Wednesday October 13, 11:31 am Eastern Time
Walt Disney Company Press Release
Presenting "Downtown Disney"
Disneyland Resort Confirms First Tenants For Retail, Dining and
Entertainment Complex
ANAHEIM, Calif.--Oct. 13, 1999-- Representatives of The Disneyland
Resort and of some of the nation's most innovative quality restaurant,
entertainment and retail operations met Wednesday to announce the first
tenants for "Downtown Disney'' the 300,000-plus square-foot retail,
dining and entertainment district to be built in Anaheim adjacent to
Disneyland and its new theme park, Disney's California Adventure.
The new complex is part of Disney's $1.4 billion expansion of The
Disneyland Resort, to be completed and opened in early 2001.
Tenants who have committed to the project so far include American
Multi-Cinema Inc. of Los Angeles, House of Blues of Hollywood, La Brea
Bakery of Los Angeles, Naples Ristorante and Pizzeria by Restaurant
Associates of New York, the Patina Group restaurateurs of Los Angeles,
Rainforest Cafe of Minneapolis, Ralph Brennan's Jazz Kitchen by The Ralph
Brennan Restaurant Group of New Orleans and Y Arriba! Y Arriba! Latin
dining and entertainment of Miami. Also confirmed are the Disney-branded
venues ESPN Zone and World of Disney.
"We are very pleased with the quality, diversity and reputation of
the anchor tenants who have committed to join us at Downtown Disney,''
said Cynthia Harriss, executive vice president, The Disneyland Resort.
"These venues will provide an eclectic mix of experiences not only
for resort guests and conventioneers, but also for local residents.''
Located at the heart of The Disneyland Resort, Downtown Disney will
occupy a magnificent pedestrian esplanade stretching from the gates of the
two Disney theme parks westward to the hotels within The Disneyland
Resort. The non-gated area will create a third major element of The
Disneyland Resort in the form of a lush, garden-like complex by day that
transforms to a bright glittery zone at night.
"Downtown Disney will possess its own unique 'sense of place,'
evoking the feeling of stepping into a garden paradise,'' said Timur
Galen, senior vice president and general manager of Walt Disney
Imagineering. ``Its lush environment connects the expanded Disneyland
Resort and embodies our vision for the guest experience which the entire
complex will offer.''
The initial Downtown Disney tenants represent a wide array of unique
retail, dining and entertainment experiences. American Multi-Cinema Inc.,
based in Los Angeles, is a nationwide operator of multiplex cinemas and
entertainment centers. Its Downtown Disney project will be a 12-screen
megaplex theater, featuring stadium-style seating and the finest amenities
for moviegoers.
Hollywood-based House of Blues will offer a unique twist on its
blues-jazz based restaurant and club, featuring Delta-inspired cuisine and
a variety of music. The chain operates seven other restaurants and clubs
nationwide.
Rainforest Cafe of Minneapolis will present one of its themed
restaurants, Rainforest Cafe, A Wild Place to Shop and Eat®, to Downtown
Disney guests. Rainforest Cafe offers unique food, entertainment and
retail components in a setting that recreates a tropical rain forest using
a combination of live and animated wildlife and other special effects.
The Ralph Brennan Restaurant Group, a staple of the New Orleans'
fine-dining restaurant scene, will bring its Jazz Kitchen to Downtown
Disney. Ralph Brennan's Jazz Kitchen will combine a spicy mix of New
Orleans traditional foods along with hot jazz.
Los Angeles-based Patina Group, known through Southern California for
the European-influenced fine cuisine served in its Patina and Pinot
restaurants, will launch a unique concept for a fine dining venue at
Downtown Disney. The two-story restaurant will serve the flavors of the
Mediterranean in a casual yet elegant environment.
New York City-based Restaurant Associates will bring an authentic taste
of Southern Italy to Downtown Disney in its Naples Ristorante and
Pizzeria. The restaurant will feature an open kitchen in which diners can
observe the preparation of a variety of Italian dishes, including pizza
baked in wood-burning ovens.
La Brea Bakery, known throughout Los Angeles for its unique breads and
pastries, will bring the bakery/cafe concept to Downtown Disney. The La
Brea team is currently designing an imaginative venue for its first
venture into Orange County.
Y Arriba! Y Arriba!, a unique tapas-teatro combining Latin dishes with
live entertainment and dancing, is being created for Downtown Disney by a
partnership led by the Miami-based Cachaldora/Currais family, whose most
recent success has been Club Tropigala in Miami Beach.
Disney-owned ESPN Zone will bring the ultimate sports dining and
entertainment experience to Downtown Disney. The Zone is composed of three
distinct yet integrated components: the Studio Grill, serving great
American grill food in an authentic ESPN studio setting; the Screening
Room, offering any game on the air in the ultimate sports-viewing
environment; and the Sports Arena, which challenges fans with the latest
in interactive and competitive attractions.
Rounding out the first wave of tenants announced for Downtown Disney is
the World of Disney. At 40,000 square-feet, World of Disney will be one of
the biggest Disney shopping experiences on Earth, second only to its
sister store at Walt Disney World in Florida. It will offer a vast and
diverse range of Disney toys, souvenirs, accessories and collectibles in a
variety of colorful and imaginatively decorated themed shopping areas.
Contact: Disneyland Press & Publicity 714/781-4500
New 12-Screen AMC Megaplex Theatre Planned for
Downtown Disney Development in Anaheim
ANAHEIM, Calif.--Oct. 13, 1999--AMC Theatres has announced plans to
build a 12-screen AMC megaplex theatre within the 300,000-plus-square-foot
Downtown Disney retail, dining and entertainment district at the expanded
Disneyland Resort in Anaheim.
The AMC Downtown Disney 12, scheduled to open in early 2001, will offer
Los Angeles-area moviegoers the finest customer amenities featuring
stadium-style seating and the most dynamic screen presentation available,
along with a greater choice of films and viewing times. AMC also operates
a 24-screen megaplex theatre in the Westside entertainment district at
Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, and has been selected to operate a
theatre in Ikspiari at Tokyo Disney Resort.
"An AMC megaplex fits naturally into Disney's destination
developments, and we're delighted to continue our longstanding
relationship with Disney and their theme parks,'' said Philip M.
Singleton, president and chief operating officer of American Multi-
Cinema, Inc. "Downtown Disney's retail and dining components will
create excellent synergies with our state-of-the-art entertainment
experience of the AMC megaplex.''
Located in the heart of the Disneyland Resort, Downtown Disney will be
an entertainment mecca of themed shopping, dining, nightclubs and other
entertainment venues, all within walking distance for guests,
conventioneers and local residents. Downtown Disney will become a unique
gathering place, connecting two theme parks -- the all-new Disney's
California Adventure and Disneyland -- along with The Disneyland Resort
Hotels.
The AMC Downtown Disney12 is a megaplex featuring wall-to-wall screens
in 12 auditoriums in a 60,000-square-foot building, with stadium-style
seating of more than 3,000 LoveSeat-style seats with AMC's signature
cupholders. Box office services include "Will Call'' and 3-day
advance ticket purchase with credit card.
AMC Entertainment Inc. is a leader in the theatrical exhibition
industry. Through its circuit of AMC Theatres, the Company operates 215
theatres with 2,792 screens in 23 states, the District of Columbia, Hong
Kong, Japan, Portugal, Spain and Canada. Its Common Stock trades on the
American Stock Exchange under the symbol AEN. The Company, headquartered
in Kansas City, Mo., has a website at www.amctheatres.com.
Any forward-looking statements contained in this release, which reflect
management's best judgment based on factors currently known, involve risks
and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially from those
anticipated in the forward-looking statements included herein as a result
of a number of factors, including, but not limited to, the Company's
ability to enter into various financing programs, competition from other
companies, demographic changes, changes in economic climate, increase in
demand for real estate, construction delays, the ability to open new
theatres and screens as currently planned, changes in real estate, zoning
and tax laws, the performance of films licensed by the Company and other
risks and uncertainties.
Contact: AMC Entertainment Inc., Kansas City, Mo. /
Brenda Nolte, 816/221-4000
Y Arriba! Y Arriba! - Disney Goes Latin!
Hot New Latin Dining and Entertainment Concept To Be Introduced at
Downtown Disney, Anaheim
MIAMI, Fla.--Oct. 13, 1999-- Y Arriba Y Arriba, Downtown Disney's new
Latin dining and entertainment concept at The Disneyland Resort in
Anaheim, California, will be a unique 600-seat tapas-teatro. The menu will
feature tapas the snack-sized dishes that are a favorite throughout the
Latin world while the teatro will feature live entertainment including
concerts by Latin stars of today and tomorrow.
Y Arriba Y Arriba is the latest milestone in the world of Latin dining
and entertainment for the Cachaldora/Currais family - a journey that
started in Cuba nearly 200 years ago when their ancestors arrived from
Spain and opened their first restaurant. The family's most recent success
has been Club Tropigala, the world-famous Latin supper club in the heart
of Miami Beach.
"To continue our success into the 21st century, we recognized that
we would need to grow in a different way,'' says Jose Cachaldora, an
operating partner of Club Tropigala, and family leader in this new
concept. "Fortunately, we found neighbors in Miami who provided just
what we needed when they joined the team.''
Pat McBride, an entertainment center designer, whose credits include
Cafe Tu Tu Tango and The American Wilderness Experience, joined the team,
as did David Klein, who is experienced in new brand development. The
partnership was completed by Barry Gibbons, former Chairman and CEO of
Burger King Corp., who is Chairman of the Board of Directors for the new
company.
"This is FAR from being just another theme restaurant,'' says
Gibbons. "We believe our dining experience will be unique, with
universal appeal, and we will add to that with an ever-changing mix of
live Latin entertainment and imagery.''
The name Y Arriba Y Arriba reflects what this unique team is trying To
achieve. The phrase has a secure place in musical history as the rousing
cry in the middle of the song "La Bamba.'' Although its literal
translation is about "overcoming'' or "conquering,'' today it
means almost anything you want it to.
"That is exactly what we want our new concept to be,'' says Jorge
Currais, fifth-generation descendant of the founder of La Zaragozana, the
historic first family restaurant in Cuba. "We want everybody to get
something different from a visit to Y Arriba Y Arriba - whether it be the
food, drink, decor or entertainment; whether they just have fun or learn
something about Latin history and culture. We plan to make YArriba Y
Arriba a memorable experience.''
Y Arriba Y Arriba will showcase the varied cultures, countries and
history of the Latin world. The restaurant's decor will feature
interesting and intriguing Latin paintings, sculpture and crafts. The
18,000-square-foot entertainment center will have several bars and a
coffee area, as well as a branded merchandise sales facility, where
patrons can purchase t-shirts, caps and a variety of other items.
Y Arriba Y Arriba will capitalize on the rapid demographic growth of
Hispanics in the United States. By the year 2020, Hispanics are expected
to be 18 percent of the total population, making the U.S. the second
biggest Latin nation behind Mexico. In Los Angeles and Miami, Hispanics
already represent more than 35 percent of the population. Nation's
Restaurant News recently identified Latin foods as "ready for
meteoric growth in the U.S.'' -- a trend that will clearly benefit Y
Arriba Y Arriba.
NOTE TO MEDIA: For full release in Spanish, call Claudia Figueredo at
305/341-3430.
Contact: The Ward Group, Miami Allison Ward, 305/445-6220 Pager:
888/975-5738 Email: wardgroup@mindspring.com
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