If you’re watching the social media trends or cable news networks, you’re probably on to the AMC stock craze. While the embattled theater chain’s stock push may be temporary, it’s elevated awareness can only help the situation of the retail scene here in Orlando.
I’ll explain.
AMC theaters anchor the Altamonte Mall, Disney Springs, and the barely breathing West Oaks Mall. Other movie chains also hold down shopping areas like Winter Park village, Lake Mary Towne Center, and the Fashion Square mall.
What this is doing is not letting Orlando residents forget that the theaters are still out there. And they will be back.
When? Depends who you ask. Some analysts say late summer. Others say middle of the fall.
“Well, can’t we just watch movies streaming? Especially after that toxic Warner Bros deal” you might ask (maybe not that second part).
Yes. But streaming doesn’t involve saving Orlando jobs. And while theater jobs themselves aren’t huge number, the amount of small businesses that count on these multiplexes to bring cars into their shopping centers makes that number much higher. We have to make sure they survive.
And I don’t know about you, but I miss the theater experience in Orlando. I used to review movies on this site every weekend.
Let’s hope that day comes again, and while this AMC internet bump may be temporary, we can be optimistic that it’s just a sign of things to come.
And we can watch the theater business comeback along with a lot of other suffering industries.