THR Mission Brief: Reversal of AMC Theaters National Anti CCW Initiative

[geekWithA.45]

Target: AMC Theaters

Mission Objectives: Reversal of Nationwide Anti CCW Policy

Rules of Engagement: Polite and rational letter writting and email campaign...take "The High Road"


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Background Information: http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=17368103&BRD=1697&PAG=461&dept_id=44551&rfi=6

Relevant Quote:

"We have put ‘no weapons’ signs up in all of our theaters across America," said Melanie Bell, the vice president of corporate communications for AMC. "We believe the movie theater is a place for families, and so we’re asking people not to bring weapons inside."

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Resources needed:

Names and contact information of CEO, COB and board members.

The best letters in the world are meaningless if they don't get into the hands of the decision makers

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THR previous successes: Applebees.

 

[creitzel]

From their website (www.amctheatres.com)

CEO and chairman of the board: Peter C. Brown
President and COO: Phillip M. Singleton
Executive Vice Pres. and CFO: Craig R. Ramsey
Executive Vice Pres.: Dick Walsh

There doesn't appear to be any more info on that site about other board members. I'll do another search to see if I can find anything.

Corporate headquarters address appears to be:

AMC Entertainment Inc.
920 Main Street
Kansas City, MO 64105

 

[Gene Beasley]

2006 Annual Report

Latest filing with Missouri Secretary of State. It may be privately held, but it's still a corporation.

Peter C. Brown, President
Kelly W. Schemenauer, Vice President
Kevin M. Connor, Secretary
Terry W. Crawford, Treasurer

The Board of Directors contains Philip M. Singleton, Philip C. Pennington (VP) and Craig R. Ramsey in addition to Brown. I realize that some of these duplicate the information above but it adds a few more names and confirms them with a time frame (07/31/2006).

 

[creitzel]

Great work Gene, that's what I was looking for was a corporate report to the state. I just had to call off the search last night, so I could hit the sack

So now it appears we have the proper snail mail contact information, I'll start trying to see if I can dig up any email addresses. Also, I for one am not the best of writers, and could use some ideas of what to put into the letter.


Chris

 

[Eleven Mike]

"We believe the movie theater is a place for families, and so we’re asking people not to bring weapons inside."

It seems families are not worth protecting.

 

[loki.fish]

Think about it -- I’d say the type of person who routinely totes around guns, knives, and hand grenades probably wouldn’t be persuaded to lock their Glock in the glove box as a result of a little sticker reading, "No weapons."

This is the part that left me with my mouth left open. Since when did people tote around hand grenades? Knives? I'd say about 95% of the male population carries a pocket knife. Better leave it in the car boys, it's a WMD. My biggest pet peeve is human ignorance. I dunno how I stay interested in firearms so well. The ignorance factor of people outside of the firearm "hobby" is overwhelming. I try to avoid some threads because I know it'll really anger me to no end. I just can't understand how people can be so stupid.

I'm glad I've never heard of this place....since that means it's nowhere near where I live and I don't have to deal with it. For those of you who have these theaters.....my sympathies to what you have to endure.

 

[cpileri]

30.06

Does that sticker qualify as effective notice legally?

In TX, that decal would not meet the requirements of the 30.06 sign, for example.

In the article which references New jersey, you cant get a permit to carry anyway. So its a moot point.

How about in other states which DO issue carry permits: is that sticker a binding, legal notice?

C-

 

[Billy_H]

My wife and I went to the movies on 2 nights ago (on Halloween) and noticed the little sign on the doors. I won't mind writing a letter about it, I was planning on it anyway.

And, cpileri, here in Florida it doesn't matter. The biggest offense would be criminal trespass if the theater somehow found out and when asked to leave the person refused.

 

[carlrodd]

the irony here for me, is that traditionally, AMC theatres are the dirtiest, most expensive, worst populated theatres in my entire tri-state area....DE, PA, NJ. their corporate ignorance is outdone only by their stale candy.

 

[gunsmith]

in NV

they can't do anything about it.
if I am discovered packing, they may ask me to leave.
If I refuse I can get a ticket.
So far no one has said anything & it's obvious most of
the time that Im packing...I practically open carry.

 

[QuarterBoreGunner]

Saw this in the AMC theater here in downtown SF; me and the girlfriend had a good laugh since it has no legal weight whatsoever. Needless to say I still carried.
Gunsmith had it correct; if they make me they can ask me to leave. If I don't I suppose I might get a ticket for trespassing if they had PD show up. But legally they don't have a leg to stand on here in San Francisco.

 

[eastwood44mag]

I had the misfortune of working for them.

Trust me, no matter how bad they treat their customers, employees get it worse.

 

[brufener]

According to their website, they prefer that snail-mail go to:

AMC Theatres
P.O. Box 725489
Atlanta, GA 31139-9923

They also promise that "AMC will research and respond to your letter in a timely manner."

However, they prefer that business and marketing proposals go to:

Business & Marketing Proposals
AMC prefers to receive proposals by mail. Please address yours to the appropriate department at:
AMC Entertainment Inc.
(Insert your intended department)
920 Main Street
Kansas City, MO 64105

It might make more sense to send your letter as a "business proposal," i.e. a way for them to get more business would be for htem to not exclude people who carry weapons legally. Sending the letter in this manner might cause more waves in the corporation than just sending it to the average customer service person.

Source: http://www.amctheatres.com/contactus/index.html

 

[deanf]

There doesn't appear to be any more info on that site about other board members. I'll do another search to see if I can find anything.

There used to be a way to get home addresses via listings of political contributions. I can't find that search engine. The fec.gov site does not list addresses.

 

[Gordon Fink]

Why? Wouldn’t these signs apply only to criminals or to the unlawful use of weapons?

~G. Fink

 

[WayneConrad]

Can we rephrase this?

Let's just ask for a complete removal of the carry restriction. Don't even mention CCW. Say "carry" instead.

Why? Because of open carry states like Arizona. I want to go to the movies, too.

 

[Gordon Fink]

I think Wayne has found your answer. Organize a few open-carry movie days in Arizona.

~G. Fink

 

[Outlaws]

I think Wayne has found your answer. Organize a few open-carry movie days in Arizona.

~G. Fink

lol

Harkins rents out their theaters. All you have to do is purchase every seat and it is yours.

Open carry night it is!

BTW.....

Who can spot me $9 x 250-400+/- seats?

 

[Doug.38PR]

I saw that little sticker on the AMC theater door the other night when I went to see Flags of our Fathers. Disregarded it. Doesn't apply to CHLers in Texas unless it is a 30.06 sign.

 

[Green Lantern]

Like others have mentioned:

Peter C. Brown, CEO
AMC Entertainment Inc.
920 Main Street
Kansas City, MO 64105

Was the contact info I was able to find as well, and the one personally I would use. I'm slowly but surely learning from The Pontificator at Glock Talk - "'Consumer/customer relations' is just a gate-keeper who's job it is to send you a condescending form letter!"

Let the letter-writing commence!

(remind me to tell you guys later about my first CCW letter experience with the CEO of Bi-Lo. No change, but at least I got the letter to the big guy! )

Luckily I've got the Carmike over in TN (since NC's draconian laws say I can't carry in any place that charges admission)...

EDIT: For your consideration, a portion of the letter I sent to Bi-Lo

First and foremost would be that if anyone was intent on using a firearm (or any other weapon) to commit a crime, then at the very least a sign that says "weapons not allowed" will not deter the criminal in the least. At the most, seeing such a sign might actually encourage the criminal to prey on the employees and customers of such a store. With more and more people getting licensed to carry handguns legally, criminals see these "gun-free areas" as soft targets that they can prey upon while placing themselves at the minimum risk of harm.

You may protect yourselves somewhat from liability by posting "no guns" signs, but by doing so you also open yourselves up to a different liability - that you create an attractive target for armed robbers or other criminals that seek out victims that are less likely or able to fight back. If a permit holder is assaulted in your store - could he not try to sue on the grounds that if he was not obeying your policy he might have been able to deter the attack? Even someone who does not have a permit or even own a gun could possibly make a case that the criminal would not have attacked her in your store if he did not see the sign saying that all within were unarmed.

Another important reason to reconsider your policy is that you alienate a portion of your customer base. Holders of concealed firearms permits have submitted their fingerprints to both State and Federal Authorities. State Law Enforcement Agencies and the FBI have found their backgrounds and training to be sufficient to license them to carry a concealed weapon. How much do you know about the rest of your customers? Permit holders are held to a higher legal standard when carrying. Starting a fight, or doing anything that could lead to one is absolutely out of the question. So naturally people like me feel a bit insulted by a store more or less saying "we don't serve your kind here," and we make it a point to not send any of our hard-earned money to businesses that do not respect us. And also to let others know of businesses that have this policy.

Granted, the odds that I will actually need to use my weapon for defense are slim. But the chance is there, the world seems to grow more violent and unpredictable every day. Maybe you are willing to go to bed every night in a lavish home with a large neon "Gun-Free Zone!" Sign in the yard? If not, then why should your customers and employers expect to have to shop work under the same conditions?

Until you change your policy, I will spend my money elsewhere and encourage everyone I care about to do likewise.

 

[salvador31c]

Let's just ask for a complete removal of the carry restriction. Don't even mention CCW. Say "carry" instead.

Why? Because of open carry states like Arizona. I want to go to the movies, too.

I went to see a movie At AMC last friday "DownTown Phoenix" While Open Carrying and the Ticket Girl Told Me To Pull my shirt over it or the usher wouldnt let me In "I'm Thinkin Ok?" so i did cause she gave this cute simle at me and i couldnt resist but whatever i've opend carryed at Harkins plenty times and i've never had a problem there guess i'll just go there instead

Harkins rents out their theaters. All you have to do is purchase every seat and it is yours.

Open carry night it is!

Hahaha I'm In When Is It??

 

[Big Gay Al]

It's probably not going to make much difference, but I sent them the following message.

From the Trentonian, I found the following quote from Melanie Bell, the vice president of corporate communications for AMC. "We believe the movie theater is a place for families, and so we’re asking people not to bring weapons inside."

Just so I understand this, you mean for your "No Weapons" policy to include those of us who have been issued a Concealed carry permit by our respective state governments, EVEN THOUGH, we have to endure a criminal background check, formal training and certification (in most states), fingerprint submission, and in some states, reveiw by a gun board, or similar body and approval before we get our permit?

Can you tell me this, will you guarantee the safety of my family? Do your employees go through such a screening process when they get hired?

Until you can and will guarantee my safety, I'm afraid that my family and I will not be spending our money in your theaters.

sincerly,

Albert Lowe

 

[zoom6zoom]

There was an incident in Maryland earlier this year where a guy walked into a movie theater, shot and killed a man chosen at random.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/17/AR2006061700725.html

I don't know if Loews Theaters are posted, but I don't think a goofy sign would have stopped this nutjob.

 

[The Real Hawkeye]

"We have put ‘no weapons’ signs up in all of our theaters across America," said Melanie Bell, the vice president of corporate communications for AMC. "We believe the movie theater is a place for families, and so we’re asking people not to bring weapons inside."

That's a sure way to make their theatres a magnet for suicidal mass murderers. They just love an auditorium full of helpless sheeple. Advertise it with signs and that's where they'll go when they're ready to go out with a bang and make the record books.

 

[ezypikns]

They just don't get it do they?

The only people they SHOULDN'T fear are concealed carry license holders.