In his best Australian accent, he recited Nicole Kidman’s iconic AMC Theatres ad in a loving tribute to the neighborhood’s longstanding cultural institution. But despite a record-breaking summer at the box office, the Kips Bay multiplex is expected to close at the end of this year. The site of the Kips Bay AMC, the chain’s second-largest multiplex in Manhattan, was privately purchased by NYU Langone over a year ago.
But several city officials at the protest told Variety they didn’t learn about the deal until after it had gone through. Kristen Gonzalez explained after the protest. Judith Gross, the group’s president, says her members are “devastated” by the news but remain hopeful they can get through to AMC Theatres and NYU Langone.
We’re guiding the whole community to protest these takeovers of what little community space we have left.” Several local businesses have joined Gross’ rallying cry, including Paddy Reilly’s Music Bar, the staple Irish pub located just around the corner from AMC Kips Bay. After promoting the protest on social media, the bar offered a free drink to anyone who came in afterward with a selfie from the rally. Inside the bar, several locals mourned the potential loss of a community gathering space that’s been around even longer.
He took a sip of Guinness. It’s a conflict playing out on a much larger scale with the Paramount-Warner Bros. merger, which many of Hollywood’s most prominent voices are arguing would diminish opportunities and resources for creatives. And all we’re asking for, whether it’s in Hollywood or right here in Pittsburgh, is for everyday people to be included and have our voices heard.”
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