My most recent visits to the local movie theaters have found the auditoriums sparsely populated. At one point, I was the only one there for a "Live in HD" preentation.
Have you been in the Regal Times Square? It's not a Broadway house. The AMC across the street stole a facade, but neither are actual theaters. They're more akin to a normal, suburban multiplex.
Aside from the preposterousness of turning it back into a legitimate theatre, which is documented above, let's also pause to note that what is being reported is a Chapter 11 bankruptcy, not that they are going out of business. I assume that the NYC properties are highly valuable to the bankruptcy estate not to mention mired in complicated deals that would make even a bankruptcy lawyer's head spin.