by Mike Sharkey
Staff Writer
Slowly but surely all of the elements of Latitude 30 — Jacksonville’s first all-inclusive family entertainment center — are coming together.
Monday, workers were in the process of tearing out the front windows of the 45,000 square-foot Phillips Highway building that’s across from the Avenues Mall. At the same time, the project’s developers — The Brownstone Group — added Greg Garson as a partner and Renee Shields as director of sales and marketing.
By summer, Brownstone cofounder Brent Brown plans to open the doors to a facility unlike any other in Northeast Florida. When complete, Latitude 30 will include a sports bar, a gaming room, a theater for live performances, an intimate movie theater, 20 bowling lanes, a bar called Axis for the 10 p.m.-2 a.m. crowd and more.
While there will be plenty to do and curiosity will make for big initial crowds, Brown and Garson both understand there’s a key to repeat and steady business.
“Everywhere in this facility you will be able to eat,” said Brown. “We are considered a restaurant first. We are very proud of our menu.”
The project — which includes an option to purchase the building and the land — will cost $10 million to become operational. Brown would like to open no later than early summer and plans to employ 150 people.
“This is considered a destination,” he said. “It’s easy to get to and one of the best in the city.”
Garson said the central location will help draw people from all over Northeast Florida.
“We are at a crossroads and it’s easy for people from Orange Park, St. Augustine, Nocatee and the Beach to get here,” said Garson, who joined Brownstone Group after a 27-year career in the securities business as an investment banker, advisor and securities broker.
Shields spent the previous 15 years with Dave & Buster’s as its corporate sales manager.
“Renee’s expertise and years of experience in the entertainment industry make her a great asset,” said Brown in a release.
“Getting her was a major coup,” said Garson.
With the management team essentially set, Brown and Garson can concentrate on opening the facility. The former Toys R Us has been gutted and will require plenty of work inside and out. Some of the infrastructure is ready for installation, but a few of the floors have to be raised and poured. The floor of the movie theater will have be lowered by four feet.
When done, the sports bar will include 16 flat screen TVs and one giant screen with indoor and outdoor seating. The movie theater will show second-run movies and even some of the classics. There will be couches and booths and even a row of recliners. And yes, you will be able to have a beer with the movie.
Brown said the concept is modeled after a handful of similar entertainment centers across the country. While Latitude 30 may include an element of several of them, Brown is pretty sure his center will be the only one that includes just about everything.
“We are considered a hybrid,” he said. “This is what the area needs.”
Garson said the draw of Latitude 30 will be its appeal to everyone in the family, regardless of age.
“There’s a huge need for the family side of entertainment,” he said. “Outside of the beach, where can you take the whole family? We are going to put this together with an eclectic atmosphere and it will appeal to everyone.”
Brown said his development group is close to establishing a similar project in Nashville (what would be Latitude 36) and they have looked at a handful of sites in Pittsburgh (what would be Latitude 40).
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