KERASOTES SHOWPLACE THEATRE, HARTZ MOUNTAIN INDUSTRIES INC. BREAK GROUND ON 14-SCREEN THEATRE AT HARMON MEADOW

Special event caps the dramatic redevelopment of Harmon Meadow

Assistant Vice President Senior Credit Analyst for M&T Bank John Saltos , Assistant Vice President of Structured Real Estate Finance for M&T Bank Lissa Salgado, Meadowlands Chamber of Commerce President James Kirkos, Executive Vice President – Finance and Leasing of Hartz Mountain Industries Inc. Gus Milano, President and Chief Operating Officer of Hartz Mountain Emanuel Stern, Secaucus Mayor Dennis Elwell, and Director of Real Estate for Kerasotes ShowPlace Theatres Bob Gallivan pose before the site of the Kerasotes ShowPlace Theatre in Harmon Meadow, which is slated to open in the Fall of 2009. Toys ‘R’ Us & Babies ‘R’ Us, a combination superstore, and TJ Maxx will open this Fall 2008 at the Mill Creek Mall redevelopment site in Harmon Meadow in Secaucus. Sports Authority will open at the Mill Creek Mall in the Spring of 2009.

   In an event that put the final puzzle piece of the redevelopment of Harmon Meadow in place, Hartz Mountain Industries Inc. and Kerasotes ShowPlace Theatres broke ground on a 14-screen, state-of-the-art stadium style theatre on Tuesday, Aug. 12.

            The grand opening of the new Kerasotes ShowPlace, a stadium-style multiplex theatre with 2,752 seats, is planned for the Fall of 2009.

    Among the officials who attended the event were Meadowlands Chamber of Commerce President James Kirkos, President and Chief Operating Officer of Hartz Mountain Emanuel Stern, Secaucus Mayor Dennis Elwell, Director of Real Estate for Kerasotes ShowPlace Theatres Bob Gallivan, Assistant Vice President of Structured Real Estate Finance for M&T Bank Lissa Salgado, Assistant Vice President Senior Credit Analyst for M&T Bank John Saltos, and Executive Vice President – Finance and Leasing of Hartz Mountain Gus Milano.

            “Harmon Meadow is one of the most important tourist destinations in the region, and a state-of-the-art movie theatre like the Kerasotes ShowPlace Theatre completes its winning mix of retail, office, restaurants and entertainment,” Kirkos said.

The groundbreaking featured the unveiling of the newly renovated Plaza Courtyard, a picturesque pedestrian walkway and park surrounded by cafes, stores, restaurants, offices, The Holiday Inn and other hotels.

Hartz Mountain’s redevelopment of the Plaza included a replica of the world famous Chartre Labyrinth (pronounced Shart), which resides inside the Notre Dame de Chartres Cathedral, 45 miles southwest of Paris.  A marker dedicating the Hartz Labyrinth was unveiled at the groundbreaking.

“Labyrinths have their origin in prehistoric times and offer an opportunity for reflection and recreation, which is what our Plaza offers our office tenants and our visitors,” said Emanuel Stern, President and Chief Operating Officer of Hartz Mountain.  “We’ve updated the Plaza with a reminder of one of the very first and most basic manmade gathering places.”

            With the addition of the state-of-the-art Kerasotes ShowPlace stadium style theatre, Harmon Meadow will be the area’s premier location for shopping, entertainment, dining and recreation.

            “This new theatre truly elevates Harmon Meadow to the prime go-to location for the area,” said Stern. “It is an unbeatable combination of amenities – the showplace state-of-the-art movie theatre opening in the Fall of 2009, the addition of Babies ‘R’ Us, Toys ‘R’ Us, TJ Maxx and Sports Authority, restaurants to suit any taste, shopping and free parking.”

            “We’re tremendously excited to bring the first Kerasotes ShowPlace Theatre to New Jersey and make our debut opening in Harmon Meadow,” said Dean Kerasotes, Chief Operating Officer of Kerasotes ShowPlace Theatres.  “We look forward to bringing our outstanding theatre to Harmon Meadow.”

            Constructed in 1984, Harmon Meadow was a breakthrough in suburban development – a mixed-use development three miles from Manhattan that attracted the region’s best office, retail and restaurant tenants over the years. New retailers and restaurants in Harmon Meadow include Wal-Mart, Sam’s Club, Marshalls, Linens ‘n Things, AC Moore, HomeGoods, PetSmart with a PetsHotel, Bonefish Grill, Red Lobster, Chipotle Mexican Grill, Cheeseburger In Paradise, Chili’s and Starbucks.

Further, Toys ‘R’ Us & Babies ‘R’ Us, a combination superstore, and TJ Maxx will open this Fall 2008 at the Mill Creek Mall redevelopment site in Harmon Meadow in Secaucus. Sports Authority will open at the Mill Creek Mall in the Spring of 2009.

Harmon Meadow contains 3.5 million sq. ft. of commercial space, including 7 hotels, over a dozen restaurants, the Meadowlands Exposition Center, an office park, and retail.

            “We’re very supportive of what Hartz has done with Harmon Meadow, and we’re very pleased to have such a productive relationship with them in our community,” Mayor Elwell said. “I want to welcome Kerasotes ShowPlace Theatres. We’re very impressed with their plan, and we’re eager to have them as our new resident.”

 

 

About Hartz Mountain Industries   

Headquartered in Secaucus, NJ, Hartz Mountain Industries, Inc. owns and manages one of the largest privately held commercial real estate portfolios in the United States, comprised of approximately 200 properties and totaling more than 38 million sq. ft. in the northern New Jersey/New York area.  Hartz employs a comprehensive approach to real estate that is facilitated by its full-scale in-house departments for leasing, management, finance, acquisition, architecture, construction, development, planning, and marketing, design and property management.  By controlling the development process end-to-end, the company strives to remain at the forefront of commercial, industrial, retail and hotel development. For more information, visit their web site at www.hartzmountain.com.

 

About Kerasotes ShowPlace Theatres, LLC

Kerasotes ShowPlace Theatres, LLC is the sixth largest motion picture exhibitor in the United States. Founded in 1909, the company grew from a single storefront nickelodeon in Springfield, Illinois to one of the industry’s premier companies.  Based in Chicago, Kerasotes ShowPlace Theatres is managed by third generation family, Tony and Dean Kerasotes, who have directed the company’s aggressive growth since the late 1980’s.  Kerasotes ShowPlace Theatres operates 100 theatres with 944 screens in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, Colorado and Wisconsin.