 |
The neutrality of this article is disputed. Please see the discussion on the talk page. Please do not remove this message until the dispute is resolved. (March 2009) |
 |
|
| Type | Public company (NYSE: CNK) |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1984 |
| Headquarters | Plano, Texas |
| Key people | Lee Roy Mitchell, co-founder and Chairman of the Board Alan Stock, CEO |
Cinemark Theatres (NYSE: CNK) is a chain of movie theatres in North America and Latin America.
The Cinemark circuit is the second largest in the U.S. with 408 theatres and 4,665 screens in 38 states. They are the most geographically diverse circuit in Latin America with 125 theatres and 1,029 screens in 12 countries.
Cinemark operates theaters under several names, including Cinemark, Tinseltown USA, Century and CinéArts[1]—theaters which feature independent films.
Contents |
Controversy
United States Department of Justice lawsuits
In the 1990's Cinemark Theatres was one of the first chains to incorporate stadium-style seating into their theatres. The stairstep style was designed to provide better viewing, more seat and leg room for all patrons and enhance the movie going experience.[2]. In 1997, several disabled individuals filed a lawsuit against Cinemark, alleging that their stadium style seats forced wheelchair bound patrons to sit in the front row of the theatre, effectively rendering them unable to see the screen without assuming a horizontal position. The case was heard in El Paso district court as Lara v. Cinemark USA, where a judge ruled that the architecture of Cinemark's theatres violated the Americans with Disabilities Act. The ruling was later overturned by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, which ruled that Cinemark only had to provide an "unobstructed view." Since, by sitting in the front row, handicapped patrons' view was only awkward and not technically obscured, Cinemark was not violating the law.[3]
In response, the United States Department of Justice filed their own suit against Cinemark while appealing the appellate court's decision. The DOJ argued that, while Cinemark was not technically violating the ADA, it was nevertheless discriminating against handicapped patrons by relegating them to the worst seats in the auditorium. [4] Cinemark responded by filing a lawsuit against the Department of Justice, alleging misconduct on the DOJ's behalf. [5] Cinemark's lawsuit was thrown out, and the Department of Justice proceeded with its lawsuit. Cinemark ultimately agreed to settle out of court before the court came to a ruling, agreeing with the DOJ that it was in the company's best interest to end litigation before a ruling was issued.[4] Per the terms of the settlement, Cinemark agreed to renovate all existing theatres to provide wheelchair bound and other handicapped patrons access to rows higher in its theatres, and also agreed that all future theatres would be constructed so as to allow handicapped patrons better access to higher rows. In turn, the Department of Justice agreed not to bring further litigation against the company in relation to the architecture of stadium seating as it applies to the ADA.[4]
Gay marriage
In 2008, CEO Alan Stock donated $9,999 toward the successful passage of Calfornia's Proposition 8, a an anti-gay marriage initiative, which overrode the decision of the California Supreme Court establishing same-sex marriage in California as a fundamental right. An ensuing campaign, launched by opponents to the Prop 8 passage, encouraged patrons to see the Gus Van Sant film Milk, starring Sean Penn in the title role of assassinated gay-rights activist Harvey Milk, at a competing theater in protest.[6] Others called for a more general boycott.[7]
References
- ^ CinéArts
- ^ CINEMARK BRINGS STADIUM SEATING TO THE VALLEY. CineMark press release, August 13, 1998. Accessed 3 June 2009.
- ^ "Appellate Court OKs Stadium-style Movie Seating; Cinemark, USA Inc. Wins ADA Case". Business Wire, April 11, 2000. Accessed 3 June 2009.
- ^ a b c US Department of Justice vs. Cinemark
- ^ Cinemark v United States
- ^ Cieply, Michael. "Activists Seek to Tie ‘Milk’ to a Campaign for Gay Rights". The New York Times, November 22, 2008. Accessed 3 June 2009.
- ^ Moore, Roger. "Cinemark CEO donates to 'Proposition Hate': boycott follows". Orlando Sentinel, November 13, 2008. Accessed 3 June 2009.
External links
This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)
