Potentially more bad news for the future of Regency:
QuoteBy Karen Brune Mathis, Managing Editor
Jacksonville-based developer Sleiman Enterprises wants to expand the Atlantic North shopping center and apartment community by almost 1 million square feet of retail, restaurant and hotel space, as well as another 300 multifamily units.
That corner, at northwest Kernan and Atlantic boulevards, is anchored by LA Fitness, Academy Sports & Outdoors, Earth Fare and, next spring, Belk. A 7-Eleven also operates on an outparcel.
The 290-unit Sorrel apartments are under construction on the site, just north of the retail area. The address is 11901 Atlantic Blvd.
President Toney Sleiman said Monday he also is studying the option of building a movie theater there, pending results of a competitive review to determine if the area can support one.
"The whole area is a great area," Sleiman said.
Full article: http://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/showstory.php?Story_id=544238
That's very weird considering that AMC Regency has recently talked about a possible 2.93 million dollar renovation. I wonder could it feasibly be room for both theaters?
https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/showstory.php?Story_id=543956
Horrible idea. Theater attendance is down and AMC is pretty much the king in this space.
Is it really needed?
The theater on Beach Blvd by San Pablo doesn't ever look very crowded, even on weekends.
Toney Sleiman is a disgusting man who does not give two craps about this city. Just his bank accounts. Much of the hideousness of Jacksonville sprawl can be attributed to him. Sick.
I can see why he thinks a movie theater is the right offering for his setting, but it has a lot of things going against it.
It's too close to 3 other theaters for starts.
There is a problem right now with secondary movie theater chains (or independents) as they are unable to get first run content on release weekend, especially if they are within a certain distance to a competing theater.
Cinemark, Regal and AMC have agreements with many of the distributors that they get preference for top releases if certain movie operators overlap in their marketing area.
Clearly, a theater at Atlantic North would overlap 2 marketing areas, AMC Regency and Regal Beach Blvd. To a lesser degree Cinemark Tinseltown. If a small chain (for example, Epic, based in Deland) opened in Atlantic North, AMC would probably exercise their contract rights to keep the next Marvel movie from getting opening weekend release there, most likely coming out 2 weeks later.
So unless a major theater operator that has more clout (like Harkins or Marcus) comes to town, it would have to be a discount second run locale.
Quote from: spuwho on November 04, 2014, 07:32:51 PM
I can see why he thinks a movie theater is the right offering for his setting, but it has a lot of things going against it.
...
So unless a major theater operator that has more clout (like Harkins or Marcus) comes to town, it would have to be a discount second run locale.
Isn't that the Sleiman business model?
Quote from: pierre on November 04, 2014, 01:58:53 PM
Is it really needed?
The theater on Beach Blvd by San Pablo doesn't ever look very crowded, even on weekends.
We used to catch former Jag, Byron Leftwich in Regal Beach Boulevard all the time during the matinees. Many times he was the only one there. He was a real movie nut.
Regal Beach Boulevard has mostly smaller theaters but I do agree, I can see a first run movie on opening night there and rarely have a ticket or seat problem.
Quote from: spuwho on November 04, 2014, 07:55:18 PM
We used to catch former Jag, Byron Leftwich in Regal Beach Boulevard all the time during the matinees. Many times he was the only one there. He was a real movie nut.
Lord knows he wasn't spending his free time getting better at the game of football.
There's a really big difference between 'will' and 'could.' Has anyone ever heard any developer say anything other than 'we could do this ....?'
Yes, if someone wanted to build a theater at Atlantic North, Toney Sleiman would lease him the space. I'm pretty sure if someone wanted to build another Disney World there, Toney'd be happy to go along.
Quote from: BoldCityRealist on November 04, 2014, 02:49:17 PM
Toney Sleiman is a disgusting man who does not give two craps about this city. Just his bank accounts. Much of the hideousness of Jacksonville sprawl can be attributed to him. Sick.
Sorry, that is an utterly false and ridiculously ignorant statement.
I wouldnt consider this "bad news" for regency. As coredumped mentioned AMC is king. Im 32 years, and I can count on one hand how times I have been to regal and tinsletown. Ive always favors Regency AMC when Im in that area. And with the new amenties they are adding, I would go there just because.
Quote from: spuwho on November 04, 2014, 07:55:18 PM
Quote from: pierre on November 04, 2014, 01:58:53 PM
Is it really needed?
The theater on Beach Blvd by San Pablo doesn't ever look very crowded, even on weekends.
We used to catch former Jag, Byron Leftwich in Regal Beach Boulevard all the time during the matinees. Many times he was the only one there. He was a real movie nut.
Regal Beach Boulevard has mostly smaller theaters but I do agree, I can see a first run movie on opening night there and rarely have a ticket or seat problem.
That's funny, we used to see Byron Leftwich there all the time too, sometimes by himself. David Garrard would be in there a lot as well. I really like Regal Beach Boulevard. Doesn't have all the bells and whistles, but it's a nice, quiet, clean place to watch a movie. Sunday is their busy day ($6 movies). Place is a zoo on Sundays, and it's nearly impossible to find parking.
Yes, we see David Garrard and his wife and kids every so often.
Scobee and Podlesh were usually next door at Virtual Golf. That is gone now and so is Podlesh.
The only other option I can think of that might work at that locale is a premium theater with 4K screens, higher def sound and "at chair" food service like Lat360 has.
Basically everything AMC isnt at the moment. Popcorn would be optional and mostly cater to the wine and cheese movie crowd.
:-\ Well, I cannot for the life of me figure out why anyone would want to put a theater there, when Belk had to close its doors because of the high percentage of crimes, Thugs, and Theifs. Last time I went shopping I heard gun fire and three black youths running out the door with sunglasses they had stolen..
But the most important thing to remember, at least from my viewpoint, is most people will rent a video before they would go to the trouble of going to a theater, too expensive, to far away and inconvenient. in fact, I thought most theaters have been shut down , closed from no participation.
It is just a sign of the times.. The old ways making room for the new.
Better tear it down and build some used car lots, or multiple busnisses, something a little more safe.
Quote from: I-10east on November 04, 2014, 11:35:44 AM
That's very weird considering that AMC Regency has recently talked about a possible 2.93 million dollar renovation. I wonder could it feasibly be room for both theaters?
https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/showstory.php?Story_id=543956
AMC isn't going anywhere...they have already finished renovating half of the theaters and the other half are under construction.
Now what the renovation does do is drastically reduce the number of seats in each theater....because now they are all recliners!
If a new theater opens at Atlantic North, the real damage is done to Regal Theaters on Beach
^^^I never said that AMC Regency was going anywhere, and I even put the link talking about the renovations. This 'potential replacement' rumor is over three months old...
Quote from: Laaz on February 14, 2015, 04:43:39 AM
Well, I cannot for the life of me figure out why anyone would want to put a theater there
That theater was built in 1999, back when Regency was doing much better.
We went to AMC Regency tonight to check out the new arrangements.
The seats are nice and the new screens & projection look great!
But sorry to say they have a much bigger issue than the venue.
Never in my life have I seen so much gun holstered security at a movie theater. Guns in a reasonable quantity may give off a semblance of security, but in this case the exorbitant amount of visible sidearms by uniformed & non-uniformed Paul Blarts was just too much.
I even had an unmarked car follow me to my parking spot. At first I thought it was a parking spot surfer, but when I got to my car there were 5 spots available and he just sat right there watching me. I don't care if he was protecting me or thought he needed to protect others from me, if a locale needs that many staff with sidearms and I have to be followed to my car by a creeping patrol, then that venue has already lost the battle.
I won't be going back to AMC Regency.
Maybe this is what Sleiman is picking up on in scoping out a new movie theater at Atlantic North.
Maybe it's time for Regency to become a church, school or casino.
Sleiman owns a shopping center near me in Oakleaf and he is having Epic Theatres build out there. Seems like he is in good with them. He may be trying to expand their presence.
Update story:
QuoteBy Karen Brune Mathis, Managing Editor
Atlantic North is closer to landing a movie theater, which would bring screens to the Atlantic and Kernan boulevards area.
Developer Toney Sleiman said Wednesday he envisions a 12-screen, 45,000-square-foot theater at the northwest intersection.
Pending a deal, he said it could open in 2017-18. "There's still a lot of negotiating," he said.
Full article: http://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/showstory.php?Story_id=546906
Why in the world wouldn't he include a theater in the landing renovations! I don't agree at all with putting a theater at that already over busy intersection when amc regency is already nearby and newly renovated, and a regal further down at the beaches. A theatre downtown would be a boost to the landing and become more of a destination. I don't want to hear about the numbers not supporting one being built downtown..if you build it they will come. Thumbs down Tony for neglecting your prize possession downtown and further encouraging suburban sprawl.
I would say the sad thing about the landing is while it may be Sleiman's most visible property, it is clearly down the list of priorities compared to his more recent developments in the Atlantic/Kernan area.
What renovation? Nothing is happening at the Landing as long as the there's a lawsuit between Sleiman and the City involving it.
I, for one, am excited. Not sure about the suburban sprawl comment. Does commerical really add to sprawl?
The development and that entire side of town is the exact definition of sprawl. However, whether there's a movie theater at this shopping center or not, isn't going to change that fact. So the character of the area should not matter concerning the feasibility of adding a movie theater at this location.
Quote from: southsider1015 on January 22, 2016, 07:19:09 PM
I, for one, am excited. Not sure about the suburban sprawl comment. Does commerical really add to sprawl?
why? Is the movie theater at Regency (with 100% reserved recliner stadium seating) not good enough for you?
That said, seems to me a new theater at Atlantic/Kernan might hurt the Regal theater on Beach more than AMC.
^^^^ 100% this. Regency amc has been completely remodeled and is really considered the best movie experience one could have. Really, what more does one want from a theater?
They've put substantial money in it, I'll be sticking with them.
I can't imagine there's really demand for a theater in that location. It's less than 5 miles from both Regal and AMC, meaning neither company would build there (and the AMC at Regency is going to be really hard to compete with). And it's not far enough from Tinseltown for Cinemark to want to get in on it. The only other major chain with a foothold in the metro area that I can think of is Epic, and they'd have a hard time competing with those larger theaters if they only have 12 screens.
Quote from: Tacachale on January 23, 2016, 01:17:51 PM
I can't imagine there's really demand for a theater in that location. It's less than 5 miles from both Regal and AMC, meaning neither company would build there (and the AMC at Regency is going to be really hard to compete with). And it's not far enough from Tinseltown for Cinemark to want to get in on it. The only other major chain with a foothold in the metro area that I can think of is Epic, and they'd have a hard time competing with those larger theaters if they only have 12 screens.
The article says its not Epic and that the site meets distance reqirements and that its a national chain.
Since the only national operators not in Jacksonville are Harkins and Marcus, I am going out on a limb a little. Of the three theaters, all have had extensive remodeling except one.
Regal Beach Boulevard
My take is that Regal is looking to close Beach Boulevard and move to Atlantic North.
Killashee is currently trying to redevelop that property on Beach and the recent tear down of Golden Corral was a start.
Me thinks the "negotiation" is simple competition between Killashee and Sleiman for Regal.
I have no proof of it, its just an educated guss.
I'm going to be a little more blunt about the possible "strategy" for opening a multiplex so close to AMC Regency. Chris Rock had a stand-up segment years ago how every major city has a mall the white people go to and the mall the white people used to go to. I don't doubt that the possibility of the shiny new theater taking some AMC customers concerned about the increasing presence of minorities there hasn't crossed the mind of the people planning to build the new theater and Sleiman in his push to get a theater on his property. And that's a shame because I really like the changes AMC did to it's Regency theater - if only the new place was located closer to Hodges or the Beaches to take the place of the outdated one down on Beach Blvd.
Quote from: JaxJersey-licious on January 23, 2016, 03:54:38 PM
I'm going to be a little more blunt about the possible "strategy" for opening a multiplex so close to AMC Regency. Chris Rock had a stand-up segment years ago how every major city has a mall the white people go to and the mall the white people used to go to. I don't doubt that the possibility of the shiny new theater taking some AMC customers concerned about the increasing presence of minorities there hasn't crossed the mind of the people planning to build the new theater and Sleiman in his push to get a theater on his property. And that's a shame because I really like the changes AMC did to it's Regency theater - if only the new place was located closer to Hodges or the Beaches to take the place of the outdated one down on Beach Blvd.
I love Chris Rock but race is a non-issue here. It was the presence of armed security guards pacing inside the theater and having security follow me through a parking lot. If a theater needs that much security in this day and age and I have less imposing choices, then I will take them. I am there to be entertained, not looking over my shoulder in the bathroom. Such a visible showing of weaponry does not extend confidence in the venue, in fact it leads to less.
Quote from: spuwho on January 23, 2016, 03:05:59 PM
Quote from: Tacachale on January 23, 2016, 01:17:51 PM
I can't imagine there's really demand for a theater in that location. It's less than 5 miles from both Regal and AMC, meaning neither company would build there (and the AMC at Regency is going to be really hard to compete with). And it's not far enough from Tinseltown for Cinemark to want to get in on it. The only other major chain with a foothold in the metro area that I can think of is Epic, and they'd have a hard time competing with those larger theaters if they only have 12 screens.
The article says its not Epic and that the site meets distance reqirements and that its a national chain.
Since the only national operators not in Jacksonville are Harkins and Marcus, I am going out on a limb a little. Of the three theaters, all have had extensive remodeling except one.
Regal Beach Boulevard
My take is that Regal is looking to close Beach Boulevard and move to Atlantic North.
Killashee is currently trying to redevelop that property on Beach and the recent tear down of Golden Corral was a start.
Me thinks the "negotiation" is simple competition between Killashee and Sleiman for Regal.
I have no proof of it, its just an educated guss.
That's an interesting thought. That Regal hasn't been seriously updated in years, even though the Phillips Highway one has. Regal did well after it opened and the Beaches theaters went out of business, but my understanding is that Tinseltown took a lot out it. It's bigger and more convenient for people on the Southside, which has exploded since then. And honestly Regal's not really all that convenient from the Beach either.
Quote from: spuwho on January 23, 2016, 05:33:06 PM
Quote from: JaxJersey-licious on January 23, 2016, 03:54:38 PM
I'm going to be a little more blunt about the possible "strategy" for opening a multiplex so close to AMC Regency. Chris Rock had a stand-up segment years ago how every major city has a mall the white people go to and the mall the white people used to go to. I don't doubt that the possibility of the shiny new theater taking some AMC customers concerned about the increasing presence of minorities there hasn't crossed the mind of the people planning to build the new theater and Sleiman in his push to get a theater on his property. And that's a shame because I really like the changes AMC did to it's Regency theater - if only the new place was located closer to Hodges or the Beaches to take the place of the outdated one down on Beach Blvd.
I love Chris Rock but race is a non-issue here.
correct. If safety is the big concern, I would note that Regency has not had the problems that Orange Park or River City theaters have.
Quote from: spuwho on January 23, 2016, 05:33:06 PM
Quote from: JaxJersey-licious on January 23, 2016, 03:54:38 PM
I'm going to be a little more blunt about the possible "strategy" for opening a multiplex so close to AMC Regency. Chris Rock had a stand-up segment years ago how every major city has a mall the white people go to and the mall the white people used to go to. I don't doubt that the possibility of the shiny new theater taking some AMC customers concerned about the increasing presence of minorities there hasn't crossed the mind of the people planning to build the new theater and Sleiman in his push to get a theater on his property. And that's a shame because I really like the changes AMC did to it's Regency theater - if only the new place was located closer to Hodges or the Beaches to take the place of the outdated one down on Beach Blvd.
I love Chris Rock but race is a non-issue here. It was the presence of armed security guards pacing inside the theater and having security follow me through a parking lot. If a theater needs that much security in this day and age and I have less imposing choices, then I will take them. I am there to be entertained, not looking over my shoulder in the bathroom. Such a visible showing of weaponry does not extend confidence in the venue, in fact it leads to less.
Well if you're looking for a less-Orwellian movie going experience, Toney Sleiman's got just the place for you...
Seriously, I'm not saying Toney Sleiman or the owners of the proposed theater are racists and I have no doubt they would welcome anyone that would patronize their new place. But there are some people that have
perception issues with the Regency theater. I even get this reaction from some of my friends, "You sure that movie isn't playing some other place" or "That place has changed a lot since you lived here" comments were not uncommon.
As wrong and unfounded as these perceptions about Regency (plus keep in mind the new theater could have the same demographics and just as many security issues Regency currently has), if these perceptions are enough to have you attending movies again or drive the extra miles to Sleiman's new place, the new owners will not refuse to take their money.
I'm sure those newer theaters on Fleming Island benefited from customers that felt the same way about AMC Orange Park.
Quote from: tufsu1 on January 22, 2016, 09:49:15 PM
Quote from: southsider1015 on January 22, 2016, 07:19:09 PM
I, for one, am excited. Not sure about the suburban sprawl comment. Does commerical really add to sprawl?
why? Is the movie theater at Regency (with 100% reserved recliner stadium seating) not good enough for you?
That said, seems to me a new theater at Atlantic/Kernan might hurt the Regal theater on Beach more than AMC.
Sure, Regency is decent. But a little competition or extra supply couldn't hurt. Vacant land serves zero purpose, no?
It's nice to see new development in this area. FDOT is adding thousands of dollars in landscaping along Beach and Atlantic. Tamaya is still selling well from what I hear.
Ain't your cup of tea? Mad that it's not going downtown? I wonder why? Demographics, perhaps? Money?
So many haters.
Quote from: Tacachale on January 23, 2016, 05:50:48 PM
Quote from: spuwho on January 23, 2016, 03:05:59 PM
Quote from: Tacachale on January 23, 2016, 01:17:51 PM
I can't imagine there's really demand for a theater in that location. It's less than 5 miles from both Regal and AMC, meaning neither company would build there (and the AMC at Regency is going to be really hard to compete with). And it's not far enough from Tinseltown for Cinemark to want to get in on it. The only other major chain with a foothold in the metro area that I can think of is Epic, and they'd have a hard time competing with those larger theaters if they only have 12 screens.
The article says its not Epic and that the site meets distance reqirements and that its a national chain.
Since the only national operators not in Jacksonville are Harkins and Marcus, I am going out on a limb a little. Of the three theaters, all have had extensive remodeling except one.
Regal Beach Boulevard
My take is that Regal is looking to close Beach Boulevard and move to Atlantic North.
Killashee is currently trying to redevelop that property on Beach and the recent tear down of Golden Corral was a start.
Me thinks the "negotiation" is simple competition between Killashee and Sleiman for Regal.
I have no proof of it, its just an educated guss.
That's an interesting thought. That Regal hasn't been seriously updated in years, even though the Phillips Highway one has. Regal did well after it opened and the Beaches theaters went out of business, but my understanding is that Tinseltown took a lot out it. It's bigger and more convenient for people on the Southside, which has exploded since then. And honestly Regal's not really all that convenient from the Beach either.
I brought up the "Regal to Atlantic North" idea with some business friends and they said Regal Beach Boulevard gets alot of traffic from Atlantic Beach down to Ponte Vedra. They said if Regal plans to build in Nocatee (and its just a matter of time before
someone does they said) then it would be logical to push their current "Beach" footprint north and leave Ponte Vedra customers to a new locale in Nocatee.
Personally I thought that kind of broached Regal Avenues too much and that any new property would be farther south on 210 & St John's Parkway.
Quote from: southsider1015 on January 23, 2016, 11:16:30 PM
Quote from: tufsu1 on January 22, 2016, 09:49:15 PM
Quote from: southsider1015 on January 22, 2016, 07:19:09 PM
I, for one, am excited. Not sure about the suburban sprawl comment. Does commerical really add to sprawl?
why? Is the movie theater at Regency (with 100% reserved recliner stadium seating) not good enough for you?
That said, seems to me a new theater at Atlantic/Kernan might hurt the Regal theater on Beach more than AMC.
Sure, Regency is decent. But a little competition or extra supply couldn't hurt. Vacant land serves zero purpose, no?
It's nice to see new development in this area. FDOT is adding thousands of dollars in landscaping along Beach and Atlantic. Tamaya is still selling well from what I hear.
Ain't your cup of tea? Mad that it's not going downtown? I wonder why? Demographics, perhaps? Money?
So many haters.
LOL, yeah, we should totally focus on developing all those "vacant" greenfields instead of infilling. Got to feed the beast.
Isn't this the development that the city gave Sleiman $11 million in mobility credits for, because he was buddies with the mayor? I imagine Sleiman was already committed to developing this spot, but the government subsidies for suburban sprawl and lack of planning likely have a lot to do with the form it takes.
Quote from: spuwho on January 24, 2016, 12:10:32 AM
Quote from: Tacachale on January 23, 2016, 05:50:48 PM
Quote from: spuwho on January 23, 2016, 03:05:59 PM
Quote from: Tacachale on January 23, 2016, 01:17:51 PM
I can't imagine there's really demand for a theater in that location. It's less than 5 miles from both Regal and AMC, meaning neither company would build there (and the AMC at Regency is going to be really hard to compete with). And it's not far enough from Tinseltown for Cinemark to want to get in on it. The only other major chain with a foothold in the metro area that I can think of is Epic, and they'd have a hard time competing with those larger theaters if they only have 12 screens.
The article says its not Epic and that the site meets distance reqirements and that its a national chain.
Since the only national operators not in Jacksonville are Harkins and Marcus, I am going out on a limb a little. Of the three theaters, all have had extensive remodeling except one.
Regal Beach Boulevard
My take is that Regal is looking to close Beach Boulevard and move to Atlantic North.
Killashee is currently trying to redevelop that property on Beach and the recent tear down of Golden Corral was a start.
Me thinks the "negotiation" is simple competition between Killashee and Sleiman for Regal.
I have no proof of it, its just an educated guss.
That's an interesting thought. That Regal hasn't been seriously updated in years, even though the Phillips Highway one has. Regal did well after it opened and the Beaches theaters went out of business, but my understanding is that Tinseltown took a lot out it. It's bigger and more convenient for people on the Southside, which has exploded since then. And honestly Regal's not really all that convenient from the Beach either.
I brought up the "Regal to Atlantic North" idea with some business friends and they said Regal Beach Boulevard gets alot of traffic from Atlantic Beach down to Ponte Vedra. They said if Regal plans to build in Nocatee (and its just a matter of time before someone does they said) then it would be logical to push their current "Beach" footprint north and leave Ponte Vedra customers to a new locale in Nocatee.
Personally I thought that kind of broached Regal Avenues too much and that any new property would be farther south on 210 & St John's Parkway.
So, I asked around with some people who would know, and I think you may really be on to something. Apparently Regal has been resisting the Beach Boulevard theater's requests to renovate and add new features, although they've renovated the Avenues location and they continue to assure employees that their jobs are safe.
Apparently the theater is losing business to competitors and the chain of command is well aware. The location does most of its business from the Beach and the "West Beaches" area. But they've never had a good strategy to compete for Southside residents, and the location may be a deterrent. Maybe having a smaller theater at Atlantic and Kernan would improve their prospects. I know from San Marco we very rarely go there, and honestly when we lived in Ponte Vedra we didn't go there more than Tinseltown. But it's still a lot of real estate to lose. But maybe having a smaller but more up to date theater would make it worth while, especially if they're looking at another theater in St. Johns. AMC Regency reduced their capacity but is apparently killing it with profits.
Quote from: Tacachale on January 24, 2016, 01:18:38 AM
Isn't this the development that the city gave Sleiman $11 million in mobility credits for, because he was buddies with the mayor? I imagine Sleiman was already committed to developing this spot, but the government subsidies for suburban sprawl and lack of planning likely have a lot to do with the form it takes.
Yes. There was a commitment to develop this property well before the mobility plan and Atlantic/Kernan interchange improvements.
Regal's theater on Beach is the only one in town I've never been too. I'm a Southsider. Tinseltown and the Avenues are closer. From my location at JTB and I-95, Regency is easier to get to as well.
Quote from: southsider1015 on January 23, 2016, 11:16:30 PM
Quote from: tufsu1 on January 22, 2016, 09:49:15 PM
Quote from: southsider1015 on January 22, 2016, 07:19:09 PM
I, for one, am excited. Not sure about the suburban sprawl comment. Does commerical really add to sprawl?
why? Is the movie theater at Regency (with 100% reserved recliner stadium seating) not good enough for you?
That said, seems to me a new theater at Atlantic/Kernan might hurt the Regal theater on Beach more than AMC.
Sure, Regency is decent. But a little competition or extra supply couldn't hurt. Vacant land serves zero purpose, no?
umm..the property wasn't "vacant" until Sleiman cut all the trees down. Plus, we have plenty vacant commercial/retail space already...why build more?
as for your downtown comment....no. I live downtown but don't think a megaplex is necessarily appropriate for the core. Plus, we have two really cool small theaters in the surrounding neighborhoods.
and FDOT spending thousands on landscaping? Ooh, I am so impressed. I'm sure these corridors will look beautiful, and people will come from all over the world and take photos of them!
Quote from: tufsu1 on January 24, 2016, 08:18:26 PM
Quote from: southsider1015 on January 23, 2016, 11:16:30 PM
Quote from: tufsu1 on January 22, 2016, 09:49:15 PM
Quote from: southsider1015 on January 22, 2016, 07:19:09 PM
I, for one, am excited. Not sure about the suburban sprawl comment. Does commerical really add to sprawl?
why? Is the movie theater at Regency (with 100% reserved recliner stadium seating) not good enough for you?
That said, seems to me a new theater at Atlantic/Kernan might hurt the Regal theater on Beach more than AMC.
Sure, Regency is decent. But a little competition or extra supply couldn't hurt. Vacant land serves zero purpose, no?
umm..the property wasn't "vacant" until Sleiman cut all the trees down. Plus, we have plenty vacant commercial/retail space already...why build more?
as for your downtown comment....no. I live downtown but don't think a megaplex is necessarily appropriate for the core. Plus, we have two really cool small theaters in the surrounding neighborhoods.
and FDOT spending thousands on landscaping? Ooh, I am so impressed. I'm sure these corridors will look beautiful, and people will come from all over the world and take photos of them!
Ha!
Ah, two small cool theaters huh. Theres just nothing like watching The Revenant on a 1960s screen, right?
What a joke.
Honestly, your posts stink of jealously. You'll never admit it, though of course. You're dieing to see redevelopment in your communities, and when another one looks to add new development, you cant seem to find anything positive to say. Meanwhile, the Southside community is excited to see the development built out.
Maybe it's the attitudes of downtown that are preventing any decent and effective development there.
Actually several people interviewed on the news asked the same queation folks on here have....Why? And no jealousy here.. I go to AMC Regency for big movies and love it.
But come give our intown theaters a shot. The 5 Points Theater has didgital projection and a decent sound system. Plus its locally owned and you can get beer and pizza there! :)
Quote from: tufsu1 on January 27, 2016, 09:01:58 AM
Actually several people interviewed on the news asked the same queation folks on here have....Why? And no jealousy here.. I go to AMC Regency for big movies and love it.
But come give our intown theaters a shot. The 5 Points Theater has didgital projection and a decent sound system. Plus its locally owned and you can get beer and pizza there! :)
I went there for Star Wars last month. I prefer going to a theater that will serve me beer while I enjoy a movie.
Southsider, from your posts it sounds like you haven't been to San Marco Theater or Sun-Ray. Neither are "1960s screens", they're very cool places to see movies. Both have modern equipment and sound and comfortable theaters where you can get food and drinks. Sun-Ray, especially, has really good food and beer, and plays movies other theaters often don't get. Both are also surrounded by shops and bars and things so you don't have to just get back in the car after the movie.
Also, if you think Regency is just "decent" you must not have gone recently. The recent upgrades with recliner seating and full bar make it easily the best megaplex experience in the region. The food and beer isn't as good as Sun-Ray, and it's not near anything else, but that's true of the other big chain theaters as well.
I wouldn't mind seeing a theater open up downtown, but I wouldn't put it on a list of priorities right now.
Quote from: southsider1015 on January 27, 2016, 06:11:55 AM
Ah, two small cool theaters huh. Theres just nothing like watching The Revenant on a 1960s screen, right?
What a joke.
Honestly, your posts stink of jealously. You'll never admit it, though of course. You're dieing to see redevelopment in your communities, and when another one looks to add new development, you cant seem to find anything positive to say. Meanwhile, the Southside community is excited to see the development built out.
Maybe it's the attitudes of downtown that are preventing any decent and effective development there.
There are reasons to take issue with parts of this project for reasons beyond the urban-suburban rivalry. The major thing is that it's a greenfield development that not only avoided paying concurrency fees, but received
$11 million in re-sellable mobility fee credits under the Brown administration, on account of the developer being Brown's biggest donors. There's a problem there well outside of any jealously or rivalry. Also, while it's less a specific problem with this project than a systemic problem with sprawl in general, a lot of what it promises isn't really "new". A lot of what's going there is stuff that was already at Regency and is leaving. Nothing wrong with that, but it's also not something that should be subsidized.
Quote from: stephendare on January 27, 2016, 11:34:17 AM
Quote from: Tacachale on January 27, 2016, 11:20:18 AM
Quote from: southsider1015 on January 27, 2016, 06:11:55 AM
Ah, two small cool theaters huh. Theres just nothing like watching The Revenant on a 1960s screen, right?
What a joke.
Honestly, your posts stink of jealously. You'll never admit it, though of course. You're dieing to see redevelopment in your communities, and when another one looks to add new development, you cant seem to find anything positive to say. Meanwhile, the Southside community is excited to see the development built out.
Maybe it's the attitudes of downtown that are preventing any decent and effective development there.
There are reasons to take issue with parts of this project for reasons beyond the urban-suburban rivalry. The major thing is that it's a greenfield development that not only avoided paying concurrency fees, but received $11 million in re-sellable mobility fee credits under the Brown administration, on account of the developer being Brown's biggest donors. There's a problem there well outside of any jealously or rivalry. Also, while it's less a specific problem with this project than a systemic problem with sprawl in general, a lot of what it promises isn't really "new". A lot of what's going there is stuff that was already at Regency and is leaving. Nothing wrong with that, but it's also not something that should be subsidized.
to be fair, wasn't that actually passed by city council, tacachale
The council approves it, but it's the administration that assesses the fees. If I recall correctly, the city had originally assessed a $3 million-or-so dollar fee, but when Sleiman protested, they "reviewed" it again and determined that the city owed *him* credits.
Quote from: stephendare on January 27, 2016, 11:52:59 AM
I think there was still bad blood between the admin and sleiman back then.
Bill Bishop and Robin Lumb and the councilmen hoping to court the tea party were the first on that bandwagon, if you review our threads at the time.
If you recall, Sleiman wasn't a supporter of Democrat Alvin Brown during his election. He heavily donated to Mike Hogan, and actually sponsored the Tea Party rallies at the Landing.
In fact, he infamously called the election for Hogan before the election was over that night. ;)
This happened in March of 2015. Sleiman was one of Brown's major supporters at that time:
Quote
Second city look at fees pushes developer credit from $3.6 million to $11 million
By Christopher Hong Sat, Apr 25, 2015 @ 9:40 pm | updated Sun, Apr 26, 2015 @ 9:13 am
A prominent Jacksonville developer received an $11 million credit last month from City Hall to build a road project near his company's budding shopping and residential development in East Arlington, which will allow him to avoid paying millions in fees that reimburse taxpayers for the development's impact to nearby traffic.
That's a stark reversal from months earlier: City planners initially said a majority of the project — to be built by a company co-owned by local developer Toney Sleiman — didn't provide enough benefits to the public to qualify for the credit, which is offered to developers who build road projects that reduce traffic congestion near their developments.
The company proposed building a network of streets initially estimated to cost $14 million and wanted credit for the full construction amount. The city initially said that two of those roads could earn half credit and the others deserved none. That amounted to $3.6 million worth of construction qualified for credit.
Sleiman, co-owner of The Jacksonville Landing and one of Mayor Alvin Brown's most vocal re-election boosters, can use the $11 million in credit his company received to offset the $3.8 million mobility fee assessed to the development. His company, Atlantic North LLC, can bank the leftover credits to pay off, dollar for dollar, mobility fees for future developments. The company can also sell the credits to other developers.
...
http://jacksonville.com/news/2015-04-25/story/second-city-look-fees-pushes-developer-credit-36-million-11-million
However, either way, the point is that the city subsidized this development, not based on its benefit to the city, but on the connections of the developer.
The mobility credit issue centered on 2 things.
COJ wanted a mobility fee for the entire development up front and Slieman argued (successfully) that since it wasnt fully occupied the impact wasnt going to be borne immediately. Therefore he wanted to increment the fee as he added new tenants, otherwise his current tenants would have to bear the entire fee passed through in their rents which would have made the development uncompetitive and scared away prospects. If COJ had enforced the entire fee and Sleiman could not get it occupied, he would lose his shirt.
The second issue was the streets he built around Atlantic North to get the fee credits. Most of them were simply access roads to the surrounding apartments but the contention was over Marketplace Drive. He wanted mobility credits for it and at first the city refused.
His argument was that he extended Abess Road west and got credit, but Marketplace while it met with Withrow at Atlantic, didnt meet the fee credit requirements. Suddenly there was a reversal of that decision and he got the fee credits for it which put him in the green.
Now he can rent the rest of the surrounding properties at low risk due to all the fee credits he got for building 2 streets on his nickel.
Problem was, those streets would have had to be built regardless for his development to be successful. Traffic flow on Kernan and Atlantic, in that immediate vicinity, would be better off without his development. At the end of the day, the public got the short end of the stick. However, this particular project isn't unique. Since the 1950s, this has been pretty typical in Jax.
I spoke with the local manager this weekend for Regal Cinemas-Beach Boulevard and he said noting official has been discussed or announced about the future of the theater.
He noted that the lease is coming up shortly and with declining ticket sales (his words) at this property they need to make a decision fairly soon.
I said something that Regal on Beach was one of the last chain theaters that had yet to get upgrades here in greater Jax and he concurred.
They highlighted how Regal Corporate is moving to full beer and food sales and that this site was never designed for it. Anything other than soda, popcorn and ice cream has to be fetched from a temporary kitchen in the back store room.
Until Regal Corporate makes an announcement, they said they are told nothing.
Lets hope Regal can work it out to keep a theater on Beach Boulevard. It really needs a refresh.
When I lived out at the beach, I would go to that theater on occasion. Unless it was a kids movie, it was almost always empty.
And in serious need of a refresh.
https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/article/movie-theater-planned-for-atlantic-north-shopping-center
Hope it doesn't kill Regal Beach Boulevard.
A bit of a dump, but I like it.
Quote from: KenFSU on October 22, 2018, 01:35:12 PM
https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/article/movie-theater-planned-for-atlantic-north-shopping-center
Hope it doesn't kill Regal Beach Boulevard.
A bit of a dump, but I like it.
I think the theaters planned in Durbin Park along with these new theaters will mark the death knell of that location of Regal Cinemas.
Speaking of which, I thought the guy behind Sun-Ray was looking at opening a location at the beach. Wonder what happened to those plans?
Quote from: KenFSU on October 22, 2018, 01:35:12 PM
https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/article/movie-theater-planned-for-atlantic-north-shopping-center
Hope it doesn't kill Regal Beach Boulevard.
A bit of a dump, but I like it.
I am surprised it is still open
I just went there friday. Not the best theater, but its not a dump either.
I can speak to Sun-Ray, and I love talking about film exhibition in Jacksonville in general so here you go:
QuoteSpeaking of which, I thought the guy behind Sun-Ray was looking at opening a location at the beach. Wonder what happened to those plans?
We are actively looking for just the right site at the Beaches for a four to six screen theatre. 25,000 contiguous empty sf is hard to come by in this area; we've spoken with many developers anxious to squeeze us into a drastically smaller footprint, or properties that would have a structural beam in the middle of an auditorium, and we've declined because -- and I hope customers can attest to this -- if Sun-Ray's gonna do something we're gonna do it right. We've spent seven years hamstrung by a building not designed for 21st century moviegoing, the last thing we want to do is to ask moviegoers to make concessions at a new location too.
We've also spoken with the developers mentioned in this thread who tell us they would prefer a National Tenant vs. a homegrown brand. I get what they're saying, and in Durbin Park's case it totally panned out because they are so far from a competitor. But this Atlantic North deal? We wish them the best, but it's hard to imagine that anyone other than AMC is making a $5 million investment in building a theatre four and a half miles from another AMC in a market of this size. And why AMC wouldn't just build at, say, one of the St. John's County developments with whom we were in negotiations who also are so far from their competitors vs. doubling down/cannibalizing on this one little pocket is something that we wonder about.
Speaking of St. John's County, Tim -- my other half and the "guy" to whom I presume you're referring :) -- spoke with a couple of other owners of smaller movie theatre chains. They both said, of the negotiations that recently broke down between us and those Beaches-ish area developers, that they see all the time this snazzy trick where the exhibitor enters into an LOI on a property that big box theatre chains have passed on, the property owner than floats this trial balloon to the press that they have a movie theatre on board which helps with permitting and leasing up of surrounding properties due to the novelty of having a (yet unnamed) movie theatre signed on, and then the developer abruptly drops the theatre like a hot potato.
One developer we were working with was straight up candid every step of the way about how having a theatre on the site plan fast tracked permitting with St. John's County, and that they had a higher than normal number of spaces leased because of the excitement about an independent theatre chain and then -- you guessed it -- potato time. The narratives are so parallel, and negotiations went from "Your final lease is a week away," to "Sorry, it costs too much to build a movie theatre," faster than we could imagine. Less than a day later another development in the area, who also has been telling the press they have a National Brand signed up, is suddenly interested in us too.
So, long story short, between negotiating scammy looking folks using us for leverage and sites that just don't fit we have hit a lot of dead ends but are still absolutely, 100% moving forward with entering the Beaches market and providing customers with an experience that represents the very best Jacksonville has to offer.
^^^^^
Good to hear you're still pursuing a multi-screen location at the beach. Yeah, life is leverage but wish you guys the best.
The other day I got to see the mountain climbing movie Free Solo at one of our finer movie theaters in the area. Hope you guys get to show it at your place since this movie was truly meant to be seen on the big screen.
Quote from: JaxJersey-licious on October 24, 2018, 04:27:05 PM
^^^^^
Good to hear you're still pursuing a multi-screen location at the beach. Yeah, life is leverage but wish you guys the best.
The other day I got to see the mountain climbing movie Free Solo at one of our finer movie theaters in the area. Hope you guys get to show it at your place since this movie was truly meant to be seen on the big screen.
Thanks! I presume from your handle you're up in Jersey? Free Solo just hit the Jacksonville market today, and we are indeed playing it for a full run!