Tri-County Cineplex readying to reopen the doors Monday, June 1

Movie theaters across the state are gearing up to welcome customers back inside the building beginning Monday, June 1. In Corbin, the Tri-County Cineplex is working hard to make sure everything is ready for moviegoers to once again get their fix of big screen entertainment.

Owner Suzie Razmus and manager Cassie Powers spoke about the re-opening efforts, saying, “We are doing everything that we can to make sure everyone is as safe and as comfortable as possible. We want customers to have an enjoyable experience like always, but this is a learning experience for us, and we are asking that everyone be patient, and just understand that we truly are doing everything that we can.”

When the doors finally open back up on Monday and people are allowed back inside the Cineplex for the first time in nearly three months, there will be just a few things to remember. First, observe all floor markings, and make sure to abide by social distancing guidelines of at least six feet. The snack bar will be open, but everything ordered will be handed to you by an employee of the theater. Employees will be wearing masks and gloves, and a plexiglass barrier will separate them from everyone on the other side.

Guests are not going to be required to wear masks themselves, but that is certainly encouraged if it helps anyone to feel safer, or if it helps anyone to feel as if they are helping to make others safer. Razmus and Powers are also asking that anyone visiting the theater please come prepared to make cashless transactions if possible, although cash transactions will still be accepted if necessary.

There will be no common areas where people can congregate inside the theater. A strong emphasis will be placed on sanitizing all areas of the building numerous times throughout the course of an afternoon/evening, and limited showtimes in the near future will help to reduce capacity and prevent large crowds from potentially gathering.

Tickets are on sale now at www.tricountycineplex.com, but restrictions are temporarily in place to ensure a safe distance is maintained at all times while in the theater. Limiting the capacity inside the building, as well as limiting the size of the groups allowed to sit together (no more than ten), fall under the current guidelines set forth by the governor’s office, and will help to ensure the safety of all visitors.

The good news, however, is that all tickets are being offered at a discounted rate of $5 for each show. That will remain in place for the foreseeable future. Movies are also likely to remain in theaters for a longer period of time right now in order to accommodate the limited release schedule and limited capacity guidelines, and the number of classic films being offered has expanded considerably. Right now, tickets are available for next week to see The Goonies, Grease, The Wizard of Oz and Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.

“For 15 years this has been a place to come and forget about life for a while,” Razmus said. “That is what we want to continue to be. We’re taking this extremely seriously, though. Our goal is to follow all of the guidelines set forth by the state and the CDC, but also keep everyone as comfortable as possible.”

“We hope you’ll come back out, enjoy some popcorn, and watch a movie with us. Forget about COVID-19 for a while.”

Be sure to look inside the June 3 print edition of the News Journal for coverage of Monday’s re-opening of the Tri-County Cineplex in Corbin, and continue to monitor the theater’s website and official Facebook page this weekend for more potential updates.