The city issued a building permit Oct. 9 for the 14-screen Cinemark theater in the Atlantic North shopping center at northwest Kernan and Atlantic boulevards in East Arlington.
J. Raymond Construction Corp. is the contractor for the $8.74 million project.
Cinemark requested the permit in November, four months before governments closed down the economy because of the coronavirus pandemic. Restrictions have been lifted in phases.
Cinemark closed its theaters March 18 and reopened them with safety protocols in August.
The 55,380-square-foot Cinemark Atlantic North XD 14 is planned on 10.27 acres at 11567 Atlantic Blvd.
Sleiman Enterprises owns the land through Atlantic North LLC.
Cinemark Holdings Inc. announced in March 2019 it would open the theater in summer 2020 at the second phase of Atlantic North, which is west of the first phase. That timeline has changed.
Sleiman Enterprises Chief Operating Officer Michael McNaughton said in November that construction could be completed and the theater opened 12 to 14 months after the construction permit is issued.
That pushes the opening into fall 2021.
Sleiman Enterprises is developing Atlantic North. The first phase comprises LA Fitness, Belk, Academy Sports + Outdoors, Panda Express and other retailers.
Cinemark Atlantic North will be Cinemark’s third complex in the area.
Plano, Texas-based Cinemark operates the 20-screen Cinemark Tinseltown at 4535 Southside Blvd. and a 12-screen movie theater at The Pavilion at Durbin Park in St. Johns County.
In a news release in March 2019, Cinemark CEO Mark Zoradi said the Atlantic North theater will provide “an unparalleled entertainment experience for the eastern communities of the Jacksonville metropolitan area.”
Cinemark said then that amenities will include: a Cinemark XD auditorium; 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; and a lobby with a full-service, traditional concession stand.
However, theaters have adjusted their operations, including concessions, in reaction to the pandemic.
The theater will 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.
Regal has closed its theaters for an unannounced period of time.
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 is under development on one of the outparcels.