Cinemark Holdings Inc. announced Tuesday it will open a 14-screen movie theater in East Arlington, which will be its third complex in the area.
Cinemark intends to open in the second phase of the Atlantic North shopping center at northwest Kernan and Atlantic boulevards in summer 2020.
Sleiman Enterprises is developing Atlantic North, whose first phase comprises LA Fitness, Belk, Academy Sports + Outdoors, Earth Fare and other retailers.
Plano, Texas-based Cinemark operates the 20-screen Cinemark Tinseltown at 4535 Southside Blvd. and announced in October it will open a 12-screen movie theater at The Pavilion at Durbin Park in St. Johns County in fall 2019.
In a news release, Cinemark CEO Mark Zoradi said the Atlantic North theater will provide “an unparalleled entertainment experience for the eastern communities of the Jacksonville metropolitan area.”
Sleiman Enterprises plans to break ground in September for the theater.
In addition to the theater, the second phase of Atlantic North will bring another 300,000 square feet of commercial space to the area.
“Cinemark’s exceptional facility will also serve as a catalyst for advancing phase two, bringing Sleiman Enterprises’ development at Atlantic and Kernan to a total of 550,000 square feet,” said Sleiman Enterprises leasing representative Ashleigh Sleiman, who represented the deal along with colleague Hunter Sleiman
Amenities at the 14-screen theater will include:
• A Cinemark XD auditorium
• Cinemark’s Luxury Loungers, which are electric-powered, plush, oversize recliners with footrests and cup holders
• Reserved seating with online and kiosk ticketing
• Wall-to-wall screens and enhanced sound systems
• 4K digital projection powered by Barco projectors
• RealD 3D capability
• A lobby with a full-service, traditional concession stand
The company said it would have about 1,300 seats. It had no comment about whether it would sell and serve alcohol.
Cinemark operates 546 theater with 6,048 screens in 41 U.S. states, Brazil, Argentina and 13 other Latin American countries.
Sleiman Enterprises President Toney Sleiman has been talking about the potential for a movie theater at the site since late 2014, when he said he was studying the option of building one, pending results of a competitive review to determine if the area can support one.
In January 2016, he said he envisioned a 12-screen, 45,000-square-foot theater at the northwest intersection.
He said the Atlantic North site is between the two closest theaters at a distance agreeable in the industry.
It would be about 5 miles east of AMC Regency 24 at Regency Square Mall and a little more than 5 miles northwest of Regal Beach Boulevard Stadium 18.
In October, Sleiman said he expected to know soon which movie theater will open in the second phase of Atlantic North.
Atlantic North Phase II is designed with the theater, 320,000 square feet of additional retail buildings and six outparcels along with another 9.19-acre development parcel.
A RaceTrac gas station and convenience store plans to develop a location there.
Atlantic North LLC, led by Sleiman Enterprises, rezoned about 73 acres for the second phase. The written description says the property is developed on its western end by the Audi dealership and a CarMax expansion, with both sites sold to those owners.
City Council enacted Ordinance 2018-701 in December to rezone 73 acres at Atlantic North to permit multifamily and commercial uses.
Atlantic North is one of three corners owned by Sleiman Enterprises at the Kernan and Atlantic intersection.
In addition to the northwest corner, Sleiman Enterprises owns the southeast corner, which is anchored by BJ’s Wholesale Club, and the southwest corner, whose anchor tenants are a Walmart Supercenter and Kohl’s.
Sleiman Enterprises, founded in 1955, owns more than 90 retail properties throughout the Southeast U.S.