An exciting development is taking place at the 5 Points Theatre. Local cinema director, Tim Massett and his wife, are in the planning stages of negotiating a new lease to take over and re-energize the theatre.
If he pulls it off, it would add a vital cultural spark to an eclectic collection of close-in neighborhoods that would welcome such a spruced-up amenity, Riverside Avondale Preservation founder Wayne Wood said.
The Plans: Think Alamo Draft House
Plans include a larger screen, improved sound and acoustics, theater seats with a bar running the length of each row, and full-on kitchen where food will be delivered to your seat.
It will provide a unique combination of movie theatre and dining, showing first-run and independent films while offering beverage and expanded concession service that includes a carefully selected menu of freshly prepared appetizers, sandwiches, and pizzas as well as a wide selection of handcrafted, local beers and great wines.
Tim’s has a background in re-developing theatres and turning them into successful businesses. He got his start at the Alamo Drafthouse in Austin, Texas, where he worked in 1997. The Alamo Drafthouse is quite possibly the most famous movie theatre in Texas and maybe the US.
You may know also Tim from his involvement in many local film projects which include running the San Marco Theatre, The Pit, The Brooklyn Microcinema and The Talkies.
Crowdsource the $$$! An Innovative Funding Model
The business plan that has been reviewed and approved by the Small Business Association office in Jacksonville, now they need to raise about $95,000. So, Tim is taking his cause to the people and using the crowd-funding site Ulule to help fund the project.
It should be noted that Tim and his wife plan to invest $10,000 of their own money in the redevelopment.
Plans to raise the money mirror an NPR pledge drive. There are pre-defined contribution levels and each has a reward associated with it. If you choose to pledge, the money will not be removed from your bank account until the project reaches it’s goal. If the project does not reach it’s goal in a stated time frame, no money will change hands.
For example, the $100 pledge level includes twelve movie tickets and twelve popcorns. With the average cost of a movie ticket around $7.50 this contribution pays for itself.
The Urban Jacksonville Matching Challenge & Other Ways to Help Launch This Project
I will match up to $100 contributed by Urban Jacksonville readers. I believe this could help elevate Jacksonville culturally and improve our quality of life. If you think so too, I challenge you to contribute.
Once you have contributed, forward me a copy of your contribution conformation email from Ulule. If there is anyone else out there who is interested in providing a match grant, let me know and I will help facilitate. Let’s amplify our efforts!
Here are some other ways to help. If you can do two of the items below, that would be awesome.
- Visit the project page, contribute and get some great rewards.
- Write a blog post, feel free to use any of the content on this post.
- Share the project page on Twitter or Facebook.
- Convince a family member or friend to contribute.
- Share this blog post with others.
I’m interested to hear your thoughts and comments if you have any. What do you think about this project?
