Hanging next to the Jonas Brothers movie poster at the Regal Cinemas Augusta Exchange 20 box office is a new curfew policy for minors.
It's one of several signs warning moviegoers that unaccompanied minors are prohibited from buying tickets for movies that start after 9 p.m.
Proof of age is required, and unaccompanied minors who have been to a movie that ends after 9 p.m. must leave immediately.
The new rule, which went into effect Feb. 27, replaces Regal's previous policy that cut off ticket sales to minors at 10 p.m.
The company says the policy is in line with Richmond County's curfew for minors, which is 11 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and midnight Friday and Saturday.
A reported rise in teen loitering spurred local law enforcement officials to ask the theater to change its rule, said Russ Nunley, Regal's Knoxville, Tenn.-based vice president of marketing and communications.
Law enforcement can make the suggestion but not require a policy, said Richmond County sheriff's Capt. Gerald Metzler.
Deputies can help the theater enforce its 9 p.m. rule, but Capt. Metzler said they could not issue a citation unless the city curfew is violated.
Minors could be cited, however, for loitering or trespassing if they disregard the theater's curfew.
Parents and teens have given the change mixed reviews.
Brenda Tilley was with her 17-year-old daughter, Daniella, when she bought tickets the night after Regal imposed the policy.
Because Ms. Tilley didn't want to see the movie, Daniella and her friends were turned away at the door.
They did get a refund, she said.
Ms. Tilley said she's frustrated because she sees going to the movies as a safe activity for teens trying to stay out of trouble.
"These kids have nothing left to do," she said.
She said she can understand the curfew for younger children but says it should not apply to 16- and 17-year-olds.
David Smith, the father of 13-year-old Emily, contends parents use movies as a way to dump their kids instead of spending time with them.
"I think it's great," he said of the policy.
Emily disagrees.
"I think we need time away from parents," she said.
For some teens, the theater curfew is not an issue.
Brothers Dalton and Denver Simms, 16 and 14, said they usually don't see movies that start after 9 p.m., because of the curfews imposed by their parents.
Reach Sarah Day Owen at (706) 823-3223 or sarah.owen@augustachronicle.com.
Comments
Ms. Tilley must have been inadvertently misquoted in this article. Certainly no parent, even a "cool" one, could be so stupid as to think that in Augusta "these kids have nothing left to do" except go to movies after 10 PM. KUDOS to Ronnie and his people for their proactive response to the large and growing problem of teen loitering late at night and into the wee hours of the morning- even during the school week
If the kids have nothing left to do, there is always drugs and crime. Or a job. Get a job, you darn kids, and get off of my lawn!
Not all of them are unruly and misbehave..
"nothing left to do"? what about the parents taking turns having their teen "hosting" an evening in their home...movies, games, music, etc...that way the teens are still supervised by the parent that is home, and it lessens the exposure to temptations that are on the street. Parents need to be pro-active about their teens and realize that life is not the way it was when they were teens. I applaud the theatre.
"Emily disagrees. "I think we need time away from parents," she said." HEY EMILY, That is called when you turn 18 and move out! Get a job and face the real world. Then you can spend the rest of your life wishing you still lived with your parents so they could pay your bills and keep a roof over your head!
The movie theater is not a baby sitter people. So you can drop your children off at the movies and head to the club for a few drinks. If you chose to have children then face the 18 years of responsibility! I am tired of stupid, lazy people. Thank you RCSO and Regal for enforcing curfew laws.
Movie theaters shouldn't be acting as parents. This is discrimination.
Grouse is correct in saying "movie theaters shouldn't be acting as parents" and this is exactly why this curfew policy is a great idea. Movie theaters are not parents or baby sitters.
At some point 16 and 17 year olds should be able to function with limited or no supervision... They are going to be adults soon.
Regal should be thanked for taking a stand against this growing problem. The theatre was developing a reputation as a place families and adults wouldn't feel comfortable attending after dark. These types of policies are spreading to theaters and malls around the country, because they are needed and they work. I'm glad the policy was created before the theatre went down hill!
This is a great idea. We usually dont go to Regal anymore. That theatre has turned into the Augusta Mall. Teens with foul mouths just hanging out. Very rarely do they get into the theatre on time and if they are, they think its their own personal comedy club. Just talking and calling out during the movie. Honestly its probably a lot of adults doing it too. At least this curfew will cut back on some of the punks hanging out and hopping from one movie to the other.
Let me start by saying: Mr. Spinks, are any of you 850 comments that you post on here positive? You must not have teenagers, let alone a life. And yes I was quoted correctly. So lets make sure you quote things correctly. They can not see a movie after 9pm on 10pm. I was stating that this curfew is not fair on Friday and Saturday nights ONLY! I agree with a curfew Sunday thru Thursday! For those of you that say that teenagers should be at home with their parents "hosting" a gathering..well for younger teenagers that would be nice but for 17 & 18 year olds, they need to learn responsibility, we can not shelter them from the world and then ship them off to college...how fair would that be to them or to anyone else. My child and her friend all have jobs and work almost every friday and saturday night until 9 pm, so when would you like them to see a movie? Not Sunday thru Thursday, because they are studying and have a 9pm curfew, at least in my house! I agree that the movies should not be a babysitting service, and parents with childern under 16 should not be aloud to just drop off their kids and leave. I also think RCSD should hold kids and parents responsible for their actions.
i think the policy should only apply to kids under 17 because we are still maturing. kids 17 and older should be allowed to go whenever because they are coming into adulthood and need to learn responsibility.
Consider this...
I am 16 years old, and my older brother (18) bought him and me tickets to the midnight showing of Harry Potter Half Blood Prince at Regal Cinemas. We didn't know about the curfew when we bought the tickets. Now that we know, we are becoming confuzed about how I will get a ride back, etc. Even if I get a refund, I will miss the midnight showing, and I don't know if my older brother will get a refund. I'm not trying to loiter there, and I spend a lot of time with my family and on church trips. Ie, I went to Myrtle Beach with my family and to Chicago on a Youth Group missions trip. This is the first time I have been to a theatre film in about a month, and I am not allowed to see the midnight showing? We got tickets here and not at a closer theatre because Regal is supposedly nicer than Evans Cinemas. Although I have no excuse because I know that ignorance of the law is not an excuse to disobey it, my first reaction to this law when I first heard it was that it is the most communist law in America I have ever HEARD of.
Am I being treated like an equal in America, or should I have to wait another 2 years before I can see a midnight theatre film?
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