First it was Regency's Belk, now AMC?- Atlantic North could add theater

[thelakelander]

Potentially more bad news for the future of Regency:

By 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

[I-10east]

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

[coredumped]

Horrible idea. Theater attendance is down and AMC is pretty much the king in this space.

[pierre]

Is it really needed?

The theater on Beach Blvd by San Pablo doesn't ever look very crowded, even on weekends.

[BoldCityRealist]

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.

[spuwho]

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.

[Charles Hunter]

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?

[spuwho]

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.

[InnerCityPressure]

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.

[river4340]

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.

[fieldafm]

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.

[duvaldude08]

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.

[KenFSU]

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.

[spuwho]

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.

[Laaz]

     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.