The end of an era: AMC closes its last metro cineplex

Catch up fast: Carmike Cinemas built and opened the 2,202-seat Johnston theater as the "Wynnsong 16" in 1998.

• Back then, the draws were stadium seating, multiple concession stands and digital sound.
• AMC then acquired Carmike and the theater in 2016.

State of play: Fewer people are attending cultural activities like movies and theater productions compared to before the pandemic, according to research released in October by the National Endowment for the Arts.

Meanwhile, the number of movie screens in the U.S. fell by more than 5% — or nearly 2,200 theaters — between 2019 and last year, according to the Cinema Foundation's state of the industry report.

• And the average movie ticket price hit a record $10.53 last year, according to the foundation.

What they're saying: AMC routinely reviews theaters and makes decisions based on what will best strengthen the company going forward, AMC's director of corporate communications Barry Brakeville tells Axios.

Of note: The last movie listed on Classic Johnston 16's website was Sunday's 7:55pm showing of Taylor Swift's "The Eras Tour."