HomeMy Public PortalAboutTOL PR 2010-02-17 Cobb Theatres
Town of Leesburg
News Release
For Immediate Release
Contact:
Marantha Edwards
Economic Development Manager
703-737-7019
Larry Lichtenauer
LH&A, Inc.
410-363-6205
Randa McMinn
Cypress Equities
214-561-6007
Karen Kossow
Kettler
703-226-6040
Cobb Theatres Signs Lease for 12-Screen Cinema
at Village at Leesburg
Groundbreaking Planned for Summer 2010
Leesburg, VA (February 17, 2010) – Cobb Theatres has signed a lease at Village at
Leesburg for a 12-screen cinema. Pending zoning approval, the project will break
ground this summer. The concurrent rezoning and special exception applications are
scheduled to go the Leesburg Planning Commission and the Leesburg Town Council for
public hearings and action in April 2010.
The proposed cinema will be located at the western end of the Village at Leesburg’s
Town Center, above street-level retail and adjacent to the LA Fitness currently under
construction. The Birmingham, Alabama-based entertainment company is anticipating
a late spring or early summer 2011 opening date, based on the success of the zoning
approval and accompanying construction schedule.
Upon its opening, this will be the first Cobb Theatres project in the greater Northern
Virginia-Washington, D.C. region, with the next closest locations in Hampton and
Richmond, VA. The company currently operates 194 theatres primarily in Florida, but
also throughout Alabama, Georgia, Colorado and Virginia. The location at Village at
TOL PR 2010-02-17 Cobb Theatres
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Leesburg will also feature an upscale bar & grill element, modeled after its CinéBistro
amenity contained at certain theatres around the country.
Village at Leesburg is a vertically-integrated, four-story, town center-style development
which will contain 541,000 square feet of retail, 155,000 square feet of office and 335
luxury multi-family residences. Several retailers, including Wegman’s Food Market, are
now open, but the majority of the retailers are planning a late spring 2010 grand
opening. In addition, a portion of the residential component is now open and some
residents have moved in. A Cypress Equities company* and Kettler are developing the
project. The Carlyle Group is the lead equity partner in the development. KLNB Retail is
handling the leasing of the retail sections, while Sperry Van Ness/Vaaler Real Estate is
handling the office leasing and Winward Commericial the office condos sales.
“In Cobb Theatres, we have attracted a recognized leader in the entertainment industry
that brings a track record of high quality entertainment experience to Village at
Leesburg,” stated John Fainter, vice president of development for the project. “After
receiving considerable interest from other theatre groups, we are confident that this
operator best complements our existing tenant roster, particularly the restaurant mix.
The selection of Cobb Theatres has stimulated a strong wave of interest from other
restaurant concepts as we look to round out our food and dining options.
“Combined with King Pinz, Village at Leesburg offers a compelling one-two punch of
entertainment options for residents of the project as well as the surrounding Loudoun
County community,” Fainter added. The upscale bowling venue, combined with the
theatre, will fulfill the “Live, Work, Play” experience by adding an entertainment
component at the project, according to Fainter. King Pinz is expected to open this
spring.
Special features of a Cobb Theatre project
Each Cobb Theatre is defined by features including stadium seating with custom-
designed rocking seats for unobstructed viewing, wall-to-wall curved high gain screens
that produce brighter colors and a sharper image, Dolby Digital Surround Sound, REAL
D 3D cinema technology and DLP Digital Projection Systems.
The theatre will be available for rental for businesses and individuals to show private
screenings or to coordinate meetings. In addition, Cobb Theatres organize free Kiddie
Shows during periods over the summer and include birthday party rooms for private
functions.
The ticket office at the Village at Leesburg site will be located on the ground floor of the
project, with an escalator transporting patrons on the second level to the theatre. Of the
12 screens, approximately three or four will be reserved for persons 21 years of age or
older. For more information, visit www.cobbtheatres.com.
“The tenant mix, multiple entertainment options and outstanding consumer
demographics offered by the Northern Virginia marketplace were compelling reasons for
TOL PR 2010-02-17 Cobb Theatres
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us to choose Village at Leesburg,” stated Jeremy P. Welman, chief operating officer, for
Cobb Theatres and CinéBistro. “With multiple audiences accessing the project on a
daily basis, combined with the more than 100,000 consumers residing in close
proximity, we are confident that this site will be among our highest performers.”
Dining element to be integrated into location
Cobb Theatres also plans to offer an “upscale and comfortable” bar & grill element to its
Village at Leesburg location, similar to its signature CinéBistro product available at
certain theatres. This hybrid amenity will make available an assortment of appetizer
items, including wings, in addition to salads, sandwiches, and burgers. Specialty
desserts, plus a full-service bar, will complement the dining experience.
About Cobb Theatres: Cobb Theatres, based in Birmingham, Alabama, is a
progressive motion picture exhibitor operating 194 screens at 14 locations throughout
the Southeastern United States. CinéBistro is a new concept created by Cobb Theatres
that currently is being developed around the country. For more information on Cobb
Theatres or CinéBistro, visit www.cobbtheatres.com
About Cypress Equities: Founded in 1995, Cypress Equities companies* have offices
in Dallas, Atlanta, San Francisco, New York and Fort Lauderdale. Today, Cypress
Equities companies are developing and managing more than $1.2 billion in projects
throughout the U.S. and Caribbean, consisting of community and power centers, as well
as vertically integrated mixed-use villages that incorporate retail, residential, hotel and
offices. Visit www.cypressequities.com for more information.
*The Cypress Equities name, logo and other marks are trademarks and service marks being licensed to
independent operating companies by CE Brands, LLC. Any particular obligation, service or product is the
sole responsibility of the specific entity that incurs such obligation or supplies such service or product.
About Kettler: Founded by Robert C. Kettler in 1977, Kettler is among the largest
private real estate and property management companies based in the DC metro area
and one of the nation’s top multifamily developers. The firm’s diverse business model
has led to the delivery of five million square feet of commercial space and over 50,000
homes in its master-planned communities. Kettler’s rental portfolio includes high-end,
market rate, affordable and fee managed assets, and the management company has
been awarded the Pillars of the Industry Award. Currently, Kettler is developing
commercial, resort and transit-oriented mixed-use projects. For more information visit
www.Kettler.com.
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