
The modified order allows AMC to reacquire the theaters where New Vision either abandoned a lease, or a landlord terminated a lease due to default.
Randolph said he determined it was in the public interest to allow AMC to retake ownership of the theaters.
On Friday, movers were seen in the parking lot of the Pekin movie theater loading various equipment into trucks. It's unclear when the movie theater might reopen.
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