Copperfield's Restaurant

[comstocky]

Does anyone know what happened with proposed David Copperfield restaurant that was supposed to be put into MGM studios back in the late 90's? I assume the project is dead, but I have never heard what killed it. Also, if anyone knows what it was supposed to be like inside I'd be interested in knowing that as well.

 

[gatour]

The first place was going to be in NYC, it went way, way, way overbudget and was eventually killed. When it was killed there, the planned on at WDW was also killed.

 

[Crazy Hakim]

Originally posted by comstocky
Does anyone know what happened with proposed David Copperfield restaurant that was supposed to be put into MGM studios back in the late 90's? I assume the project is dead, but I have never heard what killed it. Also, if anyone knows what it was supposed to be like inside I'd be interested in knowing that as well.

Thank goodness I am a digital pack-rat!

COPPERFIELD EATERIES UNDER A SPELL FOR NOW
By Susan G. Strother of The Sentinel Staff
Published in The Orlando Sentinel, Sept. 18, 1998

Construction crews on David Copperfield's magic-theme restaurant in Orlando have vanished -- at least temporarily.
Financial and technical problems with a similar restaurant in New York have delayed work there and at the Walt Disney World site.
The Orlando restaurant now isn't expected to open before next fall -- three to six months later than originally planned, said Glen Tullman, vice chairman of LateNite Magic, the project's developer.
The only work done on the site, at the entrance to Disney-MGM Studios, has been land clearing.
Further work is unlikely until January, Tullman said.
"The illusions are technically very difficult, and they are costing a lot more than we expected," he said Thursday.
The opening of a Copperfield Magic Underground retail store at Downtown Disney also has been delayed until several months before the restaurant opens.
The restaurant is more than $10 million over budget and, at current estimates, would cost more than $30 million to complete.
That would make it and the New York outlet the most expensive restaurants ever built, Tullman and others have said.
Plans call for a variety of magic at the sites, including levitating tables, the "sawing" in half of diners and a video image of Copperfield performing tricks.
Tullman said the illusions are costing millions of dollars to perfect. The work is being done near New York.
Other problems have plagued the project. Construction of the New York restaurant was put on hiatus three months ago because the developer ran out of money, Tullman said.
It was first scheduled to open last May and then in September; it's now on the calendar for March, he said. Millions of dollars in construction liens have been filed against that restaurant, which is in Times Square.
Tullman said the money disputes with contractors would be settled next week.
He said the company is looking for more investors. Walt Disney Co. earlier invested in LateNite Magic.