Regal Movie Theater Accused of Having Bed Bug Infestation

A movie theater just outside Nashville, Tennessee suffered one of the worst publicity nightmares possible last week, but they are firing back. According to a report by local NBC News affiliate WSMV4, two theater customers claimed they were bitten by bed bugs while watching a movie at the Regal Providence Theater in Mt. Juliet, Tennessee. The theater says it hired exterminators to search the theater and they found nothing.

Michael Steplowski and his wife said they went to the Regal cinema in May to see Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 3, and they noticed bug bites on their skin as soon as they got home. Steplowski told reporters he tried calling the theater but received no response from management, and finally drove back there to talk to the manager. He says the manager let him into the theater and that he found a bed bug egg sack under the seat where he had been sitting. Soon, he was in contact with a Regal district manager and that theater was temporarily closed for testing and extermination.

“I had 42 bites. and my wife had 18,” Steplowski said, providing photos of the clustered bites to reporters as well. He said that the bites were painful, causing him to miss work and go to the doctor. He also had his home thoroughly treated by an exterminator, which cost $2,250. However, he soon received a letter from Regal saying that the company would not pay those bills for him.

“This happened, and it happened in the theater,” Steplowski insisted. “I just want them to take responsibility and try and make it right.” He said that he shared his experience on social media in the hopes of alerting other moviegoers. That’s how he came into contact with reporters. When those reporters reached out to Regal, they said that Steplowski did not get the bug bites in their theater and therefore they are not liable.

“The safety of our guests and staff are always of the utmost importance to us and once we were notified, immediate steps were taken to investigate this allegation,” read a statement from the company’s head of marketing. “We engaged the services of professional pest control providers on multiple occasions and can report no bed bugs were reported. We want all of our guests to feel confident that they will be safe when they attend a movie at our Mount Juliet theatre and in furtherance of that objective, we continue to engage professionals to conduct routine inspections at this facility.”

Bed bugs are small, bloodsucking insects that hide in bedding or upholstered furniture, and they typically move from place to place by climbing into bags, upholstered furniture or occasionally clothes. Their bites are itchy and uncomfortable but are typically not dangerous to those without allergies. Removing them can be an extreme hassle – especially if they lay eggs before they are discovered. You can find more information and resources on bed bugs here.