Regal Greenbrier’s silver screens go dark in Chesapeake
“Goodbye” is the only word visible on Regal Cinemas’ marquee in Greenbrier.
The 13-screen movie theater, owned by British company Cineworld, closed after showing its last film on Jan. 12. Located across from Greenbrier Mall in Chesapeake, the theater has been a mainstay in the community for almost 30 years since opening in 1995.
The movie theater’s website — now void of any showtimes — assures customers they can enjoy movies at other local Regal locations.
They include: Regal Columbus and Regal Strawbridge Marketplace in Virginia Beach; Regal MacArthur Center in Norfolk; Regal Harbour View Grande in Suffolk; Regal Kiln Creek in Newport News; and Regal New Town near Williamsburg.
The closure was brought on following Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings by Cineworld in September 2022. The company had purchased the cinema chain in 2017 for $3.6 billion.
Originally slated for closure in February 2023, the movie theater remained open another 11 months.
According to previous reporting in The Virginian-Pilot, the bankruptcy filing noted that Regal and Cineworld suffered from a “decline in cinema attendance, a disrupted film release and production schedule and a rise in at-home entertainment alternatives.”
Sandra J. Pennecke, 757-652-5836, sandra.pennecke@pilotonline.com
