Luxury cinemas to debut at Sarasota mall

SARASOTA — The ongoing renovations of Westfield Southgate, a mall south of downtown Sarasota, has secured its latest tenant: Cobb Theaters, which will open a seven-screen CineBistro complex at the mall next year.

The 35,000 square-foot CineBistro, according to a release, has oversized, reclining leather chairs and in-theater full service dining from an American Bistro-style menu. CineBistro will also have a bar, dining lounge and patio that will be open to moviegoers and any other guests. The movies will be first-run films and independent films.

“Cobb Theatres has a long tradition of innovation and commitment to the guest experience, and takes pride in providing our guests with the most convenient and sophisticated forms of entertainment,” Cobb Theatres COO Jeremy Welman says in the statement. “We will be positioned in the best location in the trade area, and we look forward to serving the Gulf Coast residents and the millions of tourists that visit each year.”

Birmingham, Ala.-based Cobb operates three other CineBistro locations in Florida, including one in Hyde Park Village in Tampa and one in Wesley Chapel. “Cobb has a great track record of opening CineBistro at various location across the country, and we are very happy to have them join Westfield Southgate and our successful lineup of retail brands,” Westfield Southgate General Manager Jim Ralston says in the release.