Movie theaters have now been closed for a year in Las Cruces; Allen family finds it ‘extremely frustrating’

LAS CRUCES, New Mexico -- From 1912 to 2020, the Allen family welcomed the community to their movie theaters every day.

“As far as I know, we’ve never had a day closed until March 17th," explained Russell Allen, the president of Allen Theaters. "In our family, that’s the day of infamy.”

For 51 weeks, Allen's 16 theaters across 13 southern New Mexico cities have been closed. The year-long closure has cost the family more than they could ever imagine.

“Millions," Allen said. "Millions in saved money. Millions in gross. Millions in payroll.”

In October, he made the difficult decision to close Video 4 permanently in central Las Cruces. It had been a staple in the city for almost half a century.

Movie theaters, considered large entertainment venues by the state, can reopen when a county's infection rate reaches the green or turquoise level, as defined by the state. Doña Ana County remains in the red.

However, Allen is optimistic. He hopes to reopen in the spring.

When he does, "statewide, we’ll hire hundreds of people," he told ABC-7.