A8 NEWS WEEK OF MAY 7-13, 2020 www.FloridaWeekly.com NAPLES FLORIDA WEEKLY Owner of cinema group building at Coastland Center files for bankruptcy FLORIDA WEEKLY

Certain news outlets including the Wall Street Journal reported this week that the owner of CMX Cinemas has filed for bankruptcy protection. As pre- viously reported in Florida Weekly, a state-of-the-art CMX Cinébistro movie theater is currently being built on the footprint of the former Sears store at Coastland Center mall in Naples. According to an April 27 article about the bankruptcy filing from The Real Deal, which reports on real estate news, Miami-based Cinemex Holdings USA filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in Miami. The company is owned by Mexico-based Grupo Cinemex SA de CV, which controls CMX Cinemas with 41 locations in the Midwest, Northeast and the South, Real Deal reported. CMX Cinemas had planned to open new locations at Wrigleyville in Chi- cago; American Dream Mall in East Rutherford, New Jersey; and Coastland Center in Naples this year, according to its website. The Wall Street Journal reported that the owner of CMX Cinemas filed for bankruptcy protection saying it needs breathing room from movie studios and landlords because of the economic cri- ERIC STRACHAN / FLORIDA WEEKLY sis triggered by the coronavirus pan- Workmen were on the jobsite Tuesday where the CMX Cinébistro movie theater is under construction at Coastland Center mall. demic. In a statement, CMX Cin- thet country, the Miami Herald As reported by Real Deal’s Keith er, Scotia Bank, HSBC Mexico, and SAB- emas said it had experienced a reported. Larsen, Cinemex Holdings USA has Capital, the bankruptcy filing showed. “total suspension of our busi- Florida Weekly observed $100 million to $500 million in both The company’s real estate affiliate ness” due to the COVID-19 pan-n construction still in progress assets and liabilities, according to the Cinemex USA Real Estate Holdings Inc. demic, which has led to the closure of on Tuesday at the Coastland Center bankruptcy filing. Its largest unsecured also filed for bankruptcy. ■ most non-essential businesses across theater site. creditors are four banks: BBVA Bancom-

GUEST COMMENTARY DID YOU KNOW? NCEF a connector of resources within Collier County during COVID-19

BY MARIA JIMENEZ-LARA Chapin partnered Naples Children & Education Foundation CEO in recent weeks with another NCEF Thanks to the vision of our trustees beneficiary, Boys and supporters and their belief in our & Girls Club of cause, the Naples Children & Educa- Collier County, to tion Foundation is positioned as a criti- distribute kits and cal lifeline and connector for nonprofit bags of food from organizations in Collier County during its mobile pantry. the COVID-19 pandemic. JIMENEZ-LARA The club closed NCEF partners with community its program opera- organizations and leaders on a range tions but allowed Harry Chapin to of issues such as help finding resourc- use its Bolch Campus in Immokalee es, guidance on decision-making and as a mobile distribution center once identifying needs in the community. a week. Additionally, earlier in the The safety net of services NCEF has crisis, the Bolch Campus and Nichols developed over the past 20 years is Campus in East Naples each became SHUTTERSTOCK PHOTO fully deployed and the organizations a drive-thru meal distribution site. For A bridge from the Florida Overseas Railroad still stands on the route to Key West. we fund have mobilized quickly to meet families who could not find transpor- demands that change almost daily. tation, employees delivered meals to NCEF’s Hunger Initiative was their homes. There once was a train established in 2012 with the goal of NCEF is working with early learn- providing nutritious food to children ing, hunger and out-of-school time that crossed waters to Key West and families who struggle with food partners to identify and share child- insecurity — the fear of not knowing oriented resources for children and Industrialist Henry Flagler had a dream The project, also dubbed “Flagler’s where their next meal will come from. their families in Collier County. Agen- of connecting the Florida Keys to the rest Folly,” cost more than $50 million and In light of recent food shortages due cies include Collier County Public of the state by rail. was hailed as the “Eighth Wonder of the to increased demand, families in need Schools, Boys & Girls Club and Cal With construction of the Panama Canal World” because of the engineering inno- must now cope with even more chal- Ripken, Sr. Foundation. We encourage around the turn of the last century, Flagler vations required to see it to completion. lenges to put food on their tables. families with children to reach out to saw potential in Key West as the closest Flagler died in 1913, and the Overseas Harry Chapin Food Bank, one of the school district for additional edu- U.S. deep-water port to Panama. He had Railroad itself did not endure. NCEF’s partners, is the largest hun- cational needs. hoped the city could take advantage of The Labor Day hurricane of 1935 washed ger-relief network in Southwest Flor- NCEF’s investments in the com- the increased potential for trade with the away 40 miles of track and the bankrupt ida serving Collier, Charlotte, Hendry, munity have allowed such agencies West Coast of the United States, as well as Florida East Coast Railway was unable to Glades and Lee counties, each relying to pivot their programming to virtual Latin America. rebuild it. The roadbed and bridges were on its fleet of 17 refrigerated trucks to programming. From virtual mentoring Construction on the Florida Overseas sold to the state of Florida, which used distribute donated food. During this and tutoring by phone calls, classes via Railroad began in 1905 and continued them to construct the Overseas Highway challenging period, Harry Chapin has Zoom, telepsychology and more, our through 1912, when Flagler himself rode for automobile traffic. been distributing “Harry’s Helping most vulnerable children are still able the first train from the mainland to Key Many of those bridges were replaced in Kits” that contain roughly 20 pounds to access these much-needed resourc- West, where he was celebrated as a hero. the 1980s, but you still can see the remains of food and provide a family of four es during this unprecedented time. Builders had to struggle through three of the Overseas Railroad as you drive with meals for five days. To make a donation to NCEF, visit devastating hurricanes during the seven through the Keys. Many are now used as To reach those in need, Harry www.NaplesWineFestival.com. ■ years of construction. fishing piers and pedestrian walkways. ■