Big changes are coming to Big Newport.
The Newport Beach Planning Commission unanimously approved plans to redevelop the long-standing Regal Edwards Big Newport movie theater site near Fashion Island into a pair of high-end, high-rise residential towers.
Irvine-based Related California plans to raze the theater and a neighboring fitness facility at 210 and 300 Newport Center Drive, and replace them with 22-story condominium towers on the 4.17-acre site.
The development would include 150 for-sale units, ranging from two to four bedrooms and 2,100 to 6,400 square feet in the city’s Newport Center district, according to the city staff report.
Gino Canori, chief executive and president of Related California, told the commissioners that the residential project will be part of the Newport Center’s evolution into a premier mixed-use destination.
“The new use of this site will enhance Newport Center for generations to come,” he said.
The approval reflects a broader shift occurring across Orange County, where aging entertainment and retail properties are being redeveloped into residential projects as demand for housing and land values rise.
Changes in Entertainment
For many Orange County and Newport Beach residents, the Regal Edwards Big Newport has been a gathering place.
Since 1969, when it first opened, the movie theater has been a spot for first dates, family nights and other occasions to catch the premieres of “Star Wars,” “The Godfather” and “Titanic.”
“Lines would be around the block,” said James Edwards III, whose father, James Edwards Jr., founded Edwards Theater, now called Regal Cinemas. The company changed hands in the 2000s.
But times have changed, Edwards III lamented to the planning commission. First TV, then VCRs and home rentals, and now streaming, he said.
“Altogether, all of these things have led to a decline in movie attendance here and nationally,” he said, adding that attendance has declined every year for the past 20 years before COVID-19 decimated the business, which hasn’t recovered since then.
“Unfortunately, Big Newport is not immune to those conditions,” he said.
Edwards III said his family decided to sell the property to Related California and not extend Regal’s license agreement beyond June 2027, but the movie theater wants out at the end of this year.
“My dad used to say, ‘If you’re in the buggy whip business around the 1900s, you might want to think about something different,’” Edwards III joked.
“With the changing trend, our family wants to honor dad’s passion to create something special on this property, something powerful and iconic,” he added.
Related California Project
Under the proposal, the two towers would rise to 270 feet and sit atop a podium containing parking spaces, retail or café space and small office units designed for live-work use.
Amenities include pools, fitness areas and gathering spaces for residents.
The development features 343 parking spaces and a gated entrance with valet drop-off.
Related officials said there are suggestions to preserve some of the theater’s artifacts and incorporate them into the new development, but those have not been finalized.
