AMC Empire 25 appears to be infested with bed bugs yet again.

The bed bug scare appeared at AMC Empire 25 in 2010, it returned in 2011 and returned again in 2015 - now it is back again in 2017. Yet, their exterminator claims that there were no bed bugs? How, if a woman posted pictures of them?

Over and over, throughout the years people were bit by bed bugs at this theater.

Bed bugs bite. And removing them from a home can cost thousands. Getting bed bugs into a house or apartment can literally ruin lives and cost people their life savings. Many patrons are not aware of that or their presence when they visit AMC Empire 25.

It is a sad reality, especially when AMC Empire 25 could be one of the city's true jewels. With 25 auditoriums, the largest amount in New York, Empire often plays foreign and independent films. In addition, the building is beautiful and historic. To have that very same theater infested with bed bugs is a shame.

AMC does know how to renovate. Just in the past five years, AMC renovated the AMC Kips Bay 15, AMC Village 7 and AMC 19th St. East 6 - all in New York.

We do understand that converting the theater to recliners would reduce in a loss of capacity which, in the case of a heavily attended location such as Empire 25, could lead to a loss of revenue. That is why we're suggestion a renovation which doesn't convert to recliners but uses new non-reclining seats.

If a renovation is impossible, AMC should consider shutting the theater down and fumigating it.

But doing nothing and putting patrons into danger shouldn't be acceptable. This constant bed bug scare at AMC Empire 25 needs to end.

UPDATE 10/12/2017:

Thanks to the Gothamist for shining attention to the issue:

http://gothamist.com/2017/10/12/bed_bugs_movies_nyc.php

AMC claims there are no bed bugs because their third-party exterminator allegedly received negative results at the night of the complaints. Well, this might then be a great opportunity to hire another exterminator. The newest pictures literally showed a bug in the theater, which was identified by an expert on bed bugs to be around 8 weeks old. Maybe a second or third exterminator would be a good idea. Because since 2010, their exterminator apparently hasn't been doing his job right.

(For contact please email martin.r.samoylov@gmail.com)