AMC Kips Bay theater faces closure due to NYU Langone expansion

AMC Theatres CEO Adam Aron has issued an open letter expressing the company's desire to remain in Manhattan's Kips Bay neighborhood, despite the scheduled closure of the AMC Kips Bay 15 multiplex on January 3, 2024.

The closure is driven by NYU Langone Health's plans to acquire the building to facilitate its expansion. The property also houses a Fairway supermarket and a bank, both of which are expected to close. Aron stated that the current building owner terminated AMC's lease in anticipation of the transfer to the healthcare system.

AMC has reportedly proposed several compromises to NYU Langone, such as reducing the theater's size or enlarging the existing low-rise building to accommodate both the hospital and the cinema. However, Aron noted that these proposals were rejected. The theater has been a community staple since 1999 and recently ranked among the most attended AMC locations nationwide. Local residents and Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal have voiced support for retaining the theater and other local amenities.