United States, et al. v. AMC Entertainment Holdings, Inc., et al.; Proposed Final Judgment and Competitive Impact Statement, 80799-80810 [2015-32629]
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Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 248 / Monday, December 28, 2015 / Notices
issuance of an exclusion order or a cease
and desist order or both directed against
the respondent.
By order of the Commission.
Issued: December 21, 2015.
Lisa R. Barton,
Secretary to the Commission.
[FR Doc. 2015–32503 Filed 12–24–15; 8:45 am]
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SUMMARY:
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[FR Doc. 2015–32369 Filed 12–24–15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4830–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Antitrust Division
United States, et al. v. AMC
Entertainment Holdings, Inc., et al.;
Proposed Final Judgment and
Competitive Impact Statement
Notice is hereby given pursuant to the
Antitrust Procedures and Penalties Act,
15 U.S.C. 16(b)–(h), that a proposed
Final Judgment, Hold Separate
Stipulation and Order, and Competitive
Impact Statement have been filed with
the United States District Court for the
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80799
District of Columbia in United States of
America, et al. v. AMC Entertainment
Holdings, Inc., et al., Civil Action No.
1:15–cv–02181. On December 15, 2015,
the United States and the State of
Connecticut filed a Complaint alleging
that AMC Entertainment Holdings, Inc.
proposed acquisition of SMH Theatres,
Inc. movie theatres and related assets
would violate section 7 of the Clayton
Act, 15 U.S.C. 18. The proposed Final
Judgment, filed at the same time as the
Complaint, requires AMC Entertainment
Holdings, Inc. to divest certain theatre
assets.
Copies of the Complaint, proposed
Final Judgment, Hold Separate
Stipulation and Order, and Competitive
Impact Statement are available for
inspection on the Antitrust Division’s
Web site at https://www.justice.gov/atr
and at the Office of the Clerk of the
United States District Court for the
District of Columbia. Copies of these
materials may be obtained from the
Antitrust Division upon request and
payment of the copying fee set by
Department of Justice regulations.
Public comment is invited within 60
days of the date of this notice. Such
comments, including the name of the
submitter, and responses thereto, will be
posted on the Antitrust Division’s Web
site, filed with the Court, and, under
certain circumstances, published in the
Federal Register. Comments should be
directed to David C. Kully, Chief,
Litigation III Section, Antitrust Division,
Department of Justice, 450 Fifth Street
NW., Suite 4000, Washington, DC 20530
(telephone: 202–305–9969).
Patricia A. Brink,
Director of Civil Enforcement.
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Antitrust
Division, 450 Fifth Street NW., Suite 4000,
Washington, DC 20530, and STATE OF
CONNECTICUT, Office of the Attorney
General, 55 Elm Street, Hartford, CT 06106,
Plaintiffs, v. AMC ENTERTAINMENT
HOLDINGS, INC., One AMC Way, 11500 Ash
Street, Leawood, KS 64105, and SMH
THEATRES, INC., 12750 Merit Drive, Suite
800, Dallas, TX 75251, Defendants.
Civil Action No.: 1:15-cv-02181
Judge: Beryl A. Howell
Filed: 12/15/2015
COMPLAINT
The United States of America, acting
under the direction of the Attorney
General of the United States, and the
State of Connecticut, acting by and
through its Office of the Attorney
General, bring this civil antitrust action
to prevent the proposed acquisition by
AMC Entertainment Holdings, Inc.
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(‘‘AMC’’) of all of the outstanding voting
securities of SMH Theatres, Inc.
(‘‘Starplex Cinemas’’).
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I. NATURE OF ACTION
1. AMC is a significant competitor to
Starplex Cinemas in the exhibition of
first-run, commercial movies in the area
in and around East Windsor, New Jersey
and in the area in and around Berlin,
Connecticut. If AMC’s acquisition of
Starplex Cinemas is permitted to
proceed, it would give AMC direct
control of its most significant
competitor in these markets. The
acquisition likely would substantially
lessen competition in the exhibition of
first-run, commercial movies in each of
these markets in violation of Section 7
of the Clayton Act, 15 U.S.C. § 18.
II. JURISDICTION AND VENUE
2. This action is filed by the United
States pursuant to Section 15 of the
Clayton Act, as amended, 15 U.S.C. § 25,
to obtain equitable relief and to prevent
a violation of Section 7 of the Clayton
Act, as amended, 15 U.S.C. § 18.
3. The State of Connecticut brings this
action under Section 16 of the Clayton
Act, 15 U.S.C. § 26, to prevent the
defendants from violating Section 7 of
the Clayton Act, as amended, 15 U.S.C.
§ 18. The State of Connecticut, by and
through its Office of the Attorney
General, brings this action as parens
patriae on behalf of the citizens, general
welfare, and economy of its state.
4. The distribution and theatrical
exhibition of first-run, commercial films
is a commercial activity that
substantially affects, and is in the flow
of, interstate trade and commerce.
Defendants’ activities in purchasing
equipment, services, and supplies as
well as licensing films for exhibition
substantially affect interstate commerce.
The Court has jurisdiction over the
subject matter of this action pursuant to
15 U.S.C. § 25 and 28 U.S.C. §§ 1331,
1337(a), and 1345.
5. Defendants consent to personal
jurisdiction and venue in this district.
Therefore, this Court has personal
jurisdiction over each Defendant and
venue is proper under 28 U.S.C.
§ 1391(b) and (c). In addition, venue is
proper under 15 U.S.C. § 22 because one
defendant operates theatres in this
District; the other transacts business by
attracting patrons from and advertising
in this District.
III. DEFENDANTS AND THE
PROPOSED ACQUISITION
6. Defendant AMC is a Delaware
corporation with its headquarters in
Leawood, Kansas. AMC operates 349
theatres and 4,975 screens in locations
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throughout the United States. Measured
by number of screens and box office
revenue, AMC is the second-largest
theatre circuit in the United States.
7. Defendant Starplex Cinemas is a
Texas corporation with its headquarters
in Dallas, Texas. Starplex operates 33
movie theatres with a total of 346
screens in the United States, primarily
located in small to midsize markets.
8. On July 13, 2015, AMC and
Starplex Cinemas executed a stock
purchase agreement. Under the
agreement, AMC will acquire all
outstanding voting securities of Starplex
Cinemas for approximately $172
million.
IV. BACKGROUND OF THE MOVIE
THEATRE INDUSTRY
9. Viewing movies in the theatre is a
popular pastime. Over one billion movie
tickets were sold in the United States in
2014, with total box office revenue
reaching approximately $10 billion.
10. Companies that operate movie
theatres are called ‘‘exhibitors.’’ Some
exhibitors own a single theatre, whereas
others own a circuit of theatres within
one or more regions of the United
States. AMC and Starplex Cinemas are
exhibitors in the United States.
11. Exhibitors set ticket prices for a
theatre based on a number of factors,
including the age and condition of the
theatre, the number and type of
amenities the theatre offers (such as the
range of snacks, food and beverages
offered, the size of its screens and
quality of its sound systems, and
whether it provides stadium and/or
reserved seating), competitive pressures
facing the theatre (such as the price of
tickets at nearby theatres, the age and
condition of those theatres, and the
number and type of amenities they
offer), and the population demographics
and density surrounding the theatre.
V. RELEVANT MARKET
A. Product Market
12. Movies are a unique form of
entertainment. The experience of
viewing a movie in a theatre is an
inherently different experience from
live entertainment (e.g., a stage
production or attending a sporting
event) or viewing a movie in the home
(e.g., through streaming video, on a
DVD, or via pay-per-view).
13. Reflecting the significant
differences of viewing a movie in a
theatre, ticket prices for movies
generally differ from prices for other
forms of entertainment. For example,
live entertainment is typically
significantly more expensive than a
movie ticket, whereas home viewing
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through streaming video, a DVD rental,
or pay-per-view is usually significantly
less expensive than viewing a movie in
a theatre.
14. Viewing a movie at home typically
lacks several characteristics of viewing
a movie in a theatre, including the size
of the screen, the sophistication of the
sound system, and the social experience
of viewing a movie with other patrons.
In addition, the most popular newly
released or ‘‘first-run’’ movies are not
available for home viewing at the time
they come out in theatres.
15. Movies are considered to be in
their ‘‘first-run’’ during the four to five
weeks following initial release in a
given locality. If successful, a movie
may be exhibited at other theatres after
the first-run as part of a second or
subsequent run (often called a ‘‘subrun’’ or ‘‘second-run’’). Moviegoers
generally do not regard sub-run movies
as an adequate substitute for first-run
movies. Reflecting the significant
difference between viewing a newly
released, first-run movie and an older
sub-run movie, tickets at theatres
exhibiting first-run movies usually cost
significantly more than tickets at subrun theatres.
16. Art movies and foreign-language
movies are also not reasonable
substitutes for commercial, first-run
movies. Art movies, which include
documentaries, are sometimes referred
to as independent films. Although art
and foreign-language movies appeal to
some viewers of commercial movies, art
and foreign-language movies tend to
have more narrow appeal and typically
attract an older audience than
commercial movies. Exhibitors consider
the operation of theatres that exhibit art
and foreign-language movies to be
distinct from the operation of theatres
that exhibit commercial movies.
17. The relevant product market
within which to assess the competitive
effects of this acquisition is the
exhibition of first-run, commercial
movies. A hypothetical monopolist
controlling the exhibition of all firstrun, commercial movies would
profitably impose at least a small but
significant and non-transitory increase
in ticket prices.
B. Geographic Markets
18. Moviegoers typically are not
willing to travel very far from their
home to attend a movie. As a result,
geographic markets for the exhibition of
first-run, commercial movies are
relatively local.
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Area In and Around East Windsor, New
Jersey
19. AMC and Starplex Cinemas
account for the majority of the first-run,
commercial movie tickets sold in and
around East Windsor, New Jersey (‘‘East
Windsor’’). The only theatres that
predominantly show first-run
commercial movies in the East Windsor
area are the Starplex Town Center Plaza
10, the AMC MarketFair 10, and the
AMC Hamilton 24. The Starplex theatre
is located approximately 10 miles from
each of the AMC theatres.
20. Moviegoers who reside in East
Windsor are unlikely to travel
significant distances out of that area to
attend a first-run, commercial movie. A
small but significant increase in the
price of tickets by a hypothetical
monopolist of first-run, commercial
movie theatres in East Windsor would
likely not cause a sufficient number of
moviegoers to travel out of that area to
make the increase unprofitable. East
Windsor constitutes a relevant
geographic market in which to assess
the competitive effects of this
acquisition.
Area In and Around Berlin, Connecticut
21. AMC and Starplex Cinemas
account for the majority of the first-run,
commercial movie tickets sold in and
around Berlin, Connecticut (‘‘Berlin’’).
Within the Berlin area are the Starplex
Berlin 12 and the AMC Plainville 20.
These two theatres are located
approximately 8 miles apart. Only three
other theatres in the Berlin area also
show first-run, commercial movies.
22. Moviegoers who reside in Berlin
are unlikely to travel significant
distances out of that area to attend a
first-run, commercial movie. A small
but significant increase in the price of
tickets by a hypothetical monopolist of
first-run, commercial movie theatres in
Berlin would likely not cause a
sufficient number of moviegoers to
travel out of that area to make the
increase unprofitable. Berlin constitutes
a relevant geographic market in which
to assess the competitive effects of this
acquisition.
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VI. COMPETITIVE EFFECTS
23. Exhibitors compete to attract
moviegoers to their theatres over the
theatres of their rivals. They do that by
competing on price, knowing that if
they charge too much (or do not offer
sufficient discounted tickets for
matinees, seniors, students, or children)
moviegoers will begin to frequent their
rivals. Exhibitors also compete by
seeking to license the first-run movies
that are likely to attract the largest
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numbers of moviegoers. In addition,
they compete over the quality of the
viewing experience by offering
moviegoers the most sophisticated
sound systems, largest screens, best
picture clarity, best seating (including
stadium and reserved seating), and the
broadest variety and highest quality
snacks, food, and drinks at concession
´
stands or cafes in the lobby or served to
moviegoers at their seats.
24. AMC and Starplex Cinemas
currently compete for moviegoers in the
East Windsor and Berlin markets. These
markets are concentrated, and in each
market, AMC and Starplex Cinemas are
the other’s most significant competitor,
given their close proximity. Their
rivalry spurs each to improve the
quality of its theatres and keeps ticket
prices in check. Theatres operated by
other exhibitors offer less attractive
options for visitors to defendants’
theatres because those theatres are
located farther away or are smaller in
size or poorer in quality.
25. In the relevant markets at issue,
the acquisition of Starplex Cinemas
likely will result in a substantial
lessening of competition. In the East
Windsor and Berlin markets, the
transaction will lead to significant
increases in concentration and eliminate
existing competition between AMC and
Starplex Cinemas.
26. Market concentration is often a
useful indicator of the level of
competitive vigor in a market and the
likely competitive effects of a merger.
The more concentrated a market, and
the more a transaction would increase
that concentration, the more likely it is
that the transaction would result in
reduced competition, harming
consumers. Market concentration
commonly is measured by the
Herfindahl-Hirschman Index (‘‘HHI’’),
as discussed in Appendix A. Markets in
which the HHI exceeds 2,500 points are
considered highly concentrated, and
transactions that increase the HHI by
more than 200 points in highly
concentrated markets are presumed
likely to enhance market power.
27. In East Windsor, the proposed
acquisition would give AMC control of
all of the first-run, commercial movie
theatres, with 34 out of 34 total screens
and a 100% share of the $13 million
annual box office revenues. The
acquisition would yield a postacquisition HHI of 10,000, representing
an increase of roughly 2,300 points.
28. In Berlin, the proposed acquisition
would give AMC control of three of the
six first-run, commercial movie theatres,
with 44 out of 79 total screens and an
approximate 68% share of the $11
million annual box office revenues. The
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acquisition would yield a postacquisition HHI of approximately 5,260,
representing an increase of roughly
2,280 points.
29. Today, were one of defendants’
theatres to unilaterally increase ticket
prices in East Windsor or Berlin, the
exhibitor that increased price would
likely suffer financially as a substantial
number of its customers would
patronize the other exhibitor. The
acquisition would eliminate this pricing
constraint. Thus, the acquisition is
likely to lead to higher ticket prices for
moviegoers, which could take the form
of a higher adult evening ticket price or
reduced discounting for matinees,
children, seniors, or students.
30. The proposed acquisition likely
would also reduce competition between
AMC and Starplex Cinemas over the
quality of the viewing experience at
their East Windsor or Berlin theatres. If
no longer motivated to compete, AMC
and Starplex Cinemas would have
reduced incentives to maintain,
upgrade, and renovate their theatres, to
improve the theatres’ amenities and
services, or to license the most popular
movies, thus reducing the quality of the
viewing experience for moviegoers in
East Windsor and Berlin.
VII. ENTRY
31. Sufficient, timely entry that would
deter or counteract the anticompetitive
effects alleged above is unlikely.
Exhibitors are reluctant to locate new
first-run, commercial theatres near
existing first-run, commercial theatres
unless the population density,
demographics, or the quality of existing
theatres makes new entry viable. Over
the next two years, entry of new firstrun, commercial movie theatres in East
Windsor or Berlin would be unlikely to
defeat a price increase by the merged
firm.
VIII. VIOLATION ALLEGED
32. Plaintiffs hereby reincorporate
paragraphs 1 through 28.
33. The likely effect of the proposed
transaction would be to substantially
lessen competition in the relevant
product and geographic markets in
violation of Section 7 of the Clayton
Act, 15 U.S.C. 18.
34. The transaction would likely have
the following effects, among others: (a)
the prices of tickets at first-run,
commercial movie theatres in East
Windsor and Berlin would likely
increase to levels above those that
would prevail absent the acquisition;
and (b) the quality of first-run,
commercial theatres and the viewing
experience at those theatres would
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likely decrease below levels that would
prevail absent the acquisition.
IX. REQUESTED RELIEF
35. Plaintiffs request: (a) adjudication
that the proposed acquisition would
violate Section 7 of the Clayton Act; (b)
permanent injunctive relief to prevent
the consummation of the proposed
acquisition; (c) an award to each
Plaintiff of its costs in this action; and
(d) such other relief as is proper.
DATED: DECEMBER 15, 2015
FOR PLAINTIFF UNITED STATES OF
AMERICA
William J. Baer (D.C. Bar #324723)
Assistant Attorney General for Antitrust
Renata B. Hesse (D.C. Bar #466107)
Deputy Assistant Attorney General
Patricia A. Brink
Director of Civil Enforcement
David C. Kully (D.C. Bar #448763)
Chief, Litigation III
Ethan C. Glass (D.D.C. Bar #MI0018)
Assistant Chief, Litigation III
Lisa A. Scanlon
Assistant Chief, Litigation III
Gregg I. Malawer (D.C. Bar #481685),
Miriam R. Vishio (D.C. Bar #482282),
Trial Attorneys, Litigation III, U.S.
Department of Justice, Antitrust Division, 450
5th Street, NW, Suite 4000, Washington, D.C.
20530, Fax: (202) 514–7308, Telephone:
Gregg Malawer (202) 616–5943, Email: gregg.
malawer@usdoj.gov, Telephone: Miriam
Vishio (202) 598–8091, Email: miriam.
vishio@usdoj.gov
DATED: DECEMBER 15, 2015
FOR PLAINTIFF STATE OF CONNECTICUT
GEORGE JEPSEN,
ATTORNEY GENERAL
By: Michael E. Cole,
Assistant Attorney General, Chief, Antitrust
& Government Program Fraud, 55 Elm Street,
P.O. Box 120, Hartford, CT 06141–120, 860–
808–5040, Email: Michael.cole@ct.gov
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APPENDIX A
Herfindahl-Hirschman Index
The term ‘‘HHI’’ means the
Herfindahl-Hirschman Index, a
commonly accepted measure of market
concentration. The HHI is calculated by
squaring the market share of each firm
competing in the relevant market and
then summing the resulting numbers.
For example, for a market consisting of
four firms with shares of 30, 30, 20, and
20 percent, the HHI is 2,600 (302 + 302
+ 202 + 202 = 2,600). The HHI takes into
account the relative size distribution of
the firms in a market. It approaches zero
when a market is occupied by a large
number of firms of relatively equal size,
and reaches its maximum of 10,000
points when a market is controlled by
a single firm. The HHI increases both as
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the number of firms in the market
decreases and as the disparity in size
between those firms increases.
Markets in which the HHI is between
1,500 and 2,500 points are considered to
be moderately concentrated, and
markets in which the HHI is in excess
of 2,500 points are considered to be
highly concentrated. See U.S.
Department of Justice & Federal Trade
Commission, Horizontal Merger
Guidelines § 5.3 (2010) (‘‘Guidelines’’).
Transactions that increase the HHI by
more than 200 points in highly
concentrated markets presumptively
raise antitrust concerns under the
Guidelines. Id.
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Antitrust
Division, 450 Fifth Street, NW., Suite 4000,
Washington, D.C. 20530, and STATE OF
CONNECTICUT, Office of the Attorney
General, 55 Elm Street, Hartford, CT 06106,
Plaintiffs, v. AMC ENTERTAINMENT
HOLDINGS, INC., One AMC Way, 11500 Ash
Street, Leawood, KS 64105, and SMH
THEATRES, INC., 12750 Merit Drive, Suite
800, Dallas, TX 75251, Defendants.
Civil Action No.: 1:15-cv-02181
Judge: Beryl A. Howell
Filed: 12/15/2015
COMPETITIVE IMPACT STATEMENT
Plaintiff, United States of America,
pursuant to Section 2(b) of the Antitrust
Procedures and Penalties Act (‘‘APPA’’
or ‘‘Tunney Act’’), 15 U.S.C.§ 16(b)–(h),
files this Competitive Impact Statement
relating to the proposed Final Judgment
submitted for entry in this civil antitrust
proceeding.
I. NATURE AND PURPOSE OF THE
PROCEEDING
On July 13, 2015, Defendant AMC
Entertainment Holdings, Inc. (‘‘AMC’’)
agreed to acquire all of the outstanding
voting securities of SMH Theatres, Inc.
(‘‘Starplex Cinemas’’). AMC and
Starplex Cinemas are significant
competitors in the exhibition of firstrun, commercial movies in parts of New
Jersey and Connecticut. Plaintiffs filed a
civil antitrust complaint on December
15, 2015, seeking to enjoin the proposed
acquisition and to obtain equitable
relief. The Complaint alleges that the
acquisition, if permitted to proceed,
would give AMC direct control of its
most significant competitor in the area
in and around East Windsor, New Jersey
and in the area in and around Berlin,
Connecticut. The likely effect of this
acquisition would be to substantially
lessen competition in the exhibition of
first-run, commercial movies in
violation of Section 7 of the Clayton
Act, 15 U.S.C. § 18.
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At the same time the Complaint was
filed, Plaintiffs also filed a Hold
Separate Stipulation and Order (‘‘Hold
Separate’’) and a proposed Final
Judgment, which are designed to
eliminate the anticompetitive effects of
the acquisition. Under the proposed
Final Judgment, which is explained
more fully below, AMC and Starplex
Cinemas are required to divest one
theatre located in New Jersey and one
theatre located in Connecticut to
acquirer(s) acceptable to the United
States, in consultation with the State of
Connecticut.
Under the terms of the Hold Separate,
Defendants will take all steps necessary
to ensure that the two theatres to be
divested are operated as competitively
independent, economically viable, and
ongoing business concerns, and that
competition is maintained and not
diminished during the pendency of the
ordered divestitures.
Plaintiffs and Defendants have
stipulated that the proposed Final
Judgment may be entered after
compliance with the APPA. Entry of the
proposed Final Judgment would
terminate this action, except that the
Court would retain jurisdiction to
construe, modify, or enforce the
provisions of the proposed Final
Judgment and to punish violations
thereof.
II. DESCRIPTION OF THE EVENTS
GIVING RISE TO THE ALLEGED
VIOLATION
A. Defendants and the Proposed
Transaction
Defendant Starplex Cinemas is a
Texas corporation with its headquarters
in Dallas, Texas. Starplex operates 33
movie theatres with a total of 346
screens in 12 states throughout the
United States, primarily located in small
to midsize markets. Starplex earned
domestic box office revenue of
approximately $57 million in 2014.
AMC is a Delaware corporation with
its headquarters in Leawood, Kansas. It
operates 349 theatres and 4,975 screens
in locations primarily throughout the
United States. Measured by number of
screens and box office revenue, AMC is
the second-largest theatre exhibitor in
the United States and earned domestic
box office revenues of approximately
$1.8 billion in 2014.
On July 13, 2015, AMC and Starplex
Cinemas executed a stock purchase
agreement under which AMC will
acquire, for approximately $172 million,
all of the outstanding voting securities
of Starplex Cinemas.
The proposed transaction, as initially
agreed to by AMC and Starplex Cinemas
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on July 13, 2015, would lessen
competition substantially as a result of
AMC’s acquisition of Starplex Cinemas.
This acquisition is the subject of the
Complaint and proposed Final
Judgment filed by Plaintiffs on
December 15, 2015.
B. The Competitive Effects of the
Transaction on the Exhibition of FirstRun, Commercial Movies
1. The Relevant Product and Geographic
Markets
The exhibition of first-run,
commercial movies is a relevant product
market under Section 7 of the Clayton
Act. The experience of viewing a film in
a theatre is an inherently different
experience from live entertainment (e.g.,
a stage production or attending a
sporting event), or viewing a movie in
the home (e.g., through streaming video,
on a DVD, or via pay-per-view).
Reflecting the significant differences
between viewing a movie in a theatre
and other forms of entertainment, ticket
prices for movies are generally very
different from prices for other forms of
entertainment. Live entertainment is
typically significantly more expensive
than a movie ticket, whereas renting a
DVD or ordering a pay-per view movie
for home viewing is usually
significantly cheaper than viewing a
movie in a theatre.
Moviegoers generally do not regard
theatres showing ‘‘sub-run’’ movies, art
movies, or foreign language movies as
adequate substitutes for commercial,
first-run movies.
The transaction substantially lessens
competition in two relevant geographic
markets: the area in and around East
Windsor, New Jersey (‘‘East Windsor’’)
and the area in and around Berlin,
Connecticut (‘‘Berlin’’).
East Windsor
The only theatres that predominantly
show first-run commercial movies in the
East Windsor area are the Starplex
Town Center Plaza 10, the AMC
MarketFair 10, and the AMC Hamilton
24. No other non-party theatres in this
area predominantly show first-run,
commercial movies.
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Berlin
Within the Berlin area are the
Starplex Berlin 12 and the AMC
Plainville 20. These two theatres are
located approximately 8 miles apart.
Three non-party theatres in this area
also show first-run, commercial movies.
The relevant markets in which to
assess the competitive effects of this
transaction are the first-run, commercial
theatres in East Windsor and Berlin. A
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hypothetical monopolist controlling the
exhibition of first-run, commercial
movies in East Windsor and Berlin
would profitably impose at least a small
but significant and non-transitory
increase in ticket prices.
2. Competitive Effects in the Relevant
Markets
Exhibitors that operate first-run,
commercial theatres compete on
multiple dimensions. Exhibitors
compete on price, knowing that if they
charge too much (or do not offer
sufficient discounted tickets for
matinees, seniors, students, or children),
moviegoers will begin to frequent their
rivals. Exhibitors also compete by
seeking to license the first-run movies
that are likely to attract the largest
numbers of moviegoers. In addition,
they compete over the quality of the
viewing experience. They compete to
offer the most sophisticated sound
systems, largest screens, best picture
clarity, best seating (including stadium
and reserved seating), and the broadest
range and highest quality snacks, food,
´
and drinks at concession stands or cafes
in the lobby or served to moviegoers at
their seats.
AMC and Starplex Cinemas currently
compete for moviegoers in East Windsor
and Berlin. Each of these markets is
concentrated, and AMC and Starplex
Cinemas are each other’s most
significant competitor, given their close
proximity. Their rivalry spurs each to
improve the quality of its theatres and
keeps ticket prices in check.
In East Windsor and Berlin, the
acquisition by AMC of Starplex
Cinemas’ theatres likely will result in a
substantial lessening of competition.
The transaction will lead to significant
increases in concentration and eliminate
existing competition between AMC and
Starplex Cinemas.
In East Windsor, the proposed
acquisition would give the newly
merged entity control of all of the firstrun, commercial theatres, with 34 out of
34 total screens and a 100% share of
annual box office revenues totaling
approximately $13 million. Using a
measure of market concentration called
the Herfindahl-Hirschman Index
(‘‘HHI’’), as discussed in Appendix A of
the Complaint, the acquisition would
yield a post-acquisition HHI of 10,000,
representing an increase of roughly
2,300 points.
In Berlin, the proposed acquisition
would give the newly-merged entity
control of three of the six first-run,
commercial theatres, with 44 out of 79
total screens and an approximate 68%
share of annual box office revenues
totaling approximately $11 million. The
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acquisition would yield a postacquisition HHI of approximately 5,260,
representing an increase of roughly
2,280 points.
In East Windsor and Berlin today,
were one of Defendants’ theatres to
increase ticket prices unilaterally, the
exhibitor that increased price would
likely suffer financially as a substantial
number of its customers would
patronize the other exhibitor’s theatre.
Other theatres are smaller than and/or
farther from the parties’ theatres and
unlikely to offer enough of a
competitive constraint to prevent such a
price increase. After the acquisition,
AMC would recapture such losses,
making price increases more profitable
than they would have been preacquisition. The acquisition is,
therefore, likely to lead to higher ticket
prices for moviegoers, which could take
the form of a higher adult evening ticket
price or reduced discounting for
matinees, children, seniors, and
students.
Likewise, the proposed transaction
would eliminate competition between
AMC and Starplex Cinemas over the
quality of the viewing experience at
their theatres in East Windsor and
Berlin. If no longer required to compete,
AMC and Starplex Cinemas would have
a reduced incentive to maintain,
upgrade, and renovate their theatres, to
improve the theatres’ amenities and
services, and to license the most
popular movies, thus reducing the
quality of the viewing experience for a
moviegoer.
The entry of a first-run, commercial
theatre sufficient to deter or counteract
an increase in movie ticket prices or a
decline in theatre quality is unlikely in
either East Windsor or Berlin. Exhibitors
are reluctant to locate new first-run,
commercial theatres near existing firstrun, commercial theatres, unless the
population density, demographics, or
the quality of existing theatres makes
new entry viable. Over the next two
years, entry of any new first-run,
commercial movie theatres in East
Windsor and Berlin would be unlikely
to defeat a price increase by the merged
firm.
For all of these reasons, the proposed
transaction would lessen competition
substantially in the exhibition of firstrun, commercial movies in the East
Windsor and Berlin markets, eliminate
actual and potential competition
between AMC and Starplex Cinemas,
and likely result in increased ticket
prices and lower quality theatres in
those markets. The proposed transaction
therefore violates Section 7 of the
Clayton Act.
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III. EXPLANATION OF THE
PROPOSED FINAL JUDGMENT
The divestiture requirement of the
proposed Final Judgment will eliminate
the anticompetitive effects of the
acquisitions in each relevant geographic
market, establishing new, independent,
and economically viable competitors.
The proposed Final Judgment requires
Defendants within thirty (30) calendar
days after the filing of the Complaint, or
five (5) days after the notice of the entry
of the Final Judgment by the Court,
whichever is later, to divest as viable,
ongoing businesses one theatre in each
of the relevant markets.
The theatres must be divested in such
a way as to satisfy Plaintiffs that they
can and will be operated by the
purchaser as viable, ongoing businesses
that can compete effectively as first-run,
commercial theatres. To that end, the
proposed Final Judgment provides the
acquirer(s) of the theatres with an
option to enter into a transitional supply
agreement with Defendants of up to 120
days in length, with the possibility of
one or more extensions not to exceed six
months in total, for the supply of any
goods, services, support, including
software service and support, and
reasonable use of the name AMC, the
name Starplex, and any registered
service marks of AMC or Starplex, for
use in operating those theatres during
the period of transition. This ensures
the acquirer(s) of the theatres can
operate without interruption while longterm supply agreements are arranged
and the theatres rebranded. Without the
option to enter into a transitional supply
agreement, the acquirer(s) might find
itself temporarily without provisions,
including concessions, necessary to
operate the theatres.
Until the divestitures take place, AMC
and Starplex Cinemas must maintain
the sales and marketing of the theatres,
and maintain the theatres in operable
condition at current capacity
configurations. In addition, AMC and
Starplex Cinemas must not transfer or
reassign to other areas within the
company their employees with primary
responsibility for the operation of the
theatres, except for transfer bids
initiated by employees pursuant to
Defendants’ regular, established jobposting policies. In the event that
Defendants do not accomplish the
divestitures within the periods
prescribed in the proposed Final
Judgment, the Final Judgment provides
that the Court will appoint a trustee
selected by the United States to effect
the divestitures.
If Defendants are unable to effect any
of the divestitures required herein due
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to its inability to obtain the consent of
the landlord from whom a theatre is
leased, Section VI.A of the proposed
Final Judgment requires them to divest
alternative theatre assets that compete
effectively with the theatres for which
the landlord consent was not obtained.
These provisions will insure that any
failure by Defendants to obtain landlord
consent does not thwart the relief
obtained in the proposed Final
Judgment.
The proposed Final Judgment also
prohibits Defendants, without providing
at least thirty (30) days notice to the
United States Department of Justice,
from acquiring any other theatres in the
following counties: Hartford County,
Connecticut and Mercer County, New
Jersey. These counties correspond to the
relevant geographic markets in this case.
Such acquisitions could raise
competitive concerns but might be too
small to be reported under the HartScott-Rodino (‘‘HSR’’) premerger
notification statute.
The divestiture provisions of the
proposed Final Judgment will eliminate
the anticompetitive effects of AMC’s
acquisition of Starplex Cinemas.
IV. REMEDIES AVAILABLE TO
POTENTIAL PRIVATE LITIGANTS
Section 4 of the Clayton Act, 15
U.S.C. § 15, provides that any person
who has been injured as a result of
conduct prohibited by the antitrust laws
may bring suit in federal court to
recover three times the damages the
person has suffered, as well as costs and
reasonable attorneys’ fees. Entry of the
proposed Final Judgment will neither
impair nor assist the bringing of any
private antitrust damage action. Under
the provisions of Section 5(a) of the
Clayton Act, 15 U.S.C. § 16(a), the
proposed Final Judgment has no prima
facie effect in any subsequent private
lawsuit that may be brought against
Defendants.
V. PROCEDURES AVAILABLE FOR
MODIFICATION OF THE PROPOSED
FINAL JUDGMENT
Plaintiffs and Defendants have
stipulated that the proposed Final
Judgment may be entered by the Court
after compliance with the provisions of
the APPA, provided that the United
States has not withdrawn its consent.
The APPA conditions entry upon the
Court’s determination that the proposed
Final Judgment is in the public interest.
The APPA provides a period of at
least sixty (60) days preceding the
effective date of the proposed Final
Judgment within which any person may
submit to the United States written
comments regarding the proposed Final
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Judgment. Any person who wishes to
comment should do so within sixty (60)
days of the date of publication of this
Competitive Impact Statement in the
Federal Register, or the last date of
publication in a newspaper of the
summary of this Competitive Impact
Statement, whichever is later. All
comments received during this period
will be considered by the United States
Department of Justice, which remains
free to withdraw its consent to the
proposed Final Judgment at any time
prior to the Court’s entry of judgment.
The comments and the response of the
United States will be filed with the
Court. In addition, comments will be
posted on the U.S. Department of
Justice, Antitrust Division’s internet
Web site and, under certain
circumstances, published in the Federal
Register.
Written comments should be
submitted to: David C. Kully, Chief,
Litigation III, Antitrust Division, United
States Department of Justice, 450 5th
Street NW., Suite 4000, Washington, DC
20530.
The proposed Final Judgment provides
that the Court retains jurisdiction over
this action, and the parties may apply to
the Court for any order necessary or
appropriate for the modification,
interpretation, or enforcement of the
Final Judgment.
VI. ALTERNATIVES TO THE
PROPOSED FINAL JUDGMENT
Plaintiffs considered, as an alternative
to the proposed Final Judgment, a full
trial on the merits against Defendants.
Plaintiffs could have continued the
litigation and sought preliminary and
permanent injunctions against AMC’s
acquisition of Starplex Cinemas.
Plaintiffs are satisfied, however, that the
divestiture of assets described in the
proposed Final Judgment will preserve
competition for the exhibition of firstrun, commercial movies in East
Windsor and Berlin. Thus, the proposed
Final Judgment would achieve all or
substantially all of the relief Plaintiffs
would have obtained through litigation,
but avoids the time, expense, and
uncertainty of a full trial on the merits
of the Complaint.
VII. STANDARD OF REVIEW UNDER
THE APPA FOR THE PROPOSED
FINAL JUDGMENT
The Clayton Act, as amended by the
APPA, requires that proposed consent
judgments in antitrust cases brought by
the United States be subject to a sixtyday comment period, after which the
Court shall determine whether entry of
the proposed Final Judgment ‘‘is in the
public interest.’’ 15 U.S.C. § 16(e)(1). In
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making that determination, the Court, in
accordance with the statute as amended
in 2004, is required to consider:
(A) the competitive impact of such
judgment, including termination of
alleged violations, provisions for
enforcement and modification, duration
of relief sought, anticipated effects of
alternative remedies actually
considered, whether its terms are
ambiguous, and any other competitive
considerations bearing upon
theadequacy of such judgment that the
court deems necessary to a
determination of whether the consent
judgment is in the public interest; and
(B) the impact of entry of such
judgment upon competition in the
relevant market or markets, upon the
public generally and individuals
alleging specific injury from the
violations set forth in the complaint
including consideration of the public
benefit, if any, to be derived from a
determination of the issues at trial.
15 U.S.C. § 16(e)(1)(A) & (B). In
considering these statutory factors, the
Court’s inquiry is necessarily a limited
one as the government is entitled to
‘‘broad discretion to settle with the
defendant within the reaches of the
public interest.’’ United States v.
Microsoft Corp., 56 F.3d 1448, 1461 (DC
Cir. 1995); see generally United States v.
SBC Commc’ns, Inc., 489 F. Supp. 2d 1
(D.D.C. 2007) (assessing public interest
standard under the Tunney Act); United
States v, U.S. Airways Group, Inc., 38 F.
Supp. 3d 69, 75 (D.D.C. 2014)
explaining that the ‘‘court’s inquiry is
limited’’ in Tunney Act settlements);
United States v. InBev N.V/S.A., No. 08–
1965 (JR), 2009–2 Trade Cas. (CCH)
¶ 76,736, 2009 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 84787,
at *3, (D.D.C. Aug. 11, 2009) (noting that
the court’s review of a consent judgment
is limited and only inquires ‘‘into
whether the government’s
determination that the proposed
remedies will cure the antitrust
violations alleged in the complaint was
reasonable, and whether the mechanism
to enforce the final judgment are clear
and manageable.’’) 1
As the United States Court of Appeals
for the District of Columbia Circuit has
held, under the APPA a court considers,
among other things, the relationship
between the remedy secured and the
specific allegations set forth in the
1 The 2004 amendments substituted ‘‘shall’’ for
‘‘may’’ in directing relevant factors for court to
consider and amended the list of factors to focus on
competitive considerations and to address
potentially ambiguous judgment terms. Compare 15
U.S.C. § 16(e) (2004), with 15 U.S.C. § 16(e)(1)
(2006); see also SBC Commc’ns, 489 F. Supp. 2d at
11 (concluding that the 2004 amendments ‘‘effected
minimal changes’’ to Tunney Act review).
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government’s complaint, whether the
decree is sufficiently clear, whether
enforcement mechanisms are sufficient,
and whether the decree may positively
harm third parties. See Microsoft, 56
F.3d at 1458–62. With respect to the
adequacy of the relief secured by the
decree, a court may not ‘‘engage in an
unrestricted evaluation of what relief
would best serve the public.’’ United
States v. BNS, Inc., 858 F.2d 456, 462
(9th Cir. 1988) (quoting United States v.
Bechtel Corp., 648 F.2d 660, 666 (9th
Cir. 1981)); see also Microsoft, 56 F.3d
at 1460–62; United States v. Alcoa, Inc.,
152 F. Supp. 2d 37, 40 (D.D.C. 2001);
InBev, 2009 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 84787, at
*3. Courts have held that:
[t]he balancing of competing social and
political interests affected by a proposed
antitrust consent decree must be left, in
the first instance, to the discretion of the
Attorney General. The court’s role in
protecting the public interest is one of
insuring that the government has not
breached its duty to the public in
consenting to the decree. The court is
required to determine not whether a
particular decree is the one that will
best serve society, but whether the
settlement is ‘‘within the reaches of the
public interest.’’ More elaborate
requirements might undermine the
effectiveness of antitrust enforcement by
consent decree.
Bechtel, 648 F.2d at 666 (emphasis
added) (citations omitted).2 In
determining whether a proposed
settlement is in the public interest, a
district court ‘‘must accord deference to
the government’s predictions about the
efficacy of its remedies, and may not
require that the remedies perfectly
match the alleged violations.’’ SBC
Commc’ns, 489 F. Supp. 2d at 17; see
also U.S. Airways, 38 F. Supp. 3d at 75
(noting that a court should not reject the
proposed remedies because it believes
others are preferable); Microsoft, 56 F.3d
at 1461 (noting the need for courts to be
‘‘deferential to the government’s
predictions as to the effect of the
proposed remedies’’); United States v.
Archer-Daniels-Midland Co., 272 F.
Supp. 2d 1, 6 (D.D.C. 2003) (noting that
the court should grant due respect to the
United State’s prediction as to the effect
of proposed remedies, its perception of
2 Cf. BNS, 858 F.2d at 464 (holding that the
court’s ‘‘ultimate authority under the [APPA] is
limited to approving or disapproving the consent
decree’’); United States v. Gillette Co., 406 F. Supp.
713, 716 (D. Mass. 1975) (noting that, in this way,
the court is constrained to ‘‘look at the overall
picture not hypercritically, nor with a microscope,
but with an artist’s reducing glass’’). See generally
Microsoft, 56 F.3d at 1461 (discussing whether ‘‘the
remedies [obtained in the decree are] so
inconsonant with the allegations charged as to fall
outside of the ‘reaches of the public interest’’’).
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the market structure, and its views of
the nature of the case).
Courts have greater flexibility in
approving proposed consent decrees
than in crafting their own decrees
following a finding of liability in a
litigated matter. ‘‘[A] proposed decree
must be approved even if it falls short
of the remedy the court would impose
on its own, as long as it falls within the
range of acceptability or is ‘within the
reaches of public interest.’’’ United
States v. Am. Tel. & Tel. Co., 552 F.
Supp. 131, 151 (D.D.C. 1982) (citations
omitted) (quoting United States v.
Gillette Co., 406 F. Supp. 713, 716 (D.
Mass. 1975)), aff’d sub nom. Maryland
v. United States, 460 U.S. 1001 (1983);
see also U.S. Airways, 38 F. Supp. 3d at
76 (noting that room must be made for
the government to grant concessions in
the negotiation process for settlements
(citing Microsoft, 56 F.3d at 1461));
United States v. Alcan Aluminum Ltd.,
605 F. Supp. 619, 622 (W.D. Ky. 1985)
(approving the consent decree even
though the court would have imposed a
greater remedy). To meet this standard,
the United States ‘‘need only provide a
factual basis for concluding that the
settlements are reasonably adequate
remedies for the alleged harms.’’ SBC
Commc’ns, 489 F. Supp. 2d at 17.
Moreover, the Court’s role under the
APPA is limited to reviewing the
remedy in relationship to the violations
that the United States has alleged in its
Complaint, and does not authorize the
Court to ‘‘construct [its] own
hypothetical case and then evaluate the
decree against that case.’’ Microsoft, 56
F.3d at 1459; see also U.S. Airways, 38
F. Supp. 3d at 75 (noting that the court
must simply determine whether there is
a factual foundation for the
government’s decisions such that its
conclusions regarding the proposed
settlements are reasonable); InBev, 2009
U.S. Dist. LEXIS 84787, at *20 (‘‘the
‘public interest’ is not to be measured by
comparing the violations alleged in the
complaint against those the court
believes could have, or even should
have, been alleged’’). Because the
‘‘court’s authority to review the decree
depends entirely on the government’s
exercising its prosecutorial discretion by
bringing a case in the first place,’’ it
follows that ‘‘the court is only
authorized to review the decree itself,’’
and not to ‘‘effectively redraft the
complaint’’ to inquire into other matters
that the United States did not pursue.
Microsoft, 56 F.3d at 1459–60. As this
Court confirmed in SBC
Communications, courts ‘‘cannot look
beyond the complaint in making the
public interest determination unless the
complaint is drafted so narrowly as to
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make a mockery of judicial power.’’ SBC
Commc’ns, 489 F. Supp. 2d at 15.
In its 2004 amendments, Congress
made clear its intent to preserve the
practical benefits of utilizing consent
decrees in antitrust enforcement, adding
the unambiguous instruction that
‘‘[n]othing in this section shall be
construed to require the court to
conduct an evidentiary hearing or to
require the court to permit anyone to
intervene.’’ 15 U.S.C. § 16(e)(2); see also
U.S. Airways, 38 F. Supp. 3d at 76
(indicating that a court is not required
to hold an evidentiary hearing or to
permit intervenors as part of its review
under the Tunney Act). The language
wrote into the statute what Congress
intended when it enacted the Tunney
Act in 1974, as Senator Tunney
explained: ‘‘[t]he court is nowhere
compelled to go to trial or to engage in
extended proceedings which might have
the effect of vitiating the benefits of
prompt and less costly settlement
through the consent decree process.’’
119 Cong. Rec. 24,598 (1973) (statement
of Sen. Tunney). Rather, the procedure
for the public interest determination is
left to the discretion of the Court, with
the recognition that the Court’s ‘‘scope
of review remains sharply proscribed by
precedent and the nature of Tunney Act
proceedings.’’ SBC Commc’ns, 489 F.
Supp. 2d at 11. A court can make its
public interest determination based on
the competitive impact statement and
response to public comments alone.
U.S. Airways, 38 F. Supp. 3d at 76.3
VIII. DETERMINATIVE DOCUMENTS
There are no determinative materials
or documents within the meaning of the
APPA that were considered by the
United States in formulating the
proposed Final Judgment.
Dated: December 15, 2015
Respectfully submitted,
GREGG I. MALAWER (D.C. Bar #481685),
MIRIAM R. VISHIO (D.C. Bar # 482282),
U.S. Department of Justice, Antitrust
Division, 450 5th Street, NW, Suite 4000,
Washington, DC 20530, Phone: Gregg
Malawer (202) 616–5943, Phone: Miriam
Vishio (202) 598–8091 Fax: (202) 514–7308,
E-mail: gregg.malawer@usdoj.gov, E-mail:
miriam.vishio@usdoj.gov, Attorneys for
Plaintiff the United States
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, and STATE
OF CONNECTICUT, Plaintiffs, v. AMC
ENTERTAINMENT HOLDINGS, INC. and
SMH THEATRES, INC., Defendants.
Civil Action No.: 1:15–cv–02181
Judge: Beryl A. Howell
Filed: 12/15/2015
[PROPOSED] FINAL JUDGMENT
WHEREAS, Plaintiffs United States of
America and the State of Connecticut
filed their Complaint on December 15,
2015, the Plaintiffs and Defendants,
AMC Entertainment Holdings, Inc.
(‘‘AMC’’), and SMH Theatres, Inc.,
(‘‘Starplex Cinemas’’), by their
respective attorneys, have consented to
the entry of this Final Judgment without
trial or adjudication of any issue of fact
or law, and without this Final Judgment
constituting any evidence against or
admission by any party regarding any
issue of fact or law;
AND WHEREAS, Defendants agree to
be bound by the provisions of this Final
Judgment pending its approval by the
Court;
AND WHEREAS, the essence of this
Final Judgment is the prompt and
certain divestiture of certain rights or
assets by the Defendants to assure that
competition is not substantially
lessened;
AND WHEREAS, Plaintiffs require
Defendants to make certain divestitures
for the purpose of remedying the loss of
competition alleged in the Complaint;
AND WHEREAS, Defendants have
represented to Plaintiffs that the
divestitures required below can and will
be made and that Defendants will later
raise no claim of hardship or difficulty
as grounds for asking the Court to
modify any of the divestiture provisions
contained below;
NOW THEREFORE, before any
testimony is taken, without trial or
adjudication of any issue of fact or law,
and upon consent of the parties, it is
ORDERED, ADJUDGED AND DECREED:
I. JURISDICTION
This Court has jurisdiction over the
subject matter of and each of the parties
to this action. The Complaint states a
claim upon which relief may be granted
against Defendants under Section 7 of
the Clayton Act, as amended, 15 U.S.C.
18.
II. DEFINITIONS
As used in this Final Judgment:
A. ‘‘Acquirer’’ or ‘‘Acquirers’’ means
the entity or entities to which
Defendants divest the Divestiture
Assets.
B. ‘‘AMC’’ means AMC Entertainment
Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation
with its headquarters in Leawood,
Kansas, its successors and assigns, and
its subsidiaries, divisions, groups,
affiliates, partnerships and joint
ventures, and their directors, officers,
managers, agents, and employees.
C. ‘‘Starplex Cinemas’’ means
Starplex Cinemas, Inc., a Texas
Corporation with its headquarters in
Dallas, Texas, its successors and assigns,
and its subsidiaries, divisions, groups,
affiliates, partnerships and joint
ventures, and their directors, officers,
managers, agents, and employees.
D. ‘‘Divestiture Assets’’ means the
following theatre assets:
Theatre
Address
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1. Starplex Town Center Plaza 10 ...........................................................
2. Starplex Berlin 12 .................................................................................
319 Route 130 North, East Windsor, NJ 08520.
19 Frontage Rd, Berlin, CT 06037.
The term ‘‘Divestiture Assets’’ also
includes:
1. All tangible assets that comprise
the business of operating theatres that
exhibit first-run, commercial movies,
including, but not limited to real
property and improvements, research
and development activities, all
equipment, fixed assets, and fixtures,
personal property, inventory, office
furniture, materials, supplies, and other
tangible property and all assets used in
connection with the Divestiture Assets;
all licenses, permits, and authorizations
issued by any governmental
organization relating to the Divestiture
Assets; all contracts (including
management contracts), teaming
3 See United States v. Enova Corp., 107 F. Supp.
2d 10, 17 (D.D.C. 2000) (noting that the ‘‘Tunney
Act expressly allows the court to make its public
interest determination on the basis of the
competitive impact statement and response to
comments alone’’); United States v. Mid-Am.
Dairymen, Inc., No. 73–CV–681–W–1, 1977–1 Trade
Cas. (CCH) ¶ 61,508, at 71,980, *22 (W.D. Mo. 1977)
(‘‘Absent a showing of corrupt failure of the
government to discharge its duty, the Court, in
making its public interest finding, should . . .
carefully consider the explanations of the
government in the competitive impact statement
and its responses to comments in order to
determine whether those explanations are
reasonable under the circumstances.’’); S. Rep. No.
93–298, at 6 (1973) (‘‘Where the public interest can
be meaningfully evaluated simply on the basis of
briefs and oral arguments, that is the approach that
should be utilized.’’).
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arrangements, agreements, leases,
commitments, certifications, and
understandings relating to the
Divestiture Assets, including supply
agreements (provided however, that
supply agreements that apply to all of
each Defendant’s theatres may be
excluded from the Divestiture Assets,
subject to the transitional agreement
provisions specified in Section IV (E));
all customer lists (including loyalty club
data at the option of the Acquirer(s),
copies of which may be retained by
Defendants at their option), contracts,
accounts, and credit records relating to
the Divestiture Assets; all repair and
performance records and all other
records relating to the Divestiture
Assets; and
2. All intangible assets relating to the
operation of the Divestiture Assets,
including, but not limited to all patents,
licenses and sublicenses, intellectual
property, copyrights, trademarks, trade
names, service marks, service names,
(provided however, that the name
Starplex, and any registered service
marks of Starplex may be excluded from
the Divestiture Assets, subject to the
transitional agreement provisions
specified in Section IV(E)), technical
information, computer software and
related documentation (provided
however, that Defendants’ proprietary
software may be excluded from the
Divestiture Assets, subject to the
transitional agreement provisions
specified in Section IV(E)), know-how
and trade secrets, drawings, blueprints,
designs, design protocols, specifications
for materials, specifications for parts
and devices, safety procedures for the
handling of materials and substances,
all research data concerning historic and
current research and development,
quality assurance and control
procedures, design tools and simulation
capability, all manuals and technical
information Starplex Cinemas provides
to their own employees, customers,
suppliers, agents, or licensees (except
for the employee manuals that Starplex
provides to all its employees), and all
research data concerning historic and
current research and development.
E. ‘‘Landlord Consent’’ means any
contractual approval or consent that the
landlord or owner of one or more of the
Divestiture Assets, or of the property on
which one or more of the Divestiture
Assets is situated, must grant prior to
the transfer of one of the Divestiture
Assets to an Acquirer.
III. APPLICABILITY
A. This Final Judgment applies to
AMC and Starplex Cinemas, as defined
above, and all other persons in active
concert or participation with any of
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them who receive actual notice of this
Final Judgment by personal service or
otherwise.
B. If, prior to complying with Sections
IV and V of this Final Judgment,
Defendants sell or otherwise dispose of
all or substantially all of their assets or
of lesser business units that include the
Divestiture Assets, they shall require the
purchaser to be bound by the provisions
of this Final Judgment. Defendants need
not obtain such an agreement from the
Acquirer(s) of the assets divested
pursuant to this Final Judgment.
IV. DIVESTITURES
A. Defendants are ordered and
directed, within thirty (30) calendar
days after the filing of the Complaint in
this matter to divest the Divestiture
Assets in a manner consistent with this
Final Judgment to one or more
Acquirer(s) acceptable to the United
States in its sole discretion (after
consultation with the State of
Connecticut, as appropriate). The
United States, in its sole discretion, may
agree to one or more extensions of this
time period, not to exceed thirty (30)
calendar days in total, and shall notify
the Court in such circumstances.
Defendants agree to use their best efforts
to divest the Divestiture Assets as
expeditiously as possible.
B. In accomplishing the divestitures
ordered by this Final Judgment,
Defendants promptly shall make known,
by usual and customary means, the
availability of the Divestiture Assets.
Defendants shall inform any person
making an inquiry regarding a possible
purchase of the Divestiture Assets that
they are being divested pursuant to this
Final Judgment and provide that person
with a copy of this Final Judgment.
Defendants shall offer to furnish to all
prospective Acquirers, subject to
customary confidentiality assurances,
all information and documents relating
to the Divestiture Assets customarily
provided in a due diligence process
except such information or documents
subject to the attorney-client privilege or
work-product doctrine. Defendants shall
make available such information to the
Plaintiffs at the same time that such
information is made available to any
other person.
C. Defendants shall provide the
Acquirer(s) and the United States
information relating to the personnel
involved in the operation and
management of the applicable
Divestiture Assets to enable the
Acquirer(s) to make offers of
employment. Defendants shall not
interfere with any negotiations by the
Acquirer(s) to employ or contract with
any employee of any Defendant whose
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primary responsibility relates to the
operation or management of the
applicable Divestiture Assets being sold
by the Acquirer(s).
D. Defendants shall permit
prospective Acquirer(s) of the
Divestiture Assets to have reasonable
access to personnel and to make
inspections of the physical facilities of
the Divestiture Assets; access to any and
all environmental, zoning, and other
permit documents and information; and
access to any and all financial,
operational, or other documents and
information customarily provided as
part of a due diligence process.
E. In connection with the divestiture
of the Divestiture Assets pursuant to
Section IV, or by a trustee appointed
pursuant to Section V, of this Final
Judgment, at the option of the
Acquirer(s), Defendants shall enter into
a transitional supply, service, support,
and use agreement (‘‘transitional
agreement’’), of up to 120 days in
length, for the supply of any goods,
services, support, including software
service and support, and reasonable use
of the name AMC, the name Starplex,
and any registered service marks of
AMC or Starplex, that the Acquirer(s)
request for the operation of the
Divestiture Assets during the period
covered by the transitional agreement.
At the request of the Acquirer(s), the
United States in its sole discretion (after
consultation with the State of
Connecticut, as appropriate), may agree
to one or more extensions of this time
period not to exceed six (6) months in
total. The terms and conditions of the
transitional agreement must be
acceptable to the United States in its
sole discretion (after consultation with
the State of Connecticut, as
appropriate). The transitional agreement
shall be deemed incorporated into this
Final Judgment and a failure by
Defendants to comply with any of the
terms or conditions of the transitional
agreement shall constitute a failure to
comply with this Final Judgment.
F. Defendants shall warrant to the
Acquirer(s) of the Divestiture Assets that
each asset will be operational on the
date of sale.
G. Defendants shall not take any
action that will impede in any way the
permitting, operation, or divestitures of
the Divestiture Assets.
H. Defendants shall warrant to the
Acquirer(s) that there are no material
defects in the environmental, zoning, or
other permits pertaining to the
operation of the Divestiture Assets.
Following the sale of the Divestiture
Assets, Defendants will not undertake,
directly or indirectly, any challenges to
the environmental, zoning, or other
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permits relating to the operation of the
Divestiture Assets.
I. Unless the United States otherwise
consents in writing, the divestitures
made pursuant to Section IV, and/or by
a trustee appointed pursuant to Section
V of this Final Judgment, shall include
the entire Divestiture Assets and shall
be accomplished in such a way as to
satisfy the United States, in its sole
discretion (after consultation with the
State of Connecticut, as appropriate)
that the Divestiture Assets can and will
be used by the Acquirer(s) as part of a
viable, ongoing business of operating
theatres that exhibit first-run,
commercial movies. Divestiture of the
Divestiture Assets may be made to one
or more Acquirers, provided that in
each instance it is demonstrated to the
sole satisfaction of the United States
(after consultation with the State of
Connecticut, as appropriate) that the
Divestiture Assets will remain viable
and the divestiture of such assets will
remedy the competitive harm alleged in
the Complaint. The divestitures,
whether pursuant to Section IV or
Section V of this Final Judgment,
(1) shall be made to Acquirers that, in
the United States’ sole judgment (after
consultation with the State of
Connecticut, as appropriate) have the
intent and capability (including the
necessary managerial, operational,
technical, and financial capability) of
competing effectively in the business of
theatres exhibiting first-run, commercial
movies; and
(2) shall be accomplished so as to
satisfy the United States, in its sole
discretion (after consultation with the
State of Connecticut, as appropriate)
that none of the terms of any agreement
between Acquirers and Defendants gives
Defendants the ability unreasonably to
raise the Acquirers’ costs, to lower the
Acquirers’ efficiency, or otherwise to
interfere in the ability of any Acquirer
to compete effectively.
V. APPOINTMENT OF TRUSTEE
A. If Defendants have not divested the
Divestiture Assets within the time
period specified in Section IV(A),
Defendants shall notify the United
States of that fact in writing, specifically
identifying the Divestiture Assets that
have not been divested. Upon
application of the United States, the
Court shall appoint a trustee selected by
the United States and approved by the
Court to effect the divestitures of the
Divestiture Assets.
B. After the appointment of a trustee
becomes effective, only the trustee shall
have the right to sell the Divestiture
Assets. The trustee shall have the power
and authority to accomplish the
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divestitures to Acquirer(s) acceptable to
the United States (after consultation
with the State of Connecticut, as
appropriate) at such price and on such
terms as are then obtainable upon
reasonable effort by the trustee, subject
to the provisions of Sections IV, V, VI,
and VII of this Final Judgment, and shall
have such other powers as this Court
deems appropriate. Subject to Section
V(D) of this Final Judgment, the trustee
may hire at the cost and expense of
Defendants any investment bankers,
attorneys, or other agents, who shall be
solely accountable to the trustee and
reasonably necessary in the trustee’s
judgment to assist in the divestiture(s).
Any such investment bankers, attorneys,
or other agents shall serve on such terms
and conditions as the United States
approves, including confidentiality
requirements and conflict of interest
certifications.
C. Defendants shall not object to a sale
by the trustee on any ground other than
the trustee’s malfeasance. Any such
objections by Defendants must be
conveyed in writing to the United States
and the trustee within ten (10) calendar
days after the trustee has provided the
notice required under Section VII.
D. The trustee shall serve at the cost
and expense of Defendants pursuant to
a written agreement, on such terms and
conditions as the United States
approves, including confidentiality
requirements and conflict of interest
certifications. The trustee shall account
for all monies derived from the sale of
the applicable Divestiture Assets and all
costs and expenses so incurred. After
approval by the Court of the trustee’s
accounting, including fees for its
services yet unpaid and those of any
professionals and agents retained by the
trustee, all remaining money shall be
paid to Defendants and the trust shall
then be terminated. The compensation
of the trustee and any professionals and
agents retained by the trustee shall be
reasonable in light of the value of the
Divestiture Assets subject to sale by the
trustee and based on a fee arrangement
providing the trustee with an incentive
based on the price and terms of the
divestitures and the speed with which
they are accomplished, but timeliness is
paramount. If the trustee and
Defendants are unable to reach
agreement on the trustee’s or any agents’
or consultants’ compensation or other
terms and conditions of engagement
within 14 calendar days of appointment
of the trustee, the United States may, in
its sole discretion (after consultation
with the State of Connecticut, as
appropriate), take appropriate action,
including making a recommendation to
the Court. The trustee shall, within
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three (3) business days of hiring any
other professionals or agents, provide
written notice of such hiring and the
rate of compensation to Defendants and
the United States.
E. Defendants shall use their best
efforts to assist the trustee in
accomplishing the required divestitures.
The trustee and any consultants,
accountants, attorneys, and other
persons retained by the trustee shall
have full and complete access to the
personnel, books, records, and facilities
of the assets and business to be
divested, and Defendants shall develop
financial and other information relevant
to such assets and business as the
trustee may reasonably request, subject
to reasonable protection for trade secret
or other confidential research,
development, or commercial
information or any applicable
privileges. Defendants shall take no
action to interfere with or to impede the
trustee’s accomplishment of the
divestitures.
F. After its appointment, the trustee
shall file monthly reports with the
parties and the Court setting forth the
trustee’s efforts to accomplish the
divestitures ordered under this Final
Judgment. To the extent such reports
contain information that the trustee
deems confidential, such reports shall
not be filed in the public docket of the
Court. Such reports shall include the
name, address, and telephone number of
each person who, during the preceding
month, made an offer to acquire,
expressed an interest in acquiring,
entered into negotiations to acquire, or
was contacted or made an inquiry about
acquiring, any interest in the Divestiture
Assets, and shall describe in detail each
contact with any such person. The
trustee shall maintain full records of all
efforts made to divest the Divestiture
Assets.
G. If the trustee has not accomplished
the divestitures ordered under this Final
Judgment within six (6) months after its
appointment, the trustee shall promptly
file with the Court a report setting forth
(1) the trustee’s efforts to accomplish the
required divestitures, (2) the reasons, in
the trustee’s judgment, why the required
divestitures have not been
accomplished, and (3) the trustee’s
recommendations. To the extent such
reports contain information that the
trustee deems confidential, such reports
shall not be filed in the public docket
of the Court. The trustee shall at the
same time furnish such report to the
United States, which shall have the
right to make additional
recommendations consistent with the
purpose of the trust. The Court
thereafter shall enter such orders as it
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shall deem appropriate to carry out the
purpose of the Final Judgment, which
may, if necessary, include extending the
trust and the term of the trustee’s
appointment by a period requested by
the United States.
H. If the United States determines that
the trustee has ceased to act or failed to
act diligently or in a reasonably costeffective manner, it may recommend the
Court appoint a substitute trustee.
Defendants’ selection is deemed not to
be a suitable competitive alternative, the
United States shall in its sole discretion
(after consultation with the State of
Connecticut, as appropriate) select
alternative theatre assets to be divested
from among those theatre(s) that the
United States has determined, in its sole
discretion, compete effectively with the
theatre(s) for which Landlord Consent
was not obtained.
VI. LANDLORD CONSENT
A. If Defendants are unable to effect
any of the divestitures required herein
due to the inability to obtain the
Landlord Consent for any of the
Divestiture Assets, Defendants shall
divest alternative theatre assets that
compete effectively with the theatre or
theatres for which the Landlord Consent
was not obtained. The United States
shall, in its sole discretion (after
consultation with the State of
Connecticut, as appropriate) determine
whether such theatre assets compete
effectively with the theatres for which
Landlord Consent was not obtained.
B. Within five (5) business days
following a determination that Landlord
Consent cannot be obtained for any of
the Divestiture Assets, Defendants shall
notify the United States, and Defendants
shall propose an alternative divestiture
pursuant to Section VI(A). The United
States (after consultation with the State
of Connecticut, as appropriate) shall
have then ten (10) business days in
which to determine whether such
theatre assets are a suitable alternative
pursuant to Section VI(A). If
Defendants’ selection is deemed not to
be a suitable alternative, the United
States shall in its sole discretion (after
consultation with the State of
Connecticut, as appropriate) select
alternative theatre assets to be divested
from among those theatre(s) that the
United States has determined, in its sole
discretion, compete effectively with the
theatre(s) for which Landlord Consent
was not obtained.
C. If a trustee is responsible for
effecting divestiture of the Divestiture
Assets, it shall notify the United States
and Defendants within five (5) business
days following a determination that
Landlord Consent cannot be obtained
for one or more of the Divestiture
Assets. Defendants shall thereafter have
five (5) business days to propose an
alternative divestiture pursuant to
Section VI(A). The United States (after
consultation with the State of
Connecticut, as appropriate) shall then
have ten (10) business days to determine
whether the proposed theatre assets are
a suitable competitive alternative
pursuant to Section VI(A). If
VII. NOTICE OF PROPOSED
DIVESTITURES
A. Within two (2) business days
following execution of a definitive
divestiture agreement, Defendants or the
trustee, whoever is then responsible for
effecting the divestitures required
herein, shall notify the United States
and, as appropriate, the State of
Connecticut, of any proposed
divestitures required by Sections IV, V,
or VI of this Final Judgment. If the
trustee is responsible, it shall similarly
notify Defendants. The notice shall set
forth the details of the proposed
divestitures and list the name, address,
and telephone number of each person
not previously identified who offered or
expressed an interest in or desire to
acquire any ownership interest in the
Divestiture Assets, together with full
details of the same.
B. Within fifteen (15) calendar days of
receipt by the United States of such
notice, the United States, in its sole
discretion (after consultation with the
State of Connecticut, as appropriate)
may request from Defendants, the
proposed Acquirer(s), any other third
party, or the trustee, if applicable,
additional information concerning the
proposed divestitures, the proposed
Acquirer(s), and any other potential
Acquirer(s). Defendants and the trustee
shall furnish any additional information
requested to the United States within
fifteen (15) calendar days of receipt of
the request, unless the parties otherwise
agree.
C. Within thirty (30) calendar days
after receipt of the notice or within
twenty (20) calendar days after the
United States has been provided the
additional information requested from
Defendants, the proposed Acquirer(s),
any third party, and the trustee,
whichever is later, the United States
shall provide written notice to
Defendants, and the trustee, if there is
one, stating whether it objects to the
proposed divestitures. If the United
States provides written notice that it
does not object, the divestitures may be
consummated, subject only to the
Defendants’ limited right to object to the
sale under Section V(C) of this Final
Judgment.
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Absent written notice that the United
States does not object to the proposed
Acquirer(s) or upon objection by the
United States, a divestiture proposed
under Section IV or Section V shall not
be consummated. Upon objection by
Defendants under Section V(C), a
divestiture proposed under Section V
shall not be consummated unless
approved by the Court.
VIII. FINANCING
Defendants shall not finance all or
any part of any purchase made pursuant
to Section IV or V of this Final
Judgment.
IX. HOLD SEPARATE
Until the divestitures required by this
Final Judgment have been
accomplished, Defendants shall take all
steps necessary to comply with the Hold
Separate Stipulation and Order entered
by this Court. Defendants shall take no
action that would jeopardize the
divestitures ordered by this Court.
X. AFFIDAVITS
A. Within twenty (20) calendar days
of the filing of the Complaint in this
matter, and every thirty (30) calendar
days thereafter until the divestitures
have been completed under Sections IV,
V, or VI, Defendants shall deliver to the
United States an affidavit as to the fact
and manner of its compliance with
Sections IV, V, or VI of this Final
Judgment. Each such affidavit shall
include the name, address, and
telephone number of each person who,
during the preceding thirty (30)
calendar days, made an offer to acquire,
expressed an interest in acquiring,
entered into negotiations to acquire, or
was contacted or made an inquiry about
acquiring, any interest in the Divestiture
Assets, and shall describe in detail each
contact with any such person during
that period. Each such affidavit shall
also include a description of the efforts
Defendants have taken to solicit buyers
for and complete the sale of the
Divestiture Assets, and to provide
required information to prospective
Acquirers, including the limitations, if
any, on such information. Assuming the
information set forth in the affidavit is
true and complete, any objection by the
United States to information provided
by Defendants, including limitations on
information, shall be made within
fourteen (14) calendar days of receipt of
each such affidavit.
B. Within twenty (20) calendar days
of the filing of the Complaint in this
matter, Defendants shall deliver to the
United States an affidavit that describes
in reasonable detail all actions taken
and all steps implemented on an
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ongoing basis to comply with Section IX
of this Final Judgment. Defendants shall
deliver to the United States an affidavit
describing any changes to the efforts
and actions outlined in their earlier
affidavits filed pursuant to this section
within fifteen (15) calendar days after
the change is implemented.
C. Defendants shall keep all records of
all efforts made to preserve and divest
the Divestiture Assets until one year
after such divestitures have been
completed.
XI. COMPLIANCE INSPECTION
A. For the purposes of determining or
securing compliance with this Final
Judgment or of any related orders such
as any Hold Separate Stipulation and
Order, or of determining whether the
Final Judgment should be modified or
vacated, and subject to any legally
recognized privilege, from time to time
authorized representatives of the United
States Department of Justice, including
consultants and other persons retained
by the United States, shall, upon written
request of an authorized representative
of the Assistant Attorney General in
charge of the Antitrust Division, and on
reasonable notice to Defendants, be
permitted:
(1) access during Defendants’ office
hours to inspect and copy, or at the
option of the United States, to require
Defendants to provide hard copy or
electronic copies of, all books, ledgers,
accounts, records, data, and documents
in the possession, custody, or control of
Defendants, relating to any matters
contained in this Final Judgment; and
(2) to interview, either informally or
on the record, Defendants’ officers,
employees, or agents, who may have
their individual counsel present,
regarding such matters. The interviews
shall be subject to the reasonable
convenience of the interviewee and
without restraint or interference by
Defendants.
B. Upon the written request of an
authorized representative of the
Assistant Attorney General in charge of
the Antitrust Division, Defendants shall
submit written reports or responses to
written interrogatories, under oath if
requested, relating to any of the matters
contained in this Final Judgment as may
be requested.
C. No information or documents
obtained by the means provided in this
section shall be divulged by the United
States to any person other than an
authorized representative of the
executive branch of the United States, or
an authorized representative of the State
of Connecticut, as appropriate, except in
the course of legal proceedings to which
the United States is a party (including
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grand jury proceedings), or for the
purpose of securing compliance with
this Final Judgment, or as otherwise
required by law.
D. If at the time information or
documents are furnished by Defendants
to the United States, Defendants
represent and identify in writing the
material in any such information or
documents to which a claim of
protection may be asserted under Rule
26(c)(1)(G) of the Federal Rules of Civil
Procedure, and Defendants mark each
pertinent page of such material,
‘‘Subject to claim of protection under
Rule 26(c)(1)(G) of the Federal Rules of
Civil Procedure,’’ then the United States
shall give Defendants ten (10) calendar
days notice prior to divulging such
material in any legal proceeding (other
than a grand jury proceeding).
XII. NO REACQUISITION
Defendants may not reacquire any
part of the Divestiture Assets during the
term of this Final Judgment.
XIII. RETENTION OF JURISDICTION
This Court retains jurisdiction to
enable any party to this Final Judgment
to apply to this Court at any time for
further orders and directions as may be
necessary or appropriate to carry out or
construe this Final Judgment, to modify
any of its provisions, to enforce
compliance, and to punish violations of
its provisions.
XIV. EXPIRATION OF FINAL
JUDGMENT
Unless this Court grants an extension,
this Final Judgment shall expire ten (10)
years from the date of its entry.
XV. PUBLIC INTEREST
DETERMINATION
Entry of this Final Judgment is in the
public interest. The parties have
complied with the requirements of the
Antitrust Procedures and Penalties Act,
15 U.S.C. 16, including making copies
available to the public of this Final
Judgment, the Competitive Impact
Statement, and any comments thereon
and the United States’ responses to
comments. Based upon the record
before the Court, which includes the
Competitive Impact Statement and any
comments and response to comments
filed with the Court, entry of this Final
Judgment is in the public interest.
Date: llllllllll, 2015
United States District Judge
[FR Doc. 2015–32629 Filed 12–24–15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE P
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Antitrust Division
Notice Pursuant to the National
Cooperative Research and Production
Act of 1993—UHD Alliance, Inc.
Notice is hereby given that, on
November 27, 2015, pursuant to Section
6(a) of the National Cooperative
Research and Production Act of 1993,
15 U.S.C. 4301 et seq. (‘‘the Act’’), UHD
Alliance, Inc. (‘‘UHD Alliance’’) filed
written notifications simultaneously
with the Attorney General and the
Federal Trade Commission disclosing
changes in its membership. The
notifications were filed for the purpose
of extending the Act’s provisions
limiting the recovery of antitrust
plaintiffs to actual damages under
specified circumstances. Specifically,
Orange, Sevigne, FRANCE; Shenzhen
TCL New Technology Co., Ltd.,
Shenzhen, PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF
CHINA; Koninklijke Philips N.V.,
Eindhoven, NETHERLANDS;
DreamWorks Animation L.L.C.,
Glendale, CA; THX Ltd., San Francisco,
CA; and Hisense Electric Co., Ltd.,
Qingdao, PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF
CHINA, have been added as parties to
this venture.
Also, MediaTek Inc., Hsinchu,
TAIWAN, was mistakenly reported as a
member of UHD Alliance on the initial
filing.
No other changes have been made in
either the membership or planned
activity of the group research project.
Membership in this group research
project remains open, and UHD Alliance
intends to file additional written
notifications disclosing all changes in
membership.
On June 17, 2015, UHD Alliance filed
its original notification pursuant to
Section 6(a) of the Act. The Department
of Justice published a notice in the
Federal Register pursuant to Section
6(b) of the Act on July 17, 2015 (80 FR
42537).
The last notification was filed with
the Department on September 10, 2015.
A notice was published in the Federal
Register pursuant to Section 6(b) of the
Act on September 29, 2015 (80 FR
58506).
Patricia A. Brink,
Court approval subject to procedures of
Director of Civil Enforcement, Antitrust
Antitrust Procedures and Penalties Act,
Division.
15 U.S.C. 16
[FR Doc. 2015–32621 Filed 12–24–15; 8:45 am]
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Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 248 (Monday, December 28, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 80799-80810]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-32629]
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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Antitrust Division
United States, et al. v. AMC Entertainment Holdings, Inc., et
al.; Proposed Final Judgment and Competitive Impact Statement
Notice is hereby given pursuant to the Antitrust Procedures and
Penalties Act, 15 U.S.C. 16(b)-(h), that a proposed Final Judgment,
Hold Separate Stipulation and Order, and Competitive Impact Statement
have been filed with the United States District Court for the District
of Columbia in United States of America, et al. v. AMC Entertainment
Holdings, Inc., et al., Civil Action No. 1:15-cv-02181. On December 15,
2015, the United States and the State of Connecticut filed a Complaint
alleging that AMC Entertainment Holdings, Inc. proposed acquisition of
SMH Theatres, Inc. movie theatres and related assets would violate
section 7 of the Clayton Act, 15 U.S.C. 18. The proposed Final
Judgment, filed at the same time as the Complaint, requires AMC
Entertainment Holdings, Inc. to divest certain theatre assets.
Copies of the Complaint, proposed Final Judgment, Hold Separate
Stipulation and Order, and Competitive Impact Statement are available
for inspection on the Antitrust Division's Web site at https://www.justice.gov/atr and at the Office of the Clerk of the United States
District Court for the District of Columbia. Copies of these materials
may be obtained from the Antitrust Division upon request and payment of
the copying fee set by Department of Justice regulations.
Public comment is invited within 60 days of the date of this
notice. Such comments, including the name of the submitter, and
responses thereto, will be posted on the Antitrust Division's Web site,
filed with the Court, and, under certain circumstances, published in
the Federal Register. Comments should be directed to David C. Kully,
Chief, Litigation III Section, Antitrust Division, Department of
Justice, 450 Fifth Street NW., Suite 4000, Washington, DC 20530
(telephone: 202-305-9969).
Patricia A. Brink,
Director of Civil Enforcement.
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Antitrust Division, 450 Fifth Street
NW., Suite 4000, Washington, DC 20530, and STATE OF CONNECTICUT,
Office of the Attorney General, 55 Elm Street, Hartford, CT 06106,
Plaintiffs, v. AMC ENTERTAINMENT HOLDINGS, INC., One AMC Way, 11500
Ash Street, Leawood, KS 64105, and SMH THEATRES, INC., 12750 Merit
Drive, Suite 800, Dallas, TX 75251, Defendants.
Civil Action No.: 1:15-cv-02181
Judge: Beryl A. Howell
Filed: 12/15/2015
COMPLAINT
The United States of America, acting under the direction of the
Attorney General of the United States, and the State of Connecticut,
acting by and through its Office of the Attorney General, bring this
civil antitrust action to prevent the proposed acquisition by AMC
Entertainment Holdings, Inc.
[[Page 80800]]
(``AMC'') of all of the outstanding voting securities of SMH Theatres,
Inc. (``Starplex Cinemas'').
I. NATURE OF ACTION
1. AMC is a significant competitor to Starplex Cinemas in the
exhibition of first-run, commercial movies in the area in and around
East Windsor, New Jersey and in the area in and around Berlin,
Connecticut. If AMC's acquisition of Starplex Cinemas is permitted to
proceed, it would give AMC direct control of its most significant
competitor in these markets. The acquisition likely would substantially
lessen competition in the exhibition of first-run, commercial movies in
each of these markets in violation of Section 7 of the Clayton Act, 15
U.S.C. Sec. 18.
II. JURISDICTION AND VENUE
2. This action is filed by the United States pursuant to Section 15
of the Clayton Act, as amended, 15 U.S.C. Sec. 25, to obtain equitable
relief and to prevent a violation of Section 7 of the Clayton Act, as
amended, 15 U.S.C. Sec. 18.
3. The State of Connecticut brings this action under Section 16 of
the Clayton Act, 15 U.S.C. Sec. 26, to prevent the defendants from
violating Section 7 of the Clayton Act, as amended, 15 U.S.C. Sec. 18.
The State of Connecticut, by and through its Office of the Attorney
General, brings this action as parens patriae on behalf of the
citizens, general welfare, and economy of its state.
4. The distribution and theatrical exhibition of first-run,
commercial films is a commercial activity that substantially affects,
and is in the flow of, interstate trade and commerce. Defendants'
activities in purchasing equipment, services, and supplies as well as
licensing films for exhibition substantially affect interstate
commerce. The Court has jurisdiction over the subject matter of this
action pursuant to 15 U.S.C. Sec. 25 and 28 U.S.C. Sec. Sec. 1331,
1337(a), and 1345.
5. Defendants consent to personal jurisdiction and venue in this
district. Therefore, this Court has personal jurisdiction over each
Defendant and venue is proper under 28 U.S.C. Sec. 1391(b) and (c). In
addition, venue is proper under 15 U.S.C. Sec. 22 because one
defendant operates theatres in this District; the other transacts
business by attracting patrons from and advertising in this District.
III. DEFENDANTS AND THE PROPOSED ACQUISITION
6. Defendant AMC is a Delaware corporation with its headquarters in
Leawood, Kansas. AMC operates 349 theatres and 4,975 screens in
locations throughout the United States. Measured by number of screens
and box office revenue, AMC is the second-largest theatre circuit in
the United States.
7. Defendant Starplex Cinemas is a Texas corporation with its
headquarters in Dallas, Texas. Starplex operates 33 movie theatres with
a total of 346 screens in the United States, primarily located in small
to midsize markets.
8. On July 13, 2015, AMC and Starplex Cinemas executed a stock
purchase agreement. Under the agreement, AMC will acquire all
outstanding voting securities of Starplex Cinemas for approximately
$172 million.
IV. BACKGROUND OF THE MOVIE THEATRE INDUSTRY
9. Viewing movies in the theatre is a popular pastime. Over one
billion movie tickets were sold in the United States in 2014, with
total box office revenue reaching approximately $10 billion.
10. Companies that operate movie theatres are called
``exhibitors.'' Some exhibitors own a single theatre, whereas others
own a circuit of theatres within one or more regions of the United
States. AMC and Starplex Cinemas are exhibitors in the United States.
11. Exhibitors set ticket prices for a theatre based on a number of
factors, including the age and condition of the theatre, the number and
type of amenities the theatre offers (such as the range of snacks, food
and beverages offered, the size of its screens and quality of its sound
systems, and whether it provides stadium and/or reserved seating),
competitive pressures facing the theatre (such as the price of tickets
at nearby theatres, the age and condition of those theatres, and the
number and type of amenities they offer), and the population
demographics and density surrounding the theatre.
V. RELEVANT MARKET
A. Product Market
12. Movies are a unique form of entertainment. The experience of
viewing a movie in a theatre is an inherently different experience from
live entertainment (e.g., a stage production or attending a sporting
event) or viewing a movie in the home (e.g., through streaming video,
on a DVD, or via pay-per-view).
13. Reflecting the significant differences of viewing a movie in a
theatre, ticket prices for movies generally differ from prices for
other forms of entertainment. For example, live entertainment is
typically significantly more expensive than a movie ticket, whereas
home viewing through streaming video, a DVD rental, or pay-per-view is
usually significantly less expensive than viewing a movie in a theatre.
14. Viewing a movie at home typically lacks several characteristics
of viewing a movie in a theatre, including the size of the screen, the
sophistication of the sound system, and the social experience of
viewing a movie with other patrons. In addition, the most popular newly
released or ``first-run'' movies are not available for home viewing at
the time they come out in theatres.
15. Movies are considered to be in their ``first-run'' during the
four to five weeks following initial release in a given locality. If
successful, a movie may be exhibited at other theatres after the first-
run as part of a second or subsequent run (often called a ``sub-run''
or ``second-run''). Moviegoers generally do not regard sub-run movies
as an adequate substitute for first-run movies. Reflecting the
significant difference between viewing a newly released, first-run
movie and an older sub-run movie, tickets at theatres exhibiting first-
run movies usually cost significantly more than tickets at sub-run
theatres.
16. Art movies and foreign-language movies are also not reasonable
substitutes for commercial, first-run movies. Art movies, which include
documentaries, are sometimes referred to as independent films. Although
art and foreign-language movies appeal to some viewers of commercial
movies, art and foreign-language movies tend to have more narrow appeal
and typically attract an older audience than commercial movies.
Exhibitors consider the operation of theatres that exhibit art and
foreign-language movies to be distinct from the operation of theatres
that exhibit commercial movies.
17. The relevant product market within which to assess the
competitive effects of this acquisition is the exhibition of first-run,
commercial movies. A hypothetical monopolist controlling the exhibition
of all first-run, commercial movies would profitably impose at least a
small but significant and non-transitory increase in ticket prices.
B. Geographic Markets
18. Moviegoers typically are not willing to travel very far from
their home to attend a movie. As a result, geographic markets for the
exhibition of first-run, commercial movies are relatively local.
[[Page 80801]]
Area In and Around East Windsor, New Jersey
19. AMC and Starplex Cinemas account for the majority of the first-
run, commercial movie tickets sold in and around East Windsor, New
Jersey (``East Windsor''). The only theatres that predominantly show
first-run commercial movies in the East Windsor area are the Starplex
Town Center Plaza 10, the AMC MarketFair 10, and the AMC Hamilton 24.
The Starplex theatre is located approximately 10 miles from each of the
AMC theatres.
20. Moviegoers who reside in East Windsor are unlikely to travel
significant distances out of that area to attend a first-run,
commercial movie. A small but significant increase in the price of
tickets by a hypothetical monopolist of first-run, commercial movie
theatres in East Windsor would likely not cause a sufficient number of
moviegoers to travel out of that area to make the increase
unprofitable. East Windsor constitutes a relevant geographic market in
which to assess the competitive effects of this acquisition.
Area In and Around Berlin, Connecticut
21. AMC and Starplex Cinemas account for the majority of the first-
run, commercial movie tickets sold in and around Berlin, Connecticut
(``Berlin''). Within the Berlin area are the Starplex Berlin 12 and the
AMC Plainville 20. These two theatres are located approximately 8 miles
apart. Only three other theatres in the Berlin area also show first-
run, commercial movies.
22. Moviegoers who reside in Berlin are unlikely to travel
significant distances out of that area to attend a first-run,
commercial movie. A small but significant increase in the price of
tickets by a hypothetical monopolist of first-run, commercial movie
theatres in Berlin would likely not cause a sufficient number of
moviegoers to travel out of that area to make the increase
unprofitable. Berlin constitutes a relevant geographic market in which
to assess the competitive effects of this acquisition.
VI. COMPETITIVE EFFECTS
23. Exhibitors compete to attract moviegoers to their theatres over
the theatres of their rivals. They do that by competing on price,
knowing that if they charge too much (or do not offer sufficient
discounted tickets for matinees, seniors, students, or children)
moviegoers will begin to frequent their rivals. Exhibitors also compete
by seeking to license the first-run movies that are likely to attract
the largest numbers of moviegoers. In addition, they compete over the
quality of the viewing experience by offering moviegoers the most
sophisticated sound systems, largest screens, best picture clarity,
best seating (including stadium and reserved seating), and the broadest
variety and highest quality snacks, food, and drinks at concession
stands or caf[eacute]s in the lobby or served to moviegoers at their
seats.
24. AMC and Starplex Cinemas currently compete for moviegoers in
the East Windsor and Berlin markets. These markets are concentrated,
and in each market, AMC and Starplex Cinemas are the other's most
significant competitor, given their close proximity. Their rivalry
spurs each to improve the quality of its theatres and keeps ticket
prices in check. Theatres operated by other exhibitors offer less
attractive options for visitors to defendants' theatres because those
theatres are located farther away or are smaller in size or poorer in
quality.
25. In the relevant markets at issue, the acquisition of Starplex
Cinemas likely will result in a substantial lessening of competition.
In the East Windsor and Berlin markets, the transaction will lead to
significant increases in concentration and eliminate existing
competition between AMC and Starplex Cinemas.
26. Market concentration is often a useful indicator of the level
of competitive vigor in a market and the likely competitive effects of
a merger. The more concentrated a market, and the more a transaction
would increase that concentration, the more likely it is that the
transaction would result in reduced competition, harming consumers.
Market concentration commonly is measured by the Herfindahl-Hirschman
Index (``HHI''), as discussed in Appendix A. Markets in which the HHI
exceeds 2,500 points are considered highly concentrated, and
transactions that increase the HHI by more than 200 points in highly
concentrated markets are presumed likely to enhance market power.
27. In East Windsor, the proposed acquisition would give AMC
control of all of the first-run, commercial movie theatres, with 34 out
of 34 total screens and a 100% share of the $13 million annual box
office revenues. The acquisition would yield a post-acquisition HHI of
10,000, representing an increase of roughly 2,300 points.
28. In Berlin, the proposed acquisition would give AMC control of
three of the six first-run, commercial movie theatres, with 44 out of
79 total screens and an approximate 68% share of the $11 million annual
box office revenues. The acquisition would yield a post-acquisition HHI
of approximately 5,260, representing an increase of roughly 2,280
points.
29. Today, were one of defendants' theatres to unilaterally
increase ticket prices in East Windsor or Berlin, the exhibitor that
increased price would likely suffer financially as a substantial number
of its customers would patronize the other exhibitor. The acquisition
would eliminate this pricing constraint. Thus, the acquisition is
likely to lead to higher ticket prices for moviegoers, which could take
the form of a higher adult evening ticket price or reduced discounting
for matinees, children, seniors, or students.
30. The proposed acquisition likely would also reduce competition
between AMC and Starplex Cinemas over the quality of the viewing
experience at their East Windsor or Berlin theatres. If no longer
motivated to compete, AMC and Starplex Cinemas would have reduced
incentives to maintain, upgrade, and renovate their theatres, to
improve the theatres' amenities and services, or to license the most
popular movies, thus reducing the quality of the viewing experience for
moviegoers in East Windsor and Berlin.
VII. ENTRY
31. Sufficient, timely entry that would deter or counteract the
anticompetitive effects alleged above is unlikely. Exhibitors are
reluctant to locate new first-run, commercial theatres near existing
first-run, commercial theatres unless the population density,
demographics, or the quality of existing theatres makes new entry
viable. Over the next two years, entry of new first-run, commercial
movie theatres in East Windsor or Berlin would be unlikely to defeat a
price increase by the merged firm.
VIII. VIOLATION ALLEGED
32. Plaintiffs hereby reincorporate paragraphs 1 through 28.
33. The likely effect of the proposed transaction would be to
substantially lessen competition in the relevant product and geographic
markets in violation of Section 7 of the Clayton Act, 15 U.S.C. 18.
34. The transaction would likely have the following effects, among
others: (a) the prices of tickets at first-run, commercial movie
theatres in East Windsor and Berlin would likely increase to levels
above those that would prevail absent the acquisition; and (b) the
quality of first-run, commercial theatres and the viewing experience at
those theatres would
[[Page 80802]]
likely decrease below levels that would prevail absent the acquisition.
IX. REQUESTED RELIEF
35. Plaintiffs request: (a) adjudication that the proposed
acquisition would violate Section 7 of the Clayton Act; (b) permanent
injunctive relief to prevent the consummation of the proposed
acquisition; (c) an award to each Plaintiff of its costs in this
action; and (d) such other relief as is proper.
DATED: DECEMBER 15, 2015
FOR PLAINTIFF UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
William J. Baer (D.C. Bar #324723)
Assistant Attorney General for Antitrust
Renata B. Hesse (D.C. Bar #466107)
Deputy Assistant Attorney General
Patricia A. Brink
Director of Civil Enforcement
David C. Kully (D.C. Bar #448763)
Chief, Litigation III
Ethan C. Glass (D.D.C. Bar #MI0018)
Assistant Chief, Litigation III
Lisa A. Scanlon
Assistant Chief, Litigation III
Gregg I. Malawer (D.C. Bar #481685),
Miriam R. Vishio (D.C. Bar #482282),
Trial Attorneys, Litigation III, U.S. Department of Justice,
Antitrust Division, 450 5th Street, NW, Suite 4000, Washington, D.C.
20530, Fax: (202) 514-7308, Telephone: Gregg Malawer (202) 616-5943,
Email: gregg.malawer@usdoj.gov, Telephone: Miriam Vishio (202) 598-
8091, Email: miriam.vishio@usdoj.gov
DATED: DECEMBER 15, 2015
FOR PLAINTIFF STATE OF CONNECTICUT
GEORGE JEPSEN,
ATTORNEY GENERAL
By: Michael E. Cole,
Assistant Attorney General, Chief, Antitrust & Government Program
Fraud, 55 Elm Street, P.O. Box 120, Hartford, CT 06141-120, 860-808-
5040, Email: Michael.cole@ct.gov
APPENDIX A
Herfindahl-Hirschman Index
The term ``HHI'' means the Herfindahl-Hirschman Index, a commonly
accepted measure of market concentration. The HHI is calculated by
squaring the market share of each firm competing in the relevant market
and then summing the resulting numbers. For example, for a market
consisting of four firms with shares of 30, 30, 20, and 20 percent, the
HHI is 2,600 (30\2\ + 30\2\ + 20\2\ + 20\2\ = 2,600). The HHI takes
into account the relative size distribution of the firms in a market.
It approaches zero when a market is occupied by a large number of firms
of relatively equal size, and reaches its maximum of 10,000 points when
a market is controlled by a single firm. The HHI increases both as the
number of firms in the market decreases and as the disparity in size
between those firms increases.
Markets in which the HHI is between 1,500 and 2,500 points are
considered to be moderately concentrated, and markets in which the HHI
is in excess of 2,500 points are considered to be highly concentrated.
See U.S. Department of Justice & Federal Trade Commission, Horizontal
Merger Guidelines Sec. 5.3 (2010) (``Guidelines''). Transactions that
increase the HHI by more than 200 points in highly concentrated markets
presumptively raise antitrust concerns under the Guidelines. Id.
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Antitrust Division, 450 Fifth Street,
NW., Suite 4000, Washington, D.C. 20530, and STATE OF CONNECTICUT,
Office of the Attorney General, 55 Elm Street, Hartford, CT 06106,
Plaintiffs, v. AMC ENTERTAINMENT HOLDINGS, INC., One AMC Way, 11500
Ash Street, Leawood, KS 64105, and SMH THEATRES, INC., 12750 Merit
Drive, Suite 800, Dallas, TX 75251, Defendants.
Civil Action No.: 1:15-cv-02181
Judge: Beryl A. Howell
Filed: 12/15/2015
COMPETITIVE IMPACT STATEMENT
Plaintiff, United States of America, pursuant to Section 2(b) of
the Antitrust Procedures and Penalties Act (``APPA'' or ``Tunney
Act''), 15 U.S.C.Sec. 16(b)-(h), files this Competitive Impact
Statement relating to the proposed Final Judgment submitted for entry
in this civil antitrust proceeding.
I. NATURE AND PURPOSE OF THE PROCEEDING
On July 13, 2015, Defendant AMC Entertainment Holdings, Inc.
(``AMC'') agreed to acquire all of the outstanding voting securities of
SMH Theatres, Inc. (``Starplex Cinemas''). AMC and Starplex Cinemas are
significant competitors in the exhibition of first-run, commercial
movies in parts of New Jersey and Connecticut. Plaintiffs filed a civil
antitrust complaint on December 15, 2015, seeking to enjoin the
proposed acquisition and to obtain equitable relief. The Complaint
alleges that the acquisition, if permitted to proceed, would give AMC
direct control of its most significant competitor in the area in and
around East Windsor, New Jersey and in the area in and around Berlin,
Connecticut. The likely effect of this acquisition would be to
substantially lessen competition in the exhibition of first-run,
commercial movies in violation of Section 7 of the Clayton Act, 15
U.S.C. Sec. 18.
At the same time the Complaint was filed, Plaintiffs also filed a
Hold Separate Stipulation and Order (``Hold Separate'') and a proposed
Final Judgment, which are designed to eliminate the anticompetitive
effects of the acquisition. Under the proposed Final Judgment, which is
explained more fully below, AMC and Starplex Cinemas are required to
divest one theatre located in New Jersey and one theatre located in
Connecticut to acquirer(s) acceptable to the United States, in
consultation with the State of Connecticut.
Under the terms of the Hold Separate, Defendants will take all
steps necessary to ensure that the two theatres to be divested are
operated as competitively independent, economically viable, and ongoing
business concerns, and that competition is maintained and not
diminished during the pendency of the ordered divestitures.
Plaintiffs and Defendants have stipulated that the proposed Final
Judgment may be entered after compliance with the APPA. Entry of the
proposed Final Judgment would terminate this action, except that the
Court would retain jurisdiction to construe, modify, or enforce the
provisions of the proposed Final Judgment and to punish violations
thereof.
II. DESCRIPTION OF THE EVENTS GIVING RISE TO THE ALLEGED VIOLATION
A. Defendants and the Proposed Transaction
Defendant Starplex Cinemas is a Texas corporation with its
headquarters in Dallas, Texas. Starplex operates 33 movie theatres with
a total of 346 screens in 12 states throughout the United States,
primarily located in small to midsize markets. Starplex earned domestic
box office revenue of approximately $57 million in 2014.
AMC is a Delaware corporation with its headquarters in Leawood,
Kansas. It operates 349 theatres and 4,975 screens in locations
primarily throughout the United States. Measured by number of screens
and box office revenue, AMC is the second-largest theatre exhibitor in
the United States and earned domestic box office revenues of
approximately $1.8 billion in 2014.
On July 13, 2015, AMC and Starplex Cinemas executed a stock
purchase agreement under which AMC will acquire, for approximately $172
million, all of the outstanding voting securities of Starplex Cinemas.
The proposed transaction, as initially agreed to by AMC and
Starplex Cinemas
[[Page 80803]]
on July 13, 2015, would lessen competition substantially as a result of
AMC's acquisition of Starplex Cinemas. This acquisition is the subject
of the Complaint and proposed Final Judgment filed by Plaintiffs on
December 15, 2015.
B. The Competitive Effects of the Transaction on the Exhibition of
First-Run, Commercial Movies
1. The Relevant Product and Geographic Markets
The exhibition of first-run, commercial movies is a relevant
product market under Section 7 of the Clayton Act. The experience of
viewing a film in a theatre is an inherently different experience from
live entertainment (e.g., a stage production or attending a sporting
event), or viewing a movie in the home (e.g., through streaming video,
on a DVD, or via pay-per-view).
Reflecting the significant differences between viewing a movie in a
theatre and other forms of entertainment, ticket prices for movies are
generally very different from prices for other forms of entertainment.
Live entertainment is typically significantly more expensive than a
movie ticket, whereas renting a DVD or ordering a pay-per view movie
for home viewing is usually significantly cheaper than viewing a movie
in a theatre.
Moviegoers generally do not regard theatres showing ``sub-run''
movies, art movies, or foreign language movies as adequate substitutes
for commercial, first-run movies.
The transaction substantially lessens competition in two relevant
geographic markets: the area in and around East Windsor, New Jersey
(``East Windsor'') and the area in and around Berlin, Connecticut
(``Berlin'').
East Windsor
The only theatres that predominantly show first-run commercial
movies in the East Windsor area are the Starplex Town Center Plaza 10,
the AMC MarketFair 10, and the AMC Hamilton 24. No other non-party
theatres in this area predominantly show first-run, commercial movies.
Berlin
Within the Berlin area are the Starplex Berlin 12 and the AMC
Plainville 20. These two theatres are located approximately 8 miles
apart. Three non-party theatres in this area also show first-run,
commercial movies.
The relevant markets in which to assess the competitive effects of
this transaction are the first-run, commercial theatres in East Windsor
and Berlin. A hypothetical monopolist controlling the exhibition of
first-run, commercial movies in East Windsor and Berlin would
profitably impose at least a small but significant and non-transitory
increase in ticket prices.
2. Competitive Effects in the Relevant Markets
Exhibitors that operate first-run, commercial theatres compete on
multiple dimensions. Exhibitors compete on price, knowing that if they
charge too much (or do not offer sufficient discounted tickets for
matinees, seniors, students, or children), moviegoers will begin to
frequent their rivals. Exhibitors also compete by seeking to license
the first-run movies that are likely to attract the largest numbers of
moviegoers. In addition, they compete over the quality of the viewing
experience. They compete to offer the most sophisticated sound systems,
largest screens, best picture clarity, best seating (including stadium
and reserved seating), and the broadest range and highest quality
snacks, food, and drinks at concession stands or caf[eacute]s in the
lobby or served to moviegoers at their seats.
AMC and Starplex Cinemas currently compete for moviegoers in East
Windsor and Berlin. Each of these markets is concentrated, and AMC and
Starplex Cinemas are each other's most significant competitor, given
their close proximity. Their rivalry spurs each to improve the quality
of its theatres and keeps ticket prices in check.
In East Windsor and Berlin, the acquisition by AMC of Starplex
Cinemas' theatres likely will result in a substantial lessening of
competition. The transaction will lead to significant increases in
concentration and eliminate existing competition between AMC and
Starplex Cinemas.
In East Windsor, the proposed acquisition would give the newly
merged entity control of all of the first-run, commercial theatres,
with 34 out of 34 total screens and a 100% share of annual box office
revenues totaling approximately $13 million. Using a measure of market
concentration called the Herfindahl-Hirschman Index (``HHI''), as
discussed in Appendix A of the Complaint, the acquisition would yield a
post-acquisition HHI of 10,000, representing an increase of roughly
2,300 points.
In Berlin, the proposed acquisition would give the newly-merged
entity control of three of the six first-run, commercial theatres, with
44 out of 79 total screens and an approximate 68% share of annual box
office revenues totaling approximately $11 million. The acquisition
would yield a post-acquisition HHI of approximately 5,260, representing
an increase of roughly 2,280 points.
In East Windsor and Berlin today, were one of Defendants' theatres
to increase ticket prices unilaterally, the exhibitor that increased
price would likely suffer financially as a substantial number of its
customers would patronize the other exhibitor's theatre. Other theatres
are smaller than and/or farther from the parties' theatres and unlikely
to offer enough of a competitive constraint to prevent such a price
increase. After the acquisition, AMC would recapture such losses,
making price increases more profitable than they would have been pre-
acquisition. The acquisition is, therefore, likely to lead to higher
ticket prices for moviegoers, which could take the form of a higher
adult evening ticket price or reduced discounting for matinees,
children, seniors, and students.
Likewise, the proposed transaction would eliminate competition
between AMC and Starplex Cinemas over the quality of the viewing
experience at their theatres in East Windsor and Berlin. If no longer
required to compete, AMC and Starplex Cinemas would have a reduced
incentive to maintain, upgrade, and renovate their theatres, to improve
the theatres' amenities and services, and to license the most popular
movies, thus reducing the quality of the viewing experience for a
moviegoer.
The entry of a first-run, commercial theatre sufficient to deter or
counteract an increase in movie ticket prices or a decline in theatre
quality is unlikely in either East Windsor or Berlin. Exhibitors are
reluctant to locate new first-run, commercial theatres near existing
first-run, commercial theatres, unless the population density,
demographics, or the quality of existing theatres makes new entry
viable. Over the next two years, entry of any new first-run, commercial
movie theatres in East Windsor and Berlin would be unlikely to defeat a
price increase by the merged firm.
For all of these reasons, the proposed transaction would lessen
competition substantially in the exhibition of first-run, commercial
movies in the East Windsor and Berlin markets, eliminate actual and
potential competition between AMC and Starplex Cinemas, and likely
result in increased ticket prices and lower quality theatres in those
markets. The proposed transaction therefore violates Section 7 of the
Clayton Act.
[[Page 80804]]
III. EXPLANATION OF THE PROPOSED FINAL JUDGMENT
The divestiture requirement of the proposed Final Judgment will
eliminate the anticompetitive effects of the acquisitions in each
relevant geographic market, establishing new, independent, and
economically viable competitors. The proposed Final Judgment requires
Defendants within thirty (30) calendar days after the filing of the
Complaint, or five (5) days after the notice of the entry of the Final
Judgment by the Court, whichever is later, to divest as viable, ongoing
businesses one theatre in each of the relevant markets.
The theatres must be divested in such a way as to satisfy
Plaintiffs that they can and will be operated by the purchaser as
viable, ongoing businesses that can compete effectively as first-run,
commercial theatres. To that end, the proposed Final Judgment provides
the acquirer(s) of the theatres with an option to enter into a
transitional supply agreement with Defendants of up to 120 days in
length, with the possibility of one or more extensions not to exceed
six months in total, for the supply of any goods, services, support,
including software service and support, and reasonable use of the name
AMC, the name Starplex, and any registered service marks of AMC or
Starplex, for use in operating those theatres during the period of
transition. This ensures the acquirer(s) of the theatres can operate
without interruption while long-term supply agreements are arranged and
the theatres rebranded. Without the option to enter into a transitional
supply agreement, the acquirer(s) might find itself temporarily without
provisions, including concessions, necessary to operate the theatres.
Until the divestitures take place, AMC and Starplex Cinemas must
maintain the sales and marketing of the theatres, and maintain the
theatres in operable condition at current capacity configurations. In
addition, AMC and Starplex Cinemas must not transfer or reassign to
other areas within the company their employees with primary
responsibility for the operation of the theatres, except for transfer
bids initiated by employees pursuant to Defendants' regular,
established job-posting policies. In the event that Defendants do not
accomplish the divestitures within the periods prescribed in the
proposed Final Judgment, the Final Judgment provides that the Court
will appoint a trustee selected by the United States to effect the
divestitures.
If Defendants are unable to effect any of the divestitures required
herein due to its inability to obtain the consent of the landlord from
whom a theatre is leased, Section VI.A of the proposed Final Judgment
requires them to divest alternative theatre assets that compete
effectively with the theatres for which the landlord consent was not
obtained. These provisions will insure that any failure by Defendants
to obtain landlord consent does not thwart the relief obtained in the
proposed Final Judgment.
The proposed Final Judgment also prohibits Defendants, without
providing at least thirty (30) days notice to the United States
Department of Justice, from acquiring any other theatres in the
following counties: Hartford County, Connecticut and Mercer County, New
Jersey. These counties correspond to the relevant geographic markets in
this case. Such acquisitions could raise competitive concerns but might
be too small to be reported under the Hart-Scott-Rodino (``HSR'')
premerger notification statute.
The divestiture provisions of the proposed Final Judgment will
eliminate the anticompetitive effects of AMC's acquisition of Starplex
Cinemas.
IV. REMEDIES AVAILABLE TO POTENTIAL PRIVATE LITIGANTS
Section 4 of the Clayton Act, 15 U.S.C. Sec. 15, provides that any
person who has been injured as a result of conduct prohibited by the
antitrust laws may bring suit in federal court to recover three times
the damages the person has suffered, as well as costs and reasonable
attorneys' fees. Entry of the proposed Final Judgment will neither
impair nor assist the bringing of any private antitrust damage action.
Under the provisions of Section 5(a) of the Clayton Act, 15 U.S.C.
Sec. 16(a), the proposed Final Judgment has no prima facie effect in
any subsequent private lawsuit that may be brought against Defendants.
V. PROCEDURES AVAILABLE FOR MODIFICATION OF THE PROPOSED FINAL JUDGMENT
Plaintiffs and Defendants have stipulated that the proposed Final
Judgment may be entered by the Court after compliance with the
provisions of the APPA, provided that the United States has not
withdrawn its consent. The APPA conditions entry upon the Court's
determination that the proposed Final Judgment is in the public
interest.
The APPA provides a period of at least sixty (60) days preceding
the effective date of the proposed Final Judgment within which any
person may submit to the United States written comments regarding the
proposed Final Judgment. Any person who wishes to comment should do so
within sixty (60) days of the date of publication of this Competitive
Impact Statement in the Federal Register, or the last date of
publication in a newspaper of the summary of this Competitive Impact
Statement, whichever is later. All comments received during this period
will be considered by the United States Department of Justice, which
remains free to withdraw its consent to the proposed Final Judgment at
any time prior to the Court's entry of judgment. The comments and the
response of the United States will be filed with the Court. In
addition, comments will be posted on the U.S. Department of Justice,
Antitrust Division's internet Web site and, under certain
circumstances, published in the Federal Register.
Written comments should be submitted to: David C. Kully, Chief,
Litigation III, Antitrust Division, United States Department of
Justice, 450 5th Street NW., Suite 4000, Washington, DC 20530.
The proposed Final Judgment provides that the Court retains
jurisdiction over this action, and the parties may apply to the Court
for any order necessary or appropriate for the modification,
interpretation, or enforcement of the Final Judgment.
VI. ALTERNATIVES TO THE PROPOSED FINAL JUDGMENT
Plaintiffs considered, as an alternative to the proposed Final
Judgment, a full trial on the merits against Defendants. Plaintiffs
could have continued the litigation and sought preliminary and
permanent injunctions against AMC's acquisition of Starplex Cinemas.
Plaintiffs are satisfied, however, that the divestiture of assets
described in the proposed Final Judgment will preserve competition for
the exhibition of first-run, commercial movies in East Windsor and
Berlin. Thus, the proposed Final Judgment would achieve all or
substantially all of the relief Plaintiffs would have obtained through
litigation, but avoids the time, expense, and uncertainty of a full
trial on the merits of the Complaint.
VII. STANDARD OF REVIEW UNDER THE APPA FOR THE PROPOSED FINAL JUDGMENT
The Clayton Act, as amended by the APPA, requires that proposed
consent judgments in antitrust cases brought by the United States be
subject to a sixty-day comment period, after which the Court shall
determine whether entry of the proposed Final Judgment ``is in the
public interest.'' 15 U.S.C. Sec. 16(e)(1). In
[[Page 80805]]
making that determination, the Court, in accordance with the statute as
amended in 2004, is required to consider:
(A) the competitive impact of such judgment, including termination
of alleged violations, provisions for enforcement and modification,
duration of relief sought, anticipated effects of alternative remedies
actually considered, whether its terms are ambiguous, and any other
competitive considerations bearing upon theadequacy of such judgment
that the court deems necessary to a determination of whether the
consent judgment is in the public interest; and
(B) the impact of entry of such judgment upon competition in the
relevant market or markets, upon the public generally and individuals
alleging specific injury from the violations set forth in the complaint
including consideration of the public benefit, if any, to be derived
from a determination of the issues at trial.
15 U.S.C. Sec. 16(e)(1)(A) & (B). In considering these statutory
factors, the Court's inquiry is necessarily a limited one as the
government is entitled to ``broad discretion to settle with the
defendant within the reaches of the public interest.'' United States v.
Microsoft Corp., 56 F.3d 1448, 1461 (DC Cir. 1995); see generally
United States v. SBC Commc'ns, Inc., 489 F. Supp. 2d 1 (D.D.C. 2007)
(assessing public interest standard under the Tunney Act); United
States v, U.S. Airways Group, Inc., 38 F. Supp. 3d 69, 75 (D.D.C. 2014)
explaining that the ``court's inquiry is limited'' in Tunney Act
settlements); United States v. InBev N.V/S.A., No. 08-1965 (JR), 2009-2
Trade Cas. (CCH) ] 76,736, 2009 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 84787, at *3, (D.D.C.
Aug. 11, 2009) (noting that the court's review of a consent judgment is
limited and only inquires ``into whether the government's determination
that the proposed remedies will cure the antitrust violations alleged
in the complaint was reasonable, and whether the mechanism to enforce
the final judgment are clear and manageable.'') \1\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ The 2004 amendments substituted ``shall'' for ``may'' in
directing relevant factors for court to consider and amended the
list of factors to focus on competitive considerations and to
address potentially ambiguous judgment terms. Compare 15 U.S.C.
Sec. 16(e) (2004), with 15 U.S.C. Sec. 16(e)(1) (2006); see also
SBC Commc'ns, 489 F. Supp. 2d at 11 (concluding that the 2004
amendments ``effected minimal changes'' to Tunney Act review).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
As the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia
Circuit has held, under the APPA a court considers, among other things,
the relationship between the remedy secured and the specific
allegations set forth in the government's complaint, whether the decree
is sufficiently clear, whether enforcement mechanisms are sufficient,
and whether the decree may positively harm third parties. See
Microsoft, 56 F.3d at 1458-62. With respect to the adequacy of the
relief secured by the decree, a court may not ``engage in an
unrestricted evaluation of what relief would best serve the public.''
United States v. BNS, Inc., 858 F.2d 456, 462 (9th Cir. 1988) (quoting
United States v. Bechtel Corp., 648 F.2d 660, 666 (9th Cir. 1981)); see
also Microsoft, 56 F.3d at 1460-62; United States v. Alcoa, Inc., 152
F. Supp. 2d 37, 40 (D.D.C. 2001); InBev, 2009 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 84787,
at *3. Courts have held that:
[t]he balancing of competing social and political interests affected by
a proposed antitrust consent decree must be left, in the first
instance, to the discretion of the Attorney General. The court's role
in protecting the public interest is one of insuring that the
government has not breached its duty to the public in consenting to the
decree. The court is required to determine not whether a particular
decree is the one that will best serve society, but whether the
settlement is ``within the reaches of the public interest.'' More
elaborate requirements might undermine the effectiveness of antitrust
enforcement by consent decree.
Bechtel, 648 F.2d at 666 (emphasis added) (citations omitted).\2\ In
determining whether a proposed settlement is in the public interest, a
district court ``must accord deference to the government's predictions
about the efficacy of its remedies, and may not require that the
remedies perfectly match the alleged violations.'' SBC Commc'ns, 489 F.
Supp. 2d at 17; see also U.S. Airways, 38 F. Supp. 3d at 75 (noting
that a court should not reject the proposed remedies because it
believes others are preferable); Microsoft, 56 F.3d at 1461 (noting the
need for courts to be ``deferential to the government's predictions as
to the effect of the proposed remedies''); United States v. Archer-
Daniels-Midland Co., 272 F. Supp. 2d 1, 6 (D.D.C. 2003) (noting that
the court should grant due respect to the United State's prediction as
to the effect of proposed remedies, its perception of the market
structure, and its views of the nature of the case).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\2\ Cf. BNS, 858 F.2d at 464 (holding that the court's
``ultimate authority under the [APPA] is limited to approving or
disapproving the consent decree''); United States v. Gillette Co.,
406 F. Supp. 713, 716 (D. Mass. 1975) (noting that, in this way, the
court is constrained to ``look at the overall picture not
hypercritically, nor with a microscope, but with an artist's
reducing glass''). See generally Microsoft, 56 F.3d at 1461
(discussing whether ``the remedies [obtained in the decree are] so
inconsonant with the allegations charged as to fall outside of the
`reaches of the public interest''').
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Courts have greater flexibility in approving proposed consent
decrees than in crafting their own decrees following a finding of
liability in a litigated matter. ``[A] proposed decree must be approved
even if it falls short of the remedy the court would impose on its own,
as long as it falls within the range of acceptability or is `within the
reaches of public interest.''' United States v. Am. Tel. & Tel. Co.,
552 F. Supp. 131, 151 (D.D.C. 1982) (citations omitted) (quoting United
States v. Gillette Co., 406 F. Supp. 713, 716 (D. Mass. 1975)), aff'd
sub nom. Maryland v. United States, 460 U.S. 1001 (1983); see also U.S.
Airways, 38 F. Supp. 3d at 76 (noting that room must be made for the
government to grant concessions in the negotiation process for
settlements (citing Microsoft, 56 F.3d at 1461)); United States v.
Alcan Aluminum Ltd., 605 F. Supp. 619, 622 (W.D. Ky. 1985) (approving
the consent decree even though the court would have imposed a greater
remedy). To meet this standard, the United States ``need only provide a
factual basis for concluding that the settlements are reasonably
adequate remedies for the alleged harms.'' SBC Commc'ns, 489 F. Supp.
2d at 17.
Moreover, the Court's role under the APPA is limited to reviewing
the remedy in relationship to the violations that the United States has
alleged in its Complaint, and does not authorize the Court to
``construct [its] own hypothetical case and then evaluate the decree
against that case.'' Microsoft, 56 F.3d at 1459; see also U.S. Airways,
38 F. Supp. 3d at 75 (noting that the court must simply determine
whether there is a factual foundation for the government's decisions
such that its conclusions regarding the proposed settlements are
reasonable); InBev, 2009 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 84787, at *20 (``the `public
interest' is not to be measured by comparing the violations alleged in
the complaint against those the court believes could have, or even
should have, been alleged''). Because the ``court's authority to review
the decree depends entirely on the government's exercising its
prosecutorial discretion by bringing a case in the first place,'' it
follows that ``the court is only authorized to review the decree
itself,'' and not to ``effectively redraft the complaint'' to inquire
into other matters that the United States did not pursue. Microsoft, 56
F.3d at 1459-60. As this Court confirmed in SBC Communications, courts
``cannot look beyond the complaint in making the public interest
determination unless the complaint is drafted so narrowly as to
[[Page 80806]]
make a mockery of judicial power.'' SBC Commc'ns, 489 F. Supp. 2d at
15.
In its 2004 amendments, Congress made clear its intent to preserve
the practical benefits of utilizing consent decrees in antitrust
enforcement, adding the unambiguous instruction that ``[n]othing in
this section shall be construed to require the court to conduct an
evidentiary hearing or to require the court to permit anyone to
intervene.'' 15 U.S.C. Sec. 16(e)(2); see also U.S. Airways, 38 F.
Supp. 3d at 76 (indicating that a court is not required to hold an
evidentiary hearing or to permit intervenors as part of its review
under the Tunney Act). The language wrote into the statute what
Congress intended when it enacted the Tunney Act in 1974, as Senator
Tunney explained: ``[t]he court is nowhere compelled to go to trial or
to engage in extended proceedings which might have the effect of
vitiating the benefits of prompt and less costly settlement through the
consent decree process.'' 119 Cong. Rec. 24,598 (1973) (statement of
Sen. Tunney). Rather, the procedure for the public interest
determination is left to the discretion of the Court, with the
recognition that the Court's ``scope of review remains sharply
proscribed by precedent and the nature of Tunney Act proceedings.'' SBC
Commc'ns, 489 F. Supp. 2d at 11. A court can make its public interest
determination based on the competitive impact statement and response to
public comments alone. U.S. Airways, 38 F. Supp. 3d at 76.\3\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\3\ See United States v. Enova Corp., 107 F. Supp. 2d 10, 17
(D.D.C. 2000) (noting that the ``Tunney Act expressly allows the
court to make its public interest determination on the basis of the
competitive impact statement and response to comments alone'');
United States v. Mid-Am. Dairymen, Inc., No. 73-CV-681-W-1, 1977-1
Trade Cas. (CCH) ] 61,508, at 71,980, *22 (W.D. Mo. 1977) (``Absent
a showing of corrupt failure of the government to discharge its
duty, the Court, in making its public interest finding, should . . .
carefully consider the explanations of the government in the
competitive impact statement and its responses to comments in order
to determine whether those explanations are reasonable under the
circumstances.''); S. Rep. No. 93-298, at 6 (1973) (``Where the
public interest can be meaningfully evaluated simply on the basis of
briefs and oral arguments, that is the approach that should be
utilized.'').
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
VIII. DETERMINATIVE DOCUMENTS
There are no determinative materials or documents within the
meaning of the APPA that were considered by the United States in
formulating the proposed Final Judgment.
Dated: December 15, 2015
Respectfully submitted,
GREGG I. MALAWER (D.C. Bar #481685),
MIRIAM R. VISHIO (D.C. Bar # 482282),
U.S. Department of Justice, Antitrust Division, 450 5th Street, NW,
Suite 4000, Washington, DC 20530, Phone: Gregg Malawer (202) 616-
5943, Phone: Miriam Vishio (202) 598-8091 Fax: (202) 514-7308, E-
mail: gregg.malawer@usdoj.gov, E-mail: miriam.vishio@usdoj.gov,
Attorneys for Plaintiff the United States
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, and STATE OF CONNECTICUT, Plaintiffs, v.
AMC ENTERTAINMENT HOLDINGS, INC. and SMH THEATRES, INC., Defendants.
Civil Action No.: 1:15-cv-02181
Judge: Beryl A. Howell
Filed: 12/15/2015
[PROPOSED] FINAL JUDGMENT
WHEREAS, Plaintiffs United States of America and the State of
Connecticut filed their Complaint on December 15, 2015, the Plaintiffs
and Defendants, AMC Entertainment Holdings, Inc. (``AMC''), and SMH
Theatres, Inc., (``Starplex Cinemas''), by their respective attorneys,
have consented to the entry of this Final Judgment without trial or
adjudication of any issue of fact or law, and without this Final
Judgment constituting any evidence against or admission by any party
regarding any issue of fact or law;
AND WHEREAS, Defendants agree to be bound by the provisions of this
Final Judgment pending its approval by the Court;
AND WHEREAS, the essence of this Final Judgment is the prompt and
certain divestiture of certain rights or assets by the Defendants to
assure that competition is not substantially lessened;
AND WHEREAS, Plaintiffs require Defendants to make certain
divestitures for the purpose of remedying the loss of competition
alleged in the Complaint;
AND WHEREAS, Defendants have represented to Plaintiffs that the
divestitures required below can and will be made and that Defendants
will later raise no claim of hardship or difficulty as grounds for
asking the Court to modify any of the divestiture provisions contained
below;
NOW THEREFORE, before any testimony is taken, without trial or
adjudication of any issue of fact or law, and upon consent of the
parties, it is ORDERED, ADJUDGED AND DECREED:
I. JURISDICTION
This Court has jurisdiction over the subject matter of and each of
the parties to this action. The Complaint states a claim upon which
relief may be granted against Defendants under Section 7 of the Clayton
Act, as amended, 15 U.S.C. 18.
II. DEFINITIONS
As used in this Final Judgment:
A. ``Acquirer'' or ``Acquirers'' means the entity or entities to
which Defendants divest the Divestiture Assets.
B. ``AMC'' means AMC Entertainment Holdings, Inc., a Delaware
corporation with its headquarters in Leawood, Kansas, its successors
and assigns, and its subsidiaries, divisions, groups, affiliates,
partnerships and joint ventures, and their directors, officers,
managers, agents, and employees.
C. ``Starplex Cinemas'' means Starplex Cinemas, Inc., a Texas
Corporation with its headquarters in Dallas, Texas, its successors and
assigns, and its subsidiaries, divisions, groups, affiliates,
partnerships and joint ventures, and their directors, officers,
managers, agents, and employees.
D. ``Divestiture Assets'' means the following theatre assets:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Theatre Address
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Starplex Town Center Plaza 10....... 319 Route 130 North, East
Windsor, NJ 08520.
2. Starplex Berlin 12.................. 19 Frontage Rd, Berlin, CT
06037.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
The term ``Divestiture Assets'' also includes:
1. All tangible assets that comprise the business of operating
theatres that exhibit first-run, commercial movies, including, but not
limited to real property and improvements, research and development
activities, all equipment, fixed assets, and fixtures, personal
property, inventory, office furniture, materials, supplies, and other
tangible property and all assets used in connection with the
Divestiture Assets; all licenses, permits, and authorizations issued by
any governmental organization relating to the Divestiture Assets; all
contracts (including management contracts), teaming
[[Page 80807]]
arrangements, agreements, leases, commitments, certifications, and
understandings relating to the Divestiture Assets, including supply
agreements (provided however, that supply agreements that apply to all
of each Defendant's theatres may be excluded from the Divestiture
Assets, subject to the transitional agreement provisions specified in
Section IV (E)); all customer lists (including loyalty club data at the
option of the Acquirer(s), copies of which may be retained by
Defendants at their option), contracts, accounts, and credit records
relating to the Divestiture Assets; all repair and performance records
and all other records relating to the Divestiture Assets; and
2. All intangible assets relating to the operation of the
Divestiture Assets, including, but not limited to all patents, licenses
and sublicenses, intellectual property, copyrights, trademarks, trade
names, service marks, service names, (provided however, that the name
Starplex, and any registered service marks of Starplex may be excluded
from the Divestiture Assets, subject to the transitional agreement
provisions specified in Section IV(E)), technical information, computer
software and related documentation (provided however, that Defendants'
proprietary software may be excluded from the Divestiture Assets,
subject to the transitional agreement provisions specified in Section
IV(E)), know-how and trade secrets, drawings, blueprints, designs,
design protocols, specifications for materials, specifications for
parts and devices, safety procedures for the handling of materials and
substances, all research data concerning historic and current research
and development, quality assurance and control procedures, design tools
and simulation capability, all manuals and technical information
Starplex Cinemas provides to their own employees, customers, suppliers,
agents, or licensees (except for the employee manuals that Starplex
provides to all its employees), and all research data concerning
historic and current research and development.
E. ``Landlord Consent'' means any contractual approval or consent
that the landlord or owner of one or more of the Divestiture Assets, or
of the property on which one or more of the Divestiture Assets is
situated, must grant prior to the transfer of one of the Divestiture
Assets to an Acquirer.
III. APPLICABILITY
A. This Final Judgment applies to AMC and Starplex Cinemas, as
defined above, and all other persons in active concert or participation
with any of them who receive actual notice of this Final Judgment by
personal service or otherwise.
B. If, prior to complying with Sections IV and V of this Final
Judgment, Defendants sell or otherwise dispose of all or substantially
all of their assets or of lesser business units that include the
Divestiture Assets, they shall require the purchaser to be bound by the
provisions of this Final Judgment. Defendants need not obtain such an
agreement from the Acquirer(s) of the assets divested pursuant to this
Final Judgment.
IV. DIVESTITURES
A. Defendants are ordered and directed, within thirty (30) calendar
days after the filing of the Complaint in this matter to divest the
Divestiture Assets in a manner consistent with this Final Judgment to
one or more Acquirer(s) acceptable to the United States in its sole
discretion (after consultation with the State of Connecticut, as
appropriate). The United States, in its sole discretion, may agree to
one or more extensions of this time period, not to exceed thirty (30)
calendar days in total, and shall notify the Court in such
circumstances. Defendants agree to use their best efforts to divest the
Divestiture Assets as expeditiously as possible.
B. In accomplishing the divestitures ordered by this Final
Judgment, Defendants promptly shall make known, by usual and customary
means, the availability of the Divestiture Assets. Defendants shall
inform any person making an inquiry regarding a possible purchase of
the Divestiture Assets that they are being divested pursuant to this
Final Judgment and provide that person with a copy of this Final
Judgment. Defendants shall offer to furnish to all prospective
Acquirers, subject to customary confidentiality assurances, all
information and documents relating to the Divestiture Assets
customarily provided in a due diligence process except such information
or documents subject to the attorney-client privilege or work-product
doctrine. Defendants shall make available such information to the
Plaintiffs at the same time that such information is made available to
any other person.
C. Defendants shall provide the Acquirer(s) and the United States
information relating to the personnel involved in the operation and
management of the applicable Divestiture Assets to enable the
Acquirer(s) to make offers of employment. Defendants shall not
interfere with any negotiations by the Acquirer(s) to employ or
contract with any employee of any Defendant whose primary
responsibility relates to the operation or management of the applicable
Divestiture Assets being sold by the Acquirer(s).
D. Defendants shall permit prospective Acquirer(s) of the
Divestiture Assets to have reasonable access to personnel and to make
inspections of the physical facilities of the Divestiture Assets;
access to any and all environmental, zoning, and other permit documents
and information; and access to any and all financial, operational, or
other documents and information customarily provided as part of a due
diligence process.
E. In connection with the divestiture of the Divestiture Assets
pursuant to Section IV, or by a trustee appointed pursuant to Section
V, of this Final Judgment, at the option of the Acquirer(s), Defendants
shall enter into a transitional supply, service, support, and use
agreement (``transitional agreement''), of up to 120 days in length,
for the supply of any goods, services, support, including software
service and support, and reasonable use of the name AMC, the name
Starplex, and any registered service marks of AMC or Starplex, that the
Acquirer(s) request for the operation of the Divestiture Assets during
the period covered by the transitional agreement. At the request of the
Acquirer(s), the United States in its sole discretion (after
consultation with the State of Connecticut, as appropriate), may agree
to one or more extensions of this time period not to exceed six (6)
months in total. The terms and conditions of the transitional agreement
must be acceptable to the United States in its sole discretion (after
consultation with the State of Connecticut, as appropriate). The
transitional agreement shall be deemed incorporated into this Final
Judgment and a failure by Defendants to comply with any of the terms or
conditions of the transitional agreement shall constitute a failure to
comply with this Final Judgment.
F. Defendants shall warrant to the Acquirer(s) of the Divestiture
Assets that each asset will be operational on the date of sale.
G. Defendants shall not take any action that will impede in any way
the permitting, operation, or divestitures of the Divestiture Assets.
H. Defendants shall warrant to the Acquirer(s) that there are no
material defects in the environmental, zoning, or other permits
pertaining to the operation of the Divestiture Assets. Following the
sale of the Divestiture Assets, Defendants will not undertake, directly
or indirectly, any challenges to the environmental, zoning, or other
[[Page 80808]]
permits relating to the operation of the Divestiture Assets.
I. Unless the United States otherwise consents in writing, the
divestitures made pursuant to Section IV, and/or by a trustee appointed
pursuant to Section V of this Final Judgment, shall include the entire
Divestiture Assets and shall be accomplished in such a way as to
satisfy the United States, in its sole discretion (after consultation
with the State of Connecticut, as appropriate) that the Divestiture
Assets can and will be used by the Acquirer(s) as part of a viable,
ongoing business of operating theatres that exhibit first-run,
commercial movies. Divestiture of the Divestiture Assets may be made to
one or more Acquirers, provided that in each instance it is
demonstrated to the sole satisfaction of the United States (after
consultation with the State of Connecticut, as appropriate) that the
Divestiture Assets will remain viable and the divestiture of such
assets will remedy the competitive harm alleged in the Complaint. The
divestitures, whether pursuant to Section IV or Section V of this Final
Judgment,
(1) shall be made to Acquirers that, in the United States' sole
judgment (after consultation with the State of Connecticut, as
appropriate) have the intent and capability (including the necessary
managerial, operational, technical, and financial capability) of
competing effectively in the business of theatres exhibiting first-run,
commercial movies; and
(2) shall be accomplished so as to satisfy the United States, in
its sole discretion (after consultation with the State of Connecticut,
as appropriate) that none of the terms of any agreement between
Acquirers and Defendants gives Defendants the ability unreasonably to
raise the Acquirers' costs, to lower the Acquirers' efficiency, or
otherwise to interfere in the ability of any Acquirer to compete
effectively.
V. APPOINTMENT OF TRUSTEE
A. If Defendants have not divested the Divestiture Assets within
the time period specified in Section IV(A), Defendants shall notify the
United States of that fact in writing, specifically identifying the
Divestiture Assets that have not been divested. Upon application of the
United States, the Court shall appoint a trustee selected by the United
States and approved by the Court to effect the divestitures of the
Divestiture Assets.
B. After the appointment of a trustee becomes effective, only the
trustee shall have the right to sell the Divestiture Assets. The
trustee shall have the power and authority to accomplish the
divestitures to Acquirer(s) acceptable to the United States (after
consultation with the State of Connecticut, as appropriate) at such
price and on such terms as are then obtainable upon reasonable effort
by the trustee, subject to the provisions of Sections IV, V, VI, and
VII of this Final Judgment, and shall have such other powers as this
Court deems appropriate. Subject to Section V(D) of this Final
Judgment, the trustee may hire at the cost and expense of Defendants
any investment bankers, attorneys, or other agents, who shall be solely
accountable to the trustee and reasonably necessary in the trustee's
judgment to assist in the divestiture(s). Any such investment bankers,
attorneys, or other agents shall serve on such terms and conditions as
the United States approves, including confidentiality requirements and
conflict of interest certifications.
C. Defendants shall not object to a sale by the trustee on any
ground other than the trustee's malfeasance. Any such objections by
Defendants must be conveyed in writing to the United States and the
trustee within ten (10) calendar days after the trustee has provided
the notice required under Section VII.
D. The trustee shall serve at the cost and expense of Defendants
pursuant to a written agreement, on such terms and conditions as the
United States approves, including confidentiality requirements and
conflict of interest certifications. The trustee shall account for all
monies derived from the sale of the applicable Divestiture Assets and
all costs and expenses so incurred. After approval by the Court of the
trustee's accounting, including fees for its services yet unpaid and
those of any professionals and agents retained by the trustee, all
remaining money shall be paid to Defendants and the trust shall then be
terminated. The compensation of the trustee and any professionals and
agents retained by the trustee shall be reasonable in light of the
value of the Divestiture Assets subject to sale by the trustee and
based on a fee arrangement providing the trustee with an incentive
based on the price and terms of the divestitures and the speed with
which they are accomplished, but timeliness is paramount. If the
trustee and Defendants are unable to reach agreement on the trustee's
or any agents' or consultants' compensation or other terms and
conditions of engagement within 14 calendar days of appointment of the
trustee, the United States may, in its sole discretion (after
consultation with the State of Connecticut, as appropriate), take
appropriate action, including making a recommendation to the Court. The
trustee shall, within three (3) business days of hiring any other
professionals or agents, provide written notice of such hiring and the
rate of compensation to Defendants and the United States.
E. Defendants shall use their best efforts to assist the trustee in
accomplishing the required divestitures. The trustee and any
consultants, accountants, attorneys, and other persons retained by the
trustee shall have full and complete access to the personnel, books,
records, and facilities of the assets and business to be divested, and
Defendants shall develop financial and other information relevant to
such assets and business as the trustee may reasonably request, subject
to reasonable protection for trade secret or other confidential
research, development, or commercial information or any applicable
privileges. Defendants shall take no action to interfere with or to
impede the trustee's accomplishment of the divestitures.
F. After its appointment, the trustee shall file monthly reports
with the parties and the Court setting forth the trustee's efforts to
accomplish the divestitures ordered under this Final Judgment. To the
extent such reports contain information that the trustee deems
confidential, such reports shall not be filed in the public docket of
the Court. Such reports shall include the name, address, and telephone
number of each person who, during the preceding month, made an offer to
acquire, expressed an interest in acquiring, entered into negotiations
to acquire, or was contacted or made an inquiry about acquiring, any
interest in the Divestiture Assets, and shall describe in detail each
contact with any such person. The trustee shall maintain full records
of all efforts made to divest the Divestiture Assets.
G. If the trustee has not accomplished the divestitures ordered
under this Final Judgment within six (6) months after its appointment,
the trustee shall promptly file with the Court a report setting forth
(1) the trustee's efforts to accomplish the required divestitures, (2)
the reasons, in the trustee's judgment, why the required divestitures
have not been accomplished, and (3) the trustee's recommendations. To
the extent such reports contain information that the trustee deems
confidential, such reports shall not be filed in the public docket of
the Court. The trustee shall at the same time furnish such report to
the United States, which shall have the right to make additional
recommendations consistent with the purpose of the trust. The Court
thereafter shall enter such orders as it
[[Page 80809]]
shall deem appropriate to carry out the purpose of the Final Judgment,
which may, if necessary, include extending the trust and the term of
the trustee's appointment by a period requested by the United States.
H. If the United States determines that the trustee has ceased to
act or failed to act diligently or in a reasonably cost-effective
manner, it may recommend the Court appoint a substitute trustee.
VI. LANDLORD CONSENT
A. If Defendants are unable to effect any of the divestitures
required herein due to the inability to obtain the Landlord Consent for
any of the Divestiture Assets, Defendants shall divest alternative
theatre assets that compete effectively with the theatre or theatres
for which the Landlord Consent was not obtained. The United States
shall, in its sole discretion (after consultation with the State of
Connecticut, as appropriate) determine whether such theatre assets
compete effectively with the theatres for which Landlord Consent was
not obtained.
B. Within five (5) business days following a determination that
Landlord Consent cannot be obtained for any of the Divestiture Assets,
Defendants shall notify the United States, and Defendants shall propose
an alternative divestiture pursuant to Section VI(A). The United States
(after consultation with the State of Connecticut, as appropriate)
shall have then ten (10) business days in which to determine whether
such theatre assets are a suitable alternative pursuant to Section
VI(A). If Defendants' selection is deemed not to be a suitable
alternative, the United States shall in its sole discretion (after
consultation with the State of Connecticut, as appropriate) select
alternative theatre assets to be divested from among those theatre(s)
that the United States has determined, in its sole discretion, compete
effectively with the theatre(s) for which Landlord Consent was not
obtained.
C. If a trustee is responsible for effecting divestiture of the
Divestiture Assets, it shall notify the United States and Defendants
within five (5) business days following a determination that Landlord
Consent cannot be obtained for one or more of the Divestiture Assets.
Defendants shall thereafter have five (5) business days to propose an
alternative divestiture pursuant to Section VI(A). The United States
(after consultation with the State of Connecticut, as appropriate)
shall then have ten (10) business days to determine whether the
proposed theatre assets are a suitable competitive alternative pursuant
to Section VI(A). If Defendants' selection is deemed not to be a
suitable competitive alternative, the United States shall in its sole
discretion (after consultation with the State of Connecticut, as
appropriate) select alternative theatre assets to be divested from
among those theatre(s) that the United States has determined, in its
sole discretion, compete effectively with the theatre(s) for which
Landlord Consent was not obtained.
VII. NOTICE OF PROPOSED DIVESTITURES
A. Within two (2) business days following execution of a definitive
divestiture agreement, Defendants or the trustee, whoever is then
responsible for effecting the divestitures required herein, shall
notify the United States and, as appropriate, the State of Connecticut,
of any proposed divestitures required by Sections IV, V, or VI of this
Final Judgment. If the trustee is responsible, it shall similarly
notify Defendants. The notice shall set forth the details of the
proposed divestitures and list the name, address, and telephone number
of each person not previously identified who offered or expressed an
interest in or desire to acquire any ownership interest in the
Divestiture Assets, together with full details of the same.
B. Within fifteen (15) calendar days of receipt by the United
States of such notice, the United States, in its sole discretion (after
consultation with the State of Connecticut, as appropriate) may request
from Defendants, the proposed Acquirer(s), any other third party, or
the trustee, if applicable, additional information concerning the
proposed divestitures, the proposed Acquirer(s), and any other
potential Acquirer(s). Defendants and the trustee shall furnish any
additional information requested to the United States within fifteen
(15) calendar days of receipt of the request, unless the parties
otherwise agree.
C. Within thirty (30) calendar days after receipt of the notice or
within twenty (20) calendar days after the United States has been
provided the additional information requested from Defendants, the
proposed Acquirer(s), any third party, and the trustee, whichever is
later, the United States shall provide written notice to Defendants,
and the trustee, if there is one, stating whether it objects to the
proposed divestitures. If the United States provides written notice
that it does not object, the divestitures may be consummated, subject
only to the Defendants' limited right to object to the sale under
Section V(C) of this Final Judgment.
Absent written notice that the United States does not object to the
proposed Acquirer(s) or upon objection by the United States, a
divestiture proposed under Section IV or Section V shall not be
consummated. Upon objection by Defendants under Section V(C), a
divestiture proposed under Section V shall not be consummated unless
approved by the Court.
VIII. FINANCING
Defendants shall not finance all or any part of any purchase made
pursuant to Section IV or V of this Final Judgment.
IX. HOLD SEPARATE
Until the divestitures required by this Final Judgment have been
accomplished, Defendants shall take all steps necessary to comply with
the Hold Separate Stipulation and Order entered by this Court.
Defendants shall take no action that would jeopardize the divestitures
ordered by this Court.
X. AFFIDAVITS
A. Within twenty (20) calendar days of the filing of the Complaint
in this matter, and every thirty (30) calendar days thereafter until
the divestitures have been completed under Sections IV, V, or VI,
Defendants shall deliver to the United States an affidavit as to the
fact and manner of its compliance with Sections IV, V, or VI of this
Final Judgment. Each such affidavit shall include the name, address,
and telephone number of each person who, during the preceding thirty
(30) calendar days, made an offer to acquire, expressed an interest in
acquiring, entered into negotiations to acquire, or was contacted or
made an inquiry about acquiring, any interest in the Divestiture
Assets, and shall describe in detail each contact with any such person
during that period. Each such affidavit shall also include a
description of the efforts Defendants have taken to solicit buyers for
and complete the sale of the Divestiture Assets, and to provide
required information to prospective Acquirers, including the
limitations, if any, on such information. Assuming the information set
forth in the affidavit is true and complete, any objection by the
United States to information provided by Defendants, including
limitations on information, shall be made within fourteen (14) calendar
days of receipt of each such affidavit.
B. Within twenty (20) calendar days of the filing of the Complaint
in this matter, Defendants shall deliver to the United States an
affidavit that describes in reasonable detail all actions taken and all
steps implemented on an
[[Page 80810]]
ongoing basis to comply with Section IX of this Final Judgment.
Defendants shall deliver to the United States an affidavit describing
any changes to the efforts and actions outlined in their earlier
affidavits filed pursuant to this section within fifteen (15) calendar
days after the change is implemented.
C. Defendants shall keep all records of all efforts made to
preserve and divest the Divestiture Assets until one year after such
divestitures have been completed.
XI. COMPLIANCE INSPECTION
A. For the purposes of determining or securing compliance with this
Final Judgment or of any related orders such as any Hold Separate
Stipulation and Order, or of determining whether the Final Judgment
should be modified or vacated, and subject to any legally recognized
privilege, from time to time authorized representatives of the United
States Department of Justice, including consultants and other persons
retained by the United States, shall, upon written request of an
authorized representative of the Assistant Attorney General in charge
of the Antitrust Division, and on reasonable notice to Defendants, be
permitted:
(1) access during Defendants' office hours to inspect and copy, or
at the option of the United States, to require Defendants to provide
hard copy or electronic copies of, all books, ledgers, accounts,
records, data, and documents in the possession, custody, or control of
Defendants, relating to any matters contained in this Final Judgment;
and
(2) to interview, either informally or on the record, Defendants'
officers, employees, or agents, who may have their individual counsel
present, regarding such matters. The interviews shall be subject to the
reasonable convenience of the interviewee and without restraint or
interference by Defendants.
B. Upon the written request of an authorized representative of the
Assistant Attorney General in charge of the Antitrust Division,
Defendants shall submit written reports or responses to written
interrogatories, under oath if requested, relating to any of the
matters contained in this Final Judgment as may be requested.
C. No information or documents obtained by the means provided in
this section shall be divulged by the United States to any person other
than an authorized representative of the executive branch of the United
States, or an authorized representative of the State of Connecticut, as
appropriate, except in the course of legal proceedings to which the
United States is a party (including grand jury proceedings), or for the
purpose of securing compliance with this Final Judgment, or as
otherwise required by law.
D. If at the time information or documents are furnished by
Defendants to the United States, Defendants represent and identify in
writing the material in any such information or documents to which a
claim of protection may be asserted under Rule 26(c)(1)(G) of the
Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, and Defendants mark each pertinent
page of such material, ``Subject to claim of protection under Rule
26(c)(1)(G) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure,'' then the United
States shall give Defendants ten (10) calendar days notice prior to
divulging such material in any legal proceeding (other than a grand
jury proceeding).
XII. NO REACQUISITION
Defendants may not reacquire any part of the Divestiture Assets
during the term of this Final Judgment.
XIII. RETENTION OF JURISDICTION
This Court retains jurisdiction to enable any party to this Final
Judgment to apply to this Court at any time for further orders and
directions as may be necessary or appropriate to carry out or construe
this Final Judgment, to modify any of its provisions, to enforce
compliance, and to punish violations of its provisions.
XIV. EXPIRATION OF FINAL JUDGMENT
Unless this Court grants an extension, this Final Judgment shall
expire ten (10) years from the date of its entry.
XV. PUBLIC INTEREST DETERMINATION
Entry of this Final Judgment is in the public interest. The parties
have complied with the requirements of the Antitrust Procedures and
Penalties Act, 15 U.S.C. 16, including making copies available to the
public of this Final Judgment, the Competitive Impact Statement, and
any comments thereon and the United States' responses to comments.
Based upon the record before the Court, which includes the Competitive
Impact Statement and any comments and response to comments filed with
the Court, entry of this Final Judgment is in the public interest.
Date: __________, 2015
Court approval subject to procedures of Antitrust Procedures and
Penalties Act, 15 U.S.C. 16
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United States District Judge
[FR Doc. 2015-32629 Filed 12-24-15; 8:45 am]
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