MOVIE THEATER DOWNTOWN JAX!?!?!

[iMarvin]

Plenty of people will go downtown to see a movie. There's no place to go see a mainstream movie right now anywhere in the urban core.

the AMC @ Regency is about 5 miles away

But that's not the urban core. And that doesn't mean it's 5 minutes away. It's about 15-20 minutes away from any place in the urban core (except for downtown). If one got built downtown, everyone from all over the urban core would go to it. AMC would be fine because plenty of people live in the area.

[thelakelander]

What makes you think so?  We had a theater district we let fall apart close and be demolished.  Its a wonder the Florida Theatre is still standing.  The difference between the time those Forsyth Street theaters were in their last days of operation and now is we have thousands of less people living in the urban core now and more megaplexes all around town.

[simms3]

Mayor Brown suggested seeing a movie theater downtown, i personally love that idea...it brings plenty downtown, it also entertains downtown residents. but where do you think would be the perfect spot to place it. i think that it should be along the skyway and have its own station.

I think the Florida Theatre should be operated as a theatre. Lease it to a movie operator, maybe throw in some incentives. Also, while you're at it, that was the former headquarters for the Florida Theatres, Inc. chain, there is 7 stories of offices in that building that are completely vacant. It would be nice to see the City come up with some use for that dead space, preferably something arts-oriented that would draw more people downtown. Dumping it on the general office space market wouldn't work, the vacancy rates downtown are already astronomical and that would only make it worse. But letting it sit vacant isn't contributing anything either. You'd have to come up with a creative solution, but it can be done.

So that's my suggestion on how to build a theatre without spending a dime. Probably would even pay for itself.

The Fox plays movies every week when it does not have an event.  It's fun.  The Florida Theater would be wise to do the same thing (would require some sort of retrofit to allow for motion pictures I think).  This week The Hangover 2 is playing, so it's not exactly first run movies.  Last week week was Bridesmaids and some other movie.

The Fox draws walk ups from residents and families taking the train in almost every night and as a result there is a lot of activity in the area.  Publik is one of the most popular bars on Peachtree and offers an old world style.  Churchill Grounds is an upscale coffee house by day and a bar with a quiet lounge by night.  Both are literally "in" the Fox building, but doors open on Peachtree.

Across the street the Livingston has become one of the most popular restaurants in central Atlanta and the Georgian Terrace offers extended stay options and convenient rooms for Fox-goers who wish to stay a night.  The outdoor seating is usually full at night and in the evenings and you can witness writers and artists soaking up the atmosphere for ideas.  There is an Indigo Hotel in a restored building also across the street and abundant parking for those addicted to their cars.

I think working with the Florida Theater to create a destination area downtown should be a priority.  Dos Gatos is great, and perhaps someone can build a small or medium sized boutique hotel around there with a twist to create a theme for the area.  It helps that the Fox was where Gone With the Wind first played and the Georgian Terrace is where Clark Gable and everyone partied afterward, and so that area has historical and cultural appeal.  I think the Florida Theater needs to advertise itself in a historical and cultural context, too.  Maybe the Elvis show.

The old world charm and sophistication that can come with a successfully operated theater are draws in an of themselves, and I know there is enough of a market in Jacksonville to play into that if done right.

Operating a full on urban Regal Cinemas downtown is not going to happen, nor is it a good idea, nor would it be a draw.  People will not come downtown for that.  Not only that, the average size of one is about 75,000 SF for 15 or so screens and it has to do at least $300 a foot in sales to justify what it would cost to acquire the land and build the damn thing.  To get to $300 a foot in downtown Jacksonville, you'll pay $12 a ticket.  When that movie theater closes, you're then stuck with a building that cannot be any other use, feasibly.  Modern day movie theaters are the most difficult buildings to retrofit and re-use.  You don't want one downtown, nor do we have the market for one, nor would you want to pay downtown movie theater ticket prices.  Also, it would be trashy, attract unattended teens, and not the same people who will frequent nicer downtown late night establishments and restaurants.

[Noone]

All of you are still thinking inside the box - literally 

I say there needs to be an open-air, drive in theater on top of one of the several parking garages downtown.  All you have to provide is a retractable screen, some concessions and a projector.  Easy.  No remodeling, no new building.  And something both nostaglic yet innovative for the city.

Interesting idea.

There is still the talk of the creation and takeover of an Independent agency taking over parking revenue Downtown. There are city subsidized garages that are guaranteed a profit by MPS Metropolitan Parking Solutions. If a private entity wants to try then let them go for it.

There may be a demand or maybe not.

If they want to try then let them guarantee the 8% taxpayer return. Build the retractable screen. Will there be port o lets set up in the corner? Are there restrooms in these garages? Just asking. Where else is this done?

Wind, Rain, Heat,

If not a city owned garage a private one.

[iMarvin]

What makes you think so?  We had a theater district we let fall apart close and be demolished.  Its a wonder the Florida Theatre is still standing.  The difference between the time those Forsyth Street theaters were in their last days of operation and now is we have thousands of less people living in the urban core now and more megaplexes all around town.

If people in the urban core are going to movies all around town, they will go to one downtown, given that it offers the same thing as the other ones. It just has to be the movies that people want to see.

[Coolyfett]

Mooneyhan's plan for DT....

thats awesome

[MadamePK]

AMC has a theatre in downtown Fort Worth, the Palace 9.  They integrated into an old, pre-exisiting building.

http://www.google.com/imgres?q=amc+palace+9+fort+worth&hl=en&sa=X&rlz=1R2TSNA_enUS362&tbm=isch&tbnid=gdYQ1n7L_34RtM:&imgrefurl=http://www.carterburgessplaza.com/amenities/category.asp%253FpropID%253D20%2526catid%253D5&docid=IdDkZVaAjBEeJM&w=300&h=225&ei=YqsuTqj0OqK80AHj2onaAQ&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=170&vpy=184&dur=156&hovh=180&hovw=240&tx=158&ty=79&page=2&tbnh=106&tbnw=143&start=23&ndsp=25&ved=1t:429,r:17,s:23&biw=1366&bih=527

Don't know why this couldn't be done to any one of the vacant buildings I've seen in downtown.

[lucinda]

San Diego has a few theaters that only show foreign and independent films: http://www.landmarktheatres.com/Market/SanDiego/SanDiego_Frameset.htm.  Other than the theater in 5 Points, there is really nothing that I know of that is offering those options.  When I lived in San Diego, I went to the independent theaters as much as, if not more than, the mainstream theaters.  To me, a theater showing these types of films would be a better fit for downtown, and I wouldn't have to wait to get my Pedro Almodovar fix from Netflix.

[tufsu1]

If people in the urban core are going to movies all around town, they will go to one downtown, given that it offers the same thing as the other ones. It just has to be the movies that people want to see.

agreed...but why would a company like AMC, Cinemark, etc. build a new theater and take away market share from their existing ones (that aren't overcrowded)?

[thelakelander]

I'd say the Fort Worth example is a bad one.  That AMC was a part of the Sundance Square development, which is basically an urban SJTC.  To pull something off like that in DT Jax, you're going to need some type of private group swoop in and purchase over 15 blocks of DT and invest hundreds of millions into converting historic buildings and building infill into a retail/entertainment center.  Right now, we can't even get the Landing working right.  That's something that I wouldn't rest my downtown redevelopment dreams on happening anytime soon.

[Non-RedNeck Westsider]

100s of millions?!?!?   15 blocks?!?!?!?  are they building a movie-plex or a Transport Center?

Doesn't matter, so long as it's beige stucco.

[iMarvin]

If people in the urban core are going to movies all around town, they will go to one downtown, given that it offers the same thing as the other ones. It just has to be the movies that people want to see.

agreed...but why would a company like AMC, Cinemark, etc. build a new theater and take away market share from their existing ones (that aren't overcrowded)?

I don't think it would neccesarily take away that many people for the other movie theaters(s) to start suffering. AMC probably wouldn't build the one downtown, but I could see Cinemark, Regal, or Hollywood Theaters building it and their other theater still being well supported.

[thelakelander]

5 Points Theater mentioned that Hollywood Theaters is already struggling.  If anything the Jax market is probably already oversaturated in mega theater segment of the industry.  Anything new is simply going to cannibalize one of those company's existing developments.

[Ethylene]

All of you are still thinking inside the box - literally 

I say there needs to be an open-air, drive in theater on top of one of the several parking garages downtown.  All you have to provide is a retractable screen, some concessions and a projector.  Easy.  No remodeling, no new building.  And something both nostaglic yet innovative for the city.

Interesting idea.

There is still the talk of the creation and takeover of an Independent agency taking over parking revenue Downtown. There are city subsidized garages that are guaranteed a profit by MPS Metropolitan Parking Solutions. If a private entity wants to try then let them go for it.

There may be a demand or maybe not.

If they want to try then let them guarantee the 8% taxpayer return. Build the retractable screen. Will there be port o lets set up in the corner? Are there restrooms in these garages? Just asking. Where else is this done?

Wind, Rain, Heat,

If not a city owned garage a private one.

Thus I inquired, why not at the Park View property? Ample parking, existing garage, connectivity etc etc! No one addressed my question. 

[iMarvin]

5 Points Theater mentioned that Hollywood Theaters is already struggling.  If anything the Jax market is probably already oversaturated in mega theater segment of the industry.  Anything new is simply going to cannibalize one of those company's existing developments.

I don't believe that but if they are struggling it's probably becuase of their prices. I live 10 minutes away but go to AMC because they're half the price of Hollywood Theaters. Nevertheless, there's been plenty of time when I went over there and the place was packed. And I don't think we have that many movie theaters. One downtown wouldn't take away business from any of the other ones.