JUSTICE DEPARTMENT ANNOUNCES SETTLEMENT OF LITIGATION AGAINST CINEMARK USA, INC.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Justice Department today announced the resolution of a lawsuit against Cinemark USA, Inc. filed under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The suit challenged Cinemark’s construction of stadium-style movie theaters that fail to provide persons who use wheelchairs with a comparable line of sight to that of the general public. These theaters often required wheelchair users and their companions to sit at the very front of the theaters directly under the screen.

“The promise of the Americans with Disabilities Act was to welcome people with disabilities into American daily life,” said R. Alexander Acosta, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division. “The theaters at issue in this case came up short on that promise. We are pleased that Cinemark has decided to resolve this litigation and to provide the accommodations necessary for its patrons with disabilities, and trust that this settlement will light the path for other theater owners.”

The consent decree will dramatically improve the movie-going experience for people who use wheelchairs and for their companions at Cinemark stadium-style movie theaters across the United States. Under the decree, all future construction of Cinemark theaters will be designed in accordance with plans approved by the Justice Department with wheelchair seating near the middle of the auditorium.

Under the agreement, Cinemark will also make changes to existing theaters. It has agreed to move wheelchair seating further back from the screen in over 100 auditoriums in 14 existing complexes within the Sixth Circuit, and in theaters located elsewhere as well. In addition, Cinemark will add wheelchair spaces and companion seats in dozens of theaters across the country, allowing persons using wheelchairs and their companions to sit shoulder-to-shoulder next to each other on the same level like other patrons, and to enjoy unobstructed views.

The Justice Department filed suit to enforce the ADA in March 1999 in federal court in Cleveland, Ohio. The suit was based upon private complaints filed with the Justice Department.

People interested in finding out more about the ADA can call the Justice Department’s toll-free Information Line at (800) 514-0301 or (800) 514-0383 (TDD), or access the ADA homepage at: <http://www.ADA.gov>

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