Membership

Every cinema exhibitor, regardless of size, deserves to have their voice heard. As a member of Heartland NATO, you become part of a collective voice that amplifies your concerns and aspirations. Whether it's advocating for fair competition or addressing regulatory challenges, we are committed to representing the interests of all our members.

The importance of Heartland NATO lies in our ability to maintain close relationships with state government. Whether working for or against specific policy proposals, Heartland NATO serves the exhibition industry in a number of ways.

In recent years the range of challenges (or “negative legislation”) includes disability laws, admissions taxes, sales taxes, film rental taxes, minimum wages, overtime, child labor, soda syrup taxes and other food and beverage taxes, building codes, movie start time legislation, gift certificate regulations, ratings codification and enforcement proposals and obscenity laws to name a few. Less frequently, state governments consider “positive legislation” that can provide significant benefits to cinema operators. Most states, for example, have approved legislation over the past few years to outlaw the use of recording devices in theatres - a fundamental tool in the fight against movie theft (“piracy”).

Joining Heartland NATO is an investment in the future success of your cinema business. Together, we can navigate challenges, seize opportunities, and ensure a vibrant future for the cinema industry in our region.

We invite you to join us and be part of this exciting journey. If you have any questions or would like more information, please don't hesitate to contact us.

Frequently Asked Questions

Annual membership dues are $25 per screen. Dues are assessed on an annual basis from date of membership commencement.

Heartland NATO provides legalislative support and advocacy for movie theatre operators in Ohio, West Virginia, Kentucky and Tennessee. This includes monitoring and reporting of industry-related bills for our members, as well as on-the-ground support for issues facing movie theatre operators.

Through the efforts of our staff and membership, we act as an advocate for the industry and firmly believe there is strength in a collective regional voice.

Heartland NATO is only open to individuals who are involved with owning and operating a movie theatre. Membership is based on company, so once a company joins Heartland NATO, all individuals who work at that company are welcome to receive NATO benefits.

Heartland NATO is open to all movie theatres! We represent national, regional and local operators. On a regional front, the support and engagement of local operators is crucial to represent the needs of all exhibitors.

To qualify for membership, each of these requirements must be met:
  1. Applicant must be any sole proprietorship, partnership, corporation, or other business entity which is directly engaged in the operation of one or more motion picture exhibition facilities. Applicant can be a private or public sector (non-military) non-profit business entity. Applicant must exhibit DCP-encrypted movies authorized with a key (KDM) and/or exhibit movies via film (35mm or 70mm), in one or more fixed locations built for the purpose of motion picture exhibition.
  2. The theatre must be open and operating at least 30 days to be considered for membership.

The theatre must be open and operating at least 30 days to be considered for membership. If you are in the process of opening a new theatre, we would love for you to reach out to discuss your project and we look forward to working with you in the future.