“A Real Blockbuster of a Neighborhood” to feature 214 rental homes;
anchored by Alamo Drafthouse Cinema + Drive-In
FAYETTEVILLE, AR, February 22, 2023 – Premiering in 2024, The Aronson, a much-buzzed-about multifamily, entertainment and retail destination will throw open its doors to Fayetteville and Northwest Arkansas. Starring over two hundred of the regions’ most desirable rental homes, this unique mixed use development will also feature restaurants and the world’s greatest movie theater – the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema + Drive-In. Produced by Catchlight Entertainment, a strategic partnership of the ITEX Group and Time Warp Enterprises, The Aronson will be an entertainment community like no other.
“The Aronson will be a beacon of community and fun for all of Fayetteville and Northwest Arkansas,” said Chris Akbari, Catchlight partner and CEO of ITEX. “Residents will be able to enjoy the convenience of mortgage-and-maintenance-free living in an upscale bike and pedestrian friendly community filled with parks, green spaces and a host of modern amenities.”
The Aronson’s 214 residences will feature a vibrant mix of single, duplex, and triplex homes alongside several garden-style apartment buildings. With conveniences like bike parking, home offices and dedicated garages, the amenity-rich property will also feature a clubhouse, fitness center, pool, playgrounds and dog parks – all just steps from restaurants and movies.
With The Aronson, Fayetteville residents can look forward to exploring a bike-and pedestrian-friendly neighborhood that encapsulates the local penchant for community, excitement, and fun. The Aronson is truly One Blockbuster of a Neighborhood.
The commercial side of The Aronson will be anchored by Arkansas’s first Alamo Drafthouse Cinema + Drive-In. This will not only be the first Alamo Drafthouse in Arkansas, it will also be the company’s first permanent drive-in theater. The Austin-based cinema-eatery will open in 2024 with 798 luxury recliner seats across 8 indoor theaters equipped with 4k digital projection, including The Big Show, Alamo Drafthouse’s Premium Large Format theater with Dolby Atmos sound and 70mm projection capabilities. The drive-in screen will feature parking for cars and bikes and a view from the beer garden.
Like all Alamo Drafthouse cinemas, the new Fayetteville location will offer a scratch-made food menu, local beers on draft, and craft cocktails brought to guests in their seats by stealthy servers trained to not disrupt the movie experience. Speaking of not disrupting the movie, the cinema chain’s famed No Talking/No Texting policy will be in effect at the location to ensure guests can watch films free from annoying distractions.
Guests are encouraged to arrive up to 30 minutes early to screenings for an ad-free preshow with funny clips, informative video essays, and more. Drafthouse is in the name for a reason, and guests will be able to enjoy a cold drink and chatting with other movie fans at the cinema’s standalone bar and beer garden. The bar will have dozens of beers on tap, craft cocktails, and will be set up to host small events, parties, and screenings and the outdoor beer garden will have a view of the drive-in screen.
The Aronson is named for cinema pioneer – and Arkansas native – Max Aronson (screen name Gilbert “Bronco Billy” Anderson). Considered the first film star, Aronson had three roles in the early cinema hit, “The Great Train Robbery” before going on to found Essanay Studios in 1906, where he was both a producer and star. Aronson grew famous starring in hundreds of silent films as Broncho Billy, the first iconic onscreen cowboy. By 1914 he was dubbed “The King of the Movies” and the following year he recruited rising star Charlie Chaplin to Essanay, where he produced the early classic, “The Tramp,” among other Chaplin productions. Aronson also produced the first Laurel & Hardy title. While Aronson left the film world in the late 1910’s, he was recognized for his role as a film industry pioneer with a 1958 Academy Award.
More announcements regarding cinema-inspired elements of The Aronson are planned.
For more: www.TheAronson.co
About Catchlight Entertainment
Catchlight Entertainment is a strategic partnership between Chris Akbari’s ITEX Group and Dave Anderson’s Time Warp Enterprises. Based in Houston, ITEX is a vertically integrated management, construction and development company with a primary focus on developing multi-family and single-family housing in high-growth Sunbelt markets. Time Warp Enterprises is a privately held firm based in Little Rock with deep expertise in entertainment, media and cinema operations.
Founded in 1981, ITEX has developed over 8,000 units in over 60 communities representing more than $800 million in completed developments. The team currently manages over 7,400 luxury and affordable housing units. The development of new communities — from ground-up planning to comprehensive neighborhood revitalizations — is a core component of what ITEX does. ITEX is also recognized as one of America’s “Top Places to Work in Multifamily” and is a fast-growing multifamily developer with a passion for building quality housing and great resident experiences.
Alamo Drafthouse Cinema was founded in 1997 as a single-screen mom and pop repertory theater in Austin, TX. Twenty-six years later, with 39 locations and counting, Alamo Drafthouse has been called “the best theater in America” by Entertainment Weekly and “the best theater in the world” by Wired. Alamo Drafthouse has built a reputation as a movie lover’s oasis not only by combining best-in-class food and drink service with the movie-going experience, but also introducing unique programming and high-profile, star-studded special events. Alamo Drafthouse created Fantastic Fest, a world-renowned genre film festival dubbed “The Geek Telluride” by Variety featuring independents, international filmmakers, and major Hollywood studios. Alamo Drafthouse continues to expand its brand in new and exciting ways, including the American Genre Film Archive, a non-profit film archive dedicated to preserving, restoring and sharing film, and with eight new theaters announced for this year and beyond.
For ITEX Media Inquiries:
CONTACT: John Gonzalez, ITEX john.gonzalez@itexgrp.com 832-941-5353
For Alamo Drafthouse Fayetteville and Corporate/National Media Inquiries:
CONTACT: Brandy Fons brandy@fonspr.com Brad Johnson brad@fonspr.com
