South Jersey Cinema Chain Regal Abruptly Shuts Down Beloved Retro Theater After Three Decades
Regal Cinemas has pulled the plug on one of its South Jersey theaters, bringing an abrupt end to a nearly three-decade run at the iconic Regal Cross Keys Stadium 12. The Art Deco-style theater, recognizable by its distinctive facade, closed its doors for good on Thursday, according to NJ.com.
The news comes as no surprise, given that Regal's parent company, Cineworld, filed for bankruptcy last year due to plummeting box office sales during the COVID-19 pandemic. The closure marks just one of 39 theaters shut down by the chain in 2023, including a location in Mays Landing and two in the Philadelphia suburbs.
The Regal Cross Keys Stadium 12, which opened its doors in December 1994, was a staple of local moviegoers for decades. It's reported that some of the first films to be shown at the theater were blockbuster hits like "The Lion King" and "Forrest Gump". The theater's grand reopening in 1994 even featured free door prizes and gifts.
Regal is one of several major cinema chains struggling to recover from the pandemic slump. Many have raised ticket prices to account for dwindling customer bases, rising production costs, and increased competition from streaming services. Industry experts predict it may take until at least 2030 for the industry to return to pre-pandemic revenue levels.
The closure leaves fans of the beloved theater with a void that's unlikely to be filled anytime soon. However, Regal operates another cinema nearby, the Regal UA Washington Township, which remains open just half a mile away from the shuttered theater.
Regal Cinemas has pulled the plug on one of its South Jersey theaters, bringing an abrupt end to a nearly three-decade run at the iconic Regal Cross Keys Stadium 12. The Art Deco-style theater, recognizable by its distinctive facade, closed its doors for good on Thursday, according to NJ.com.
The news comes as no surprise, given that Regal's parent company, Cineworld, filed for bankruptcy last year due to plummeting box office sales during the COVID-19 pandemic. The closure marks just one of 39 theaters shut down by the chain in 2023, including a location in Mays Landing and two in the Philadelphia suburbs.
The Regal Cross Keys Stadium 12, which opened its doors in December 1994, was a staple of local moviegoers for decades. It's reported that some of the first films to be shown at the theater were blockbuster hits like "The Lion King" and "Forrest Gump". The theater's grand reopening in 1994 even featured free door prizes and gifts.
Regal is one of several major cinema chains struggling to recover from the pandemic slump. Many have raised ticket prices to account for dwindling customer bases, rising production costs, and increased competition from streaming services. Industry experts predict it may take until at least 2030 for the industry to return to pre-pandemic revenue levels.
The closure leaves fans of the beloved theater with a void that's unlikely to be filled anytime soon. However, Regal operates another cinema nearby, the Regal UA Washington Township, which remains open just half a mile away from the shuttered theater.
I remember going to the Regal Cross Keys Stadium 12 with my fam back in the day and it was always so much fun! Who else grew up loving that place? 
It's crazy how they just shut down without even trying to save it, you know? They had all those great memories and now it's just gone 
I'm kinda surprised they didn't try to keep it open or something. Guess you can't compete with the streaming services these days 
anyway, that Regal UA nearby is still good, right? 
like how can this happen?! 
I used to take my squad to the Regal Cross Keys Stadium 12 all the time and it was always so much fun 
they had the best retro vibe, like a totally different world from that other Regal cinema nearby 
anyway, I feel bad for the fans but I guess it's just another casualty of this crazy pandemic slump 
we need an upgrade ASAP 
cinemas are struggling big time since covid and people started streaming everything at home. it's weird that regal is trying to raise prices to make up for it but like, isn't that just gonna scare people away even more? 
i'm gonna miss that theater so much it still hurts 
And don't even get me started on the environmental impact of all those movie theaters... it's like they're sucking up all our oxygen 
. But hey, I guess some people do love going to the movies, and Regal Cross Keys was definitely a part of that... so yeah, it's weird that it had to close 
. I mean, can you believe it's been out of business since '94 and still some people are gonna miss it? The fact that they showed iconic movies like "The Lion King" and "Forrest Gump" for the first time is just mind-blowing! It's crazy to think about how it struggled with box office sales during the pandemic, but 39 theaters down in one year is like...wow. I guess streaming services did have a big impact on cinema chains 
. And yeah, the pandemic hit the industry hard - it's no surprise they're struggling to recover. Cineworld's bankruptcy thing makes sense, but still sad to see a piece of our local history go 
... but on the other hand, think about all the money that would've been wasted on maintaining an old theater when they could be investing in something new & better for their customers 
... but then again, what's wrong with a good ol' art deco style like that? 
... I guess we'll just have to wait & see how this all shakes out 
i remember seeing the first previews of 'the lion king' and 'forrest gump' there too 
regal operates another cinema nearby, which is a consolation but it's just not the same as having that original theater back 