CinemaCon canceled due to the Coronavirus outbreak just weeks before the Las Vegas convention

Following the cancellation of South by Southwest, Coachella and the remainder of the NBA season, Coronavirus has claimed another victim, CinemaCon in Las Vegas.

The annual convention, which brings together Hollywood movie studios with movie theater owners, has been cancelled due to the Coronavirus, according to The Hollywood Reporter. 

The event, hosted by the National Association of Theater Owners (NATO), was scheduled to run between March 30 and August 2 at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas.

‘It is with great regret we are announcing the cancellation of CinemaCon 2020,’ said NATO president John Fithian and CinemaCon organizer Mitch Neuhauser in a joint statement.

‘Each spring, motion picture exhibitors, distributors and industry partners from around the world meet in Las Vegas to share information and celebrate the moviegoing experience,’ the statement continued.

‘This year, due to the travel ban from the European Union, the unique travel difficulties in many other areas of the world and other challenges presented by the coronavirus pandemic, a significant portion of the worldwide motion picture community is not able to attend CinemaCon,’ the statement added.

Just hours before the cancellation, President Trump issued a travel ban between the United States and Europe for 30 days in an effort to curb the spread of the virus. 

NATO had considered running CinemaCon as scheduled, since they considered canceling could send the message that it wasn’t safe to go to movie theaters.

However, since over 20% of CinemaCon delegates were traveling to Las Vegas from abroad, the decision was made to cancel the convention, after delegates from China, South Korea, Italy and Japan had pulled out.

With with World Health Organization declaring the coronavirus as a pandemic, and more cases being confirmed in the United States, at least two of the five major Hollywood studios expressed concerns about the convention.

‘While local outbreaks vary widely in severity, the global circumstances make it impossible for us to mount the show that our attendees have come to expect,’ the statement added.

‘After consultation with our attendees, trade show exhibitors, sponsors, and studio presenters, NATO has decided therefore to cancel CinemaCon 2020,’ they said.

NATO added that they, ‘look forward to continuing the 10-year tradition of presenting the largest movie theater convention in the world and joining our attendees in future celebrations of the moviegoing experience.

The convention regularly welcomes some of Hollywood’s biggest stars, including last year’s convention, where Arnold Schwarzenegger arrived during the Paramount presentation to promote Terminator: Dark Fate.

Others who attended last year’s CinemaCon include Seth Rogen and Charlize Theron, promoting their comedy Long Shot and Eva Longoria, Eugenio Derbez, Michael Pena and Isabela Moner to promote Dora and the Lost City of Gold.