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The worst financial crisis since theGreat Depression doesn’t sound likea great time to start a multi-milliondollar real estate venture. Yet in 2009,as retail companies across thecountry were reeling, leaving large boxstores in prime shopping locationsvacant, Robinson native and LatitudeGlobal (LGI) CEO, Brent Brown,realized it was just the opportunity hiscompany needed.As early as 2007, the Montour alum’sprivate equity firm, The BrownstoneGroup, had been developing an idea for anentertainment complex around luxury, boutiquebowling. When the real estate bubble popped in 2008,BY DOUG HUGHEYmaking some rather large venueoptions available, LGI settled on aformer Toys-R-Us in Jacksonville,Florida for its first location.The company renovated the 50,000-square-foot building, packing it witheverything from live bands and hightechbowling to a movie theater, andadded LED-lit bubble walls and dark oakaccents.Just months later, the concept attracteda partnership with publicly-tradedEntertainment Partners Trust, which,according to the “Wall Street Journal,” hasbeen searching for ways to expand beyond its breadand butter AMC movie theater management business. With aBELOW: Brent Brown inside Latitude 40 at the bowling lanes still under construction; lower and upper floor diagrams show all the entertainmentvenues inside. PHOTO BY SARAH HUGHEY
BELOW, LEFT TO RIGHT AND BOTTOM: Scenes from inside the new Latitude 40. PHOTOS BY LATITUDE 40$25 million infusion from EPT, LGI is about to open two newlocations in Chicago and Indianapolis, but not before they putthe final touches on its second location in Brent’s old backyardat the Pointe at North Fayette.There, the once weed-strewn Roomful Express building hasgotten a thorough, $14-million facelift, including a new additionto house a theater and patio roof deck. Named after its nearestlatitude line, Latitude 40’s doors opened this month, and, like itssister location in Jacksonville, it features a range ofentertainment options. The promising retail market, along withthe proximity of hotels and the airport, says Brent, played nosmall part in LGI’s decision to invest in his hometown, where hisconcept has created about 190 jobs amidst the tough economy.“I love what they’ve done,” says Brent about the area wherehe grew up, went to high school, and met his wife in eighthgrade. “It’s an amazing change.”Brent says that through his wife, Antonia Zambrano Brown,they’ve retained close familial ties to the area, and that the twohave made frequent trips back with their three children.Recently, they bought a townhome in Centennial Point nearSettler’s Ridge.Last year, Brent’s brother, Kyle, another area native, joinedLGI as its director of venue oversight. Like Brent, Kyle alsograduated from Montour in the 1980s, where both brothersplayed football. While Brent went on to attend the NavalAcademy and quarterback the football team, Kyle played for aseason at the University of Pittsburgh. Brent went on to pursueinvestment banking, while Kyle got into real estate developmentand management.In 2007, Brent teamed up with fellow investors to start TheBrownstone Group, and together they began the hard work oftraveling across the country, checking out similar type venues.Brent says that it actually was a lot of work.“Really, it was a team of professionals who worked very hardto develop the concept,” he says. “It was no one person ormoment. It was a year-long process.”What they came up with was a sprawling, open floor, Vegasstyleformat that encapsulated the best of what they’dexperienced. Latitude 40 features 24 lanes of luxury bowling ontwo floors, 70 arcade games, a sports theater, live music,comedy acts, and a 90-seat, single-screen theater showingsecond-run movies. Cocktail service is available throughout,serving a menu that LGI Business Developer Mike Biogiottidescribes as Neuvo American. That means options like searedand blackened tuna sashimi and ribeye steaks, but not at theexpense of comfort standbys like burgers and pulled porksandwiches.For those preferring a quiet, sit-down dinner, there is also arestaurant downstairs, partitioned off by bubble wallsdampening the sound from a nearby, multi-tiered sports theater,which will show just about any major sports event, includingevery NFL game.Upstairs, past the glass-enclosed wine room, entertainmentseekers can also bowl while listening to live bands and DJ’s.Brent says they’ll have one of either every Friday and Saturdaynight. Or they can check out live comedy and bands in theVegas-style theater. Once the weather improves, the outdoorpatio will also be open.In Jacksonville, Mike says, both theaters have proven popularfor private events. Outfitted with video conferencingequipment, the live theater was 90 percent booked last year withevents ranging from college booster meetings to productannouncements. The movie theater, says Mike, has provenpopular for birthday parties, for which LGI can either downloada movie or hook up a video game system to the theater’senormous screen. Brent says on Sundays it’s commandeered bylocal Steelers fans, who announce their presence by displayinga giant, blow-upSteeler outsidethe venue. Thatmay or may nothave somethingto do with Brentbeing a devotedand life-longSteelers fanhimself.Either way, hesays, “it’s onelocation, endlesspossibilities.From theyoungest to theoldest, they allhave a greattime.”
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