Site Cleared for $50M EVO Entertainment Destination in Downtown Clearwater

The future site of the $50 million EVO Family Entertainment Center has now been fully cleared, completing the first major construction milestone for downtown Clearwater’s future entertainment anchor.

Located on the 700 block of Cleveland Street along the Pinellas Trail, the 1.6-acre site has been cleared following the demolition of five existing structures—preparing the property for the next phase of development.

This was not cosmetic progress.

It was the essential work required to move the project beyond demolition and toward construction.

Demolition was completed in June—one month ahead of the project’s original public target of July 2026 and just 60 days after the City of Clearwater issued demolition permits.

The completed work included demolition of more than 21,000 square feet of existing structures across the site. More than 1,400 tons of material—including concrete, steel, asphalt and building debris—were removed from the property.

The project is being advanced by a world-class team spanning entertainment, architecture, design and cinema technology, including Elevate Entertainment Group, Halflants + Pichette, RDC and TK Architects. Together, the team is creating what is planned to become the country’s most advanced cinema entertainment destination.

“What we’re building here in Clearwater is not a traditional movie theater, nor is it a simple family entertainment center. This is a next-generation entertainment destination, one that’s designed to be truly differentiated for families, the residents of Clearwater, tourists and guests from across the region and beyond.” —‍Mitch Roberts, Founder & CEO, Elevate Entertainment Group

The Family Entertainment Center is planned as an approximately 83,000-square-foot destination anchored by the largest cinema screen on Earth and the world’s only multiplex where every auditorium features both Dolby Vision^® projection and Dolby Atmos^® sound.

With the site now fully cleared, the project moves beyond demolition into its next phase, with design, permitting and ongoing coordination with the City of Clearwater continuing to advance toward construction.

The milestone also reinforces the role of the future EVO Family Entertainment Center as the entertainment anchor of the Cleveland Street district—bringing a new destination designed to drive sustained activity, regional visitation and long-term investment into downtown Clearwater.

As restoration, redevelopment, new tenant openings and construction continue advancing across Cleveland Street, completion of demolition marks another visible milestone in the coordinated transformation now reshaping downtown Clearwater.