One Mouse Caused Multiplex Shutdown At Jersey City Mall, AMC Says; Theater Reopens

HUDSON COUNTY, NJ — After being shut down due to what city officials said was a rodent infestation, the AMC multiplex at Jersey City's Newport Centre Mall has been allowed to reopen following a health inspection, the city said.

After two days of closure, the AMC 11 Theater reopened Friday, just in time to show films like the Barbie Movie and Paw Patrol. The Taylor Swift: Eras Tour concert film opens next week.

"A follow-up inspection was performed Friday at the AMC Theater and determined it could reopen immediately," said Jersey City spokeswoman Kimberly Wallace-Scalcione on Monday afternoon.

She noted, "A follow-up inspection was also conducted in the corridor of the food court, which indicated no signs of rodent activity or sanitary issues."

A spokesman for AMC Theaters said wasn't an "infestation," but rather one mouse seen in a trap.

"To be clear, at no time was this location ever cited for rats, nor have rats been identified at the theatre," said Ryan Noonan.

He passed along a statement from AMC that read:

"AMC Newport Centre 11 reopened Friday afternoon following extensive cleaning and work by a third-party pest control expert. Please note, the initial news reports about this cause of this incident were inaccurate.

"As the result of a mouse found on a trap, the health department required AMC to cease operations and begin remediation treatment. We immediately contacted our third-party pest control expert vendor to inspect and treat the theater. This theater receives regular checks and service from a pest control vendor, and AMC worked closely with the Mall to conduct even more deep cleanings. This work helps ensure our guests enjoy the clean and safe experience they are accustomed to this location."

Last week, Wallace-Scalcione had said, "A city inspector closed the AMC movie theater yesterday due to a rat infestation. The theater owner was cited for the presence of rodents and multiple outer openings."

The owners will owe a $100 inspection fee, Wallace-Scalcione said. The property must be exterminated once per week, she said.

"We apologize for the inconvenience, but this theatre is temporarily closed due to unforeseen maintenance. Please continue to check back here for updates," said a note on the theater website last Thursday. The notice is now gone.

The Newport Centre Mall, located near the Hudson River waterfront and Newport PATH station, is popular with New York City residents who can take the train there for lower (3.5 percent) sales tax.

Parts of Hudson County have been grappling with a rat problem, including neighboring Hoboken, which gave away 1,500 lidded trash containers to business owners and residents on two days last week to deal with the issue. READ MORE: Hoboken Gives Away Trash Cans To Combat Rat Problem