The Justice Department (DOJ) and AMC Entertainment Inc. have
agreed to resolve a lawsuit filed under the Americans with Disabilities Act
(ADA).
The suit challenged -- among other things -- the design of
stadium-style movie theaters that fail to provide patrons who use wheelchairs
with comparable lines of sight to those of other moviegoers. AMC is the second
largest movie theater chain in the country with about 5,300 screens.
"Going to the movies is an archetypal American leisure
activity," said Thomas E. Perez, Assistant Attorney General for Civil
Rights. "We are pleased that AMC is taking steps to provide persons who
use wheelchairs with access to the enhanced viewing experience of stadium-style
theaters."
Improved seating
The agreement will improve the movie-going experience for
people who use wheelchairs and their companions at AMC stadium-style theaters
nationwide, according to DOJ. All stadium-style theaters opened by AMC after
entry of the decree will be constructed in accordance with design requirements
that place accessible seating near the middle of the auditorium.
During the course of the lawsuit, AMC, with the approval of
DOJ, made changes to its stadium theater design template that provided full
accessibility to its newly constructed theaters. Additionally, at nearly 250
existing stadium-style theaters across the country, AMC has agreed to make sure
that a specified percentage of auditoriums provide wheelchair spaces and
companion seating in the stadium section.
Better sight lines
AMC also will move wheelchair seating from the front row to
locations farther back from the screen and otherwise ensure that movie patrons
who use wheelchairs enjoy an unobstructed view of the screen. Stadium-style
theaters acquired by AMC during the five-year term of the order also will be
required to provide enhanced lines of sight and improved accessibility for
patrons who use wheelchairs.
Stadium-style theaters offer superior lines of sight and a
superlative movie-going experience. However, in early stadium theater designs,
accessible seating was often located at or near the very front of the
auditoriums. This agreement will afford movie patrons who use wheelchairs and
their companions the opportunity to enjoy the same product as other moviegoers.
The Justice Department filed suit to enforce the ADA in
January 1999 in federal court in Los Angeles. The suit was based on private
complaints filed with the Justice Department and its own investigation. The
settlement agreement has been submitted to the federal district court in the
Central District of California and is subject to the review and approval by
Judge S. James Otero.
