ArcLight Cinemas Closes In Bethesda Due To Pandemic

BETHESDA, MD — Bad news for movie lovers: ArcLight Cinemas at Bethesda's Westfield Montgomery mall will not reopen.

The Decurion Corporation — the owner of 11 ArcLight Cinemas locations nationwide and six Pacific Theatres locations in California — made the announcement on Monday. The company first shut its doors at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"After shutting our doors more than a year ago, today we must share the difficult and sad news that Pacific will not be reopening its ArcLight Cinemas and Pacific Theatres locations," the company said in a statement. "This was not the outcome anyone wanted, but despite a huge effort that exhausted all potential options, the company does not have a viable way forward."

ArcLight and Pacific are the latest casualties of the pandemic — which has decimated the country's movie and theater arts industries.

ArcLight opened in Bethesda in the fall of 2014. It was located at 7101 Democracy Blvd.