Loft Cinema in Tucson re-opening big screen on May 7

“The Loft Cinema is so excited to welcome you back to the theatre! The following practices and procedures are in place to ensure the safest environment possible. Please do not hesitate to reach out to us at info@loftcinema.org if you have any questions or concerns.

Please Note: all practices and procedures are mandatory, even if you have been vaccinated.

Mandatory Safety Practices and Procedures

• Anyone exhibiting COVID-19 or flu-like symptoms, or any person with a recent exposure to someone known to have COVID-19, must stay home. Staff are screened before the start of every shift.
• Masks must be worn over the nose and mouth at all times while on the property, with the sole exception being while you are seated and actively eating or drinking. Staff and volunteers will be masked at all times.
• Public indoor screenings will only occur in Screen 1 (our largest auditorium) through May.
• Reserved seating with automatic buffers between parties will ensure social distancing. A maximum of 77 people (21% of capacity) will be seated in Screen 1.
• Transactions are contactless if you purchase your tickets and concessions in advance and have your confirmation email ready on your smartphone.
• Traffic in the lobby is limited to no more than six patrons at a time to ensure social distancing. 
• Concessions are sold in advance with online ticket purchases, or before the screening begins at a table on the front patio; no concessions can be purchased once the screening begins.
• At the end of the film, exiting must be done through the emergency exit doors in Screen 1 to avoid lobby congestion.
• Showtimes are limited and staggered to allow for additional cleaning, disinfection, and sanitization between screenings. Staff uses foggers to disinfect all areas of the seats.
• High-touch areas are cleaned hourly.

Physical Improvements 

The Loft Cinema consulted with HVAC experts to:

• Increase outside airflow through HVAC units.
• Upgrade to MERV 13 filters in all units.
• Install Air Scrubbers and ionization units to improve the quality of the air.

Plexiglass barriers have been installed at every point of sale station.

Hand sanitizing stations are located throughout the campus.

Contactless fixtures (soap, paper towels) have been installed in the bathrooms, and toilet lids have been installed to minimize transmission from toilet flushes.”

Carolyn’s note:  Loft Cinema closed due to the pandemic around the middle of March, 2020. Since then they were live streaming movies for fee online, then opened up a new big screen on the back wall (north) parking lot, which was able to host about 50 patrons in an open air setting over the winter.  Finally, they are re-opening the large Screen 1, not the smaller Screen 2 upstairs or the medium sized Screen 3 with stadium seating to the east.  Hopefully all will go well.

I’m the longest serving volunteer there now, and help out with ushering and blogging their movies online here and on the Southern Arizona Japanese Cultural Coalition website & FB page.