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Grove Theater now open in Wesley Chapel
By Kevin Weiss kweiss@lakerlutznews.com
Streaming movies from the comfort of home has undoubtedly surged in recent years — and only ramped up more in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. But, at least one local movie theater is trying to change this behavioral shift, by cultivating unique entertainment experiences not found from your sofa.
After a six-monthlong makeover totaling upwards of $6 million, Grove Theater, Bistro and Entertainment is ready for action — reopening with 50% capacity on Feb. 19, at 6333 Wesley Chapel Blvd., in Wesley Chapel. Billed as a movie theater of the future, the two-story, 85,000-square-foot complex takes a swiss army knife approach to amusement. Formerly called the Cobb Grove 16 Theatre, the newly updated space has a little
bit of everything. Anchored by 12 movie theaters (some with fully reclining seats), the complex also features the following amenities: • Upscale bistro restaurant and bar with in-movie dining • Sushi bar • Spin bike room • Comedy club See GROVE, page 9A
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State testing should not be punitive, board members say
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The renovated Grove Theater, Bistro and Entertainment in Wesley Chapel is now open on weekends with limited capacity. The two-story, 85,000-square-foot complex is billed as a movie theater of the future — featuring 12 movie theaters with fully reclining seats, an upscale bistro restaurant and bar with in-movie dining, sushi bar, spin bike room, comedy club, acting studio, 40-plus game arcade and kid’s birthday party room.
By B.C. Manion bcmanion@lakerlutznews.com
Florida education officials have given school districts additional time to administer the Florida Standards Assessments, known as FSA for short. But, the Pasco County School Board wants to avoid penalizing its teachers, students or schools based on results from the assessments. Board member Alison Crumbley raised the issue during the board’s meeting on Feb. 16. “In my opinion, the FSA testing is possibly going to be more valuable than ever this year because we need to find out our strengths and our weaknesses, and everything during the COVID year, and find where we need extra work or what have you. “But, for school grade assessment and high stakes assessment, personally, I think they should be put on hold,” Crumbley said. “Teachers I don’t feel should be held responsible when their MSOL (MySchool Online) students aren’t participating well, and they’re struggling, for example, and our school grades, I don’t see how they can be considered accurate, during these COVID-related times,” Crumbley said. She asked the board to put those requests in the district’s legislative platform, and for the board to pass a resolution on the issue. Other board members agreed. School board member Megan Harding said,“I just know from hearing from our teachers. Mrs. Crumbley, especially the MySchool Online teachers, they still have kiddos that are not showing up. And they’re being tested and that’s part of their evaluation.” Crumbley responded: “It’s really not fair to them, in my opinion.” School board member Colleen Beaudoin concurred: “I agree with you, too. I support us trying to do something.” School board member Cynthia Armstrong told her colleagues: “Just so you know, that is on the FSBA (Florida School Boards Association) platform — that although testing is important, that we really curb the punitive damages that the test results could have on students, and on teachers and school grades and See TESTING, page 9A
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Fully reclining seats and an in-theater dining service are just some of the many features at the renovated Grove Theater, Bistro and Entertainment in Wesley Chapel. Private theater rentals also are available.
Spin bike classes take place in one of the former first-floor theaters, where exercisers get the benefit of surround sound, projector screen and stadium experience. There are options for a live instructor, virtual reality settings and even full-length feature films while spinning.
KEVIN WEISS
In addition to seeing a movie, comedy show or play, Grove Theater offers a 40-plus game arcade space for children and adults, housed in the first-floor lobby.
An entertainment venue in downtown Zephyrhills? By Kevin Weiss kweiss@lakerlutznews.com
Downtown Zephyrhills could get a little louder and livelier in the next year or so — if a proposed project pushes through. The City of Zephyrhills is considering the creation of its own entertainment backyard featuring food trucks, vendor carts, games, live music, public art installations and various seating areas. Picture it as a scaled-down version of the popular Sparkman Wharf waterfront venue in downtown Tampa’s Channelside. The Zephyrhills concept, called “Little But Loud,” would be developed on a 150foot by 60-foot city-owned vacant lot at the corner of Sixth Avenue and Eighth Street. The site was once home to a Disabled American Veterans chapter building, and is situated just a block north of Fifth Avenue and adjacent to Zephyrhills City Hall. Gail Hamilton, director of the Zephyrhills Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA), presented two concept renderings at a CRA meeting in January. The first concept shows semi-rigid covered seating, covered seating area, food cart court, game lawn/overflow seating, outdoor seating and food truck access. The second concept shows an event stage/elevated seating area, mobile high-top seating, food and vendor stalls, a semi-rigid overhead structure and raised concrete deck, food truck access and a versatile event lawn. As for parking, eventgoers could use the nearby City Hall parking lot on nights and weekends. Main Street Zephyrhills Inc., would likely be tasked with managing Little But Loud, and with arranging the venue’s programming. The scope of work and budget are not yet final. No start date has been determined, either, but it’s possible the project could be completed by the end of the year, if the initiative gains the CRA Board of Commissioners’ approval. Hamilton said the new venue would generate downtown foot traffic and “create a sense of community,” by giving locals and visitors a multi-use entertainment space on weekends.
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‘Little But Loud’ entertainment venue concept renderings were presented by Zephyrhills Community Redevelopment Agency Director Gail Hamilton at a January meeting. This one shows semi-rigid covered seating, covered seating area, food cart court, game lawn/overflow seating, outdoor seating and food truck access.
It also gives the city an opportunity to use “a beautiful lot” that is currently vacant. “People would want to come, especially in the spring and in the winter when we have beautiful days, to sit out, listen to some music, have something to eat, come downtown.The idea is to create an attraction to get people to come downtown,” said Hamilton. She thinks the project also would encourage residents and visitors to explore other areas of the city, including the historic downtown business district through Fifth Avenue. Hamilton observed: “This is not to exclude any of the businesses on Fifth Avenue. It’s not to cut them out, it’s to get some activity going here, so that everybody who comes here goes to the restaurants and stores that surround it.You get up, you walk around — it’s a way for people to explore downtown Zephyrhills that maybe have never been here. “It would bring people in that would go and shop, and try a craft beer that didn’t even know there was a microbrewery down here (at Zephyrhills Brewing Company).” The intimate property — purchased by
the city in 2017 — was originally anticipated to be developed into some type of retail/office space — which remains a future option. However, Hamilton noted that option is not feasible yet, in the midst of the COVID19 pandemic. The lot also could be reserved for some type of apartment or residential concept, but Hamilton doesn’t believe that’s a best use. “If we wanted to do apartments, we could probably do apartments, but in the long run, that’s not what’s best for downtown, that’s not what’s best for the core of the city,” Hamilton told the CRA board. If and when the time comes to redevelop the small lot, Hamilton said the Little But Loud concept could simply be relocated to another area of the city, perhaps Zephyr Park on Fifth Avenue. “It’s a way for us to engage that lot without spending a tremendous amount of money, and when the market gets to the point where we want to build a building on that space, all of it can be picked up and moved somewhere else,” Hamilton exSee VENUE, page 9A