COSM Theater Attraction Coming to Centennial Yards
The project utilizes an innovative video projection system developed by COSM.
Centennial Yards, the large-scale redevelopment project situated in Atlanta’s central business district, has taken a significant step toward becoming a major entertainment center. Officials with the 50-acre real estate project that fronts Centennial Olympic Park announced they have signed a long-term lease with COSM, an entertainment technology company based in Los Angeles, to create a 70,000-square-foot theater attraction using new image projection technology.
The project, with seating on three levels, incorporates what is called Shared Reality to project live sports programming and experiential entertainment on a round 87-foot LED dome that creates a lifelike 12K+ image that surrounds the audience. It’s a far cry from traditional flat screen movie theater projection systems and more like a radically updated version of projection systems that have a long history at major planetariums around the world.
Brian McGowan, president of the Centennial Yards project, described the technology as an opportunity to give sports fans and concert goers up close and intimate entertainment.
“We believe Centennial Yards will become the center of gravity for entertainment in Atlanta, connecting people of all ages with an incredible combination of sporting events, music, bars, restaurants and retail.”
This is the third such structure that COSM has built. The first in Los Angeles features a broad spectrum of sport programming, from horse racing to ice hockey and UFC mixed martial arts matches. The venture has partnerships with ESPN, NBA, NBC Sports, TNT Sports, FOX Sports, and other networks that allow guests to experience live Shared Reality productions of the biggest sports events in the world.
There’s also what are called immersive art and entertainment experiences. The first three of these sound and image projections were created by a team of new media artists; a second features a simulated voyage through the physical universe; and the third is “O,” a new Cirque du Soleil show that explores the new communal projection format. A second COSM dome opens in Dallas on Aug. 31.
Pricing at the new Dallas facility begins with standing room only tickets inside the dome for $39, then jumps to reserved seating priced from $77 to $127 for the Week 1 college football games. A Hall Pass, which admits customers to a full-service bar with a large LED display, but not the LED dome, starts at $22.
The CEO and president of COSM, Jeb Terry, believes the new attraction will bring crowds to a downtown area of the city that already offers a rich assortment of attractions.
“The COSM at Centennial Yards is the perfect complement to the State Farm Arena, Mercedes-Benz Stadium and Atlanta Convention Center to help make Centennial Yards the sports and entertainment capital of the South.”
The Centennial Yards mixed-use renewal project is among the largest such developments in the nation. It’s aimed to revitalize an area known as The Gulch that was once the junction of several rail lines. It has long been shunned by Atlanta residents but is now on the verge of becoming one of the city’s hottest properties.
Construction has already begun on a boutique hotel and residential tower, each of which are 19 stories and additional retail and residential structures are set to break ground later this year. It’s expected to eventually offer four million square feet of new commercial space, and another four million square feet for residential. The project is expected to cost in the neighborhood of $5 billion.
The Centennial Yards Company serves as the master developer of Centennial Yards and consists of a partnership between an affiliate of CIM Group. The co-founder and one of the principles in the CIM group, Shaul Kuba, sees the development as a transformative project.
“At Centennial Yards, we have the opportunity to reshape a major area of Atlanta as a walkable and appealing destination for residents and visitors, and key to that effort is bringing unique and engaging businesses such as COSM that attract people to the district,”
Among the other principles in the CIM group is Tony Ressler. The Los Angeles based businessman is also a major investor in a group that bought the Atlanta Hawks NBA franchise nine years ago. He also has a minority interest in the Milwaukee Brewers baseball team.
He is the co-founder of the giant private investment fund, Apollo Global Management, with his brother-in-law Leon Black. He founded an investment firm, Ares Management that has more than $400 billion in assets. Forbes estimates his net worth at $10.4 billion.
comments