Eatertainment meets entertainment as a Florida mall plans expansion

Nation's Restaurant News, May 5, 1997 by Whit Smyth

Whit Smyth

AVENTURA, Fla. - Some of America's hottest theme restaurants will join a 24-theater entertainment complex as centerpieces of a 1.1 million-square-foot expansion at Aventura Mall in South Florida, scheduled to open in November.

The restaurants and theater 'will add a whole new element of eating and entertainment in South Florida,' said Ted Siegel, vice president of leasing and operations for Turnberry Associates, managing partner for the mall, which is a joint venture with the Simon DeBartolo Group.

Located in northeastern Dade County between Fort Lauderdale and Miami, the Aventura Mall opened in 1983 and currently includes an 18-unit food court and three sit-down restaurants - Biz Bistro, East Side Mario's and T.G.I. Friday's. The expansion will add Bistecca, Care Tu Tu Tango, Cheesecake Factory, Max's Grill and Rainforest Cafe. A major part of the addition will be the construction of a third level, housing 24 theaters with stadium-style seating. The new restaurants will be on the first and second levels, with half of Rainforest Cafe on the third level, according to Siegel.

With tourists accounting for about 40 percent of the mall's business, Siegel said, it is important to provide 'a combination of tourist and sit-down restaurants.

The new lessees offer a variety of themes and menu choices in sit-down environments. Bistecca is an Italian-style steak house from the Red Zone Restaurant Group in San Mateo, Calif. Miami-based Cafe Tu Tu Tango will feature a casual mix of food and entertainment in a party-style setting. The Cheesecake Factory, based in Calabasas Hills, Calif., will offer a 200-item menu and 50 varieties of cheesecake desserts.

Max's Grille, from Unique Restaurant Concepts, will seat 200 and provide an eclectic mix of American and Continental cuisine. In Rainforest Cafe's 300-seat facility, popularly priced fare will be available in a tropical-rainforest environment, populated with animated wildlife characters.

The expansion almost will double the size of the original 1.2 million-square-foot mall, adding Bloomingdale's and Burdines to anchor stores like Macy's, Lord & Taylor, J.C. Penny and Sears. In addition, 100 new specialty stores will be added to the current roster of 200 specialty tenants.