By Charles E. Smith III

Ron Cerasuolo's Big Apple interactive entertainment complexes promise to propel theme based restaurants to the next level. To accomplish this, Cerasuolo is addressing every negative aspect of the theme restaurant industry and doing something about it.

While theme restaurants are considered by many to be museums, Big Apple complexes will be constantly changing and highly interactive. The 50,000 square foot Disneyesque re-creation of New York City will include a high energy night club, a 10,000 square-foot game area, shops and 450 seats for dining.

Under the expert direction of world class designer Enrico Popescu together with some of the world's foremost food and entertainment experts, Big Apple will immerse patrons in the unparalleled magic of New York City. From bar stools that lower into the floor to asphalt streets with steaming manhole covers, every detail will be meticulously cared for.

Restaurant seating will be dynamically arranged in different venues including taxi cabs, subway cars and various New York City locations. The menu will offer something for diners of all ages while satisfying the most discriminating palates.

After you pass through Grand Central Station you can visit Broadway or the Central Park newsstand. Take a stroll to Coney Island and play the latest high-tech video games or try your hand at the carnival style games at the living board walk.

Waiting for a table and hunger will no longer go hand-in-hand. Hot dog and ice cream vendors will be roaming the streets of New York City, and authentic New York City pizza will be available. Just be sure and save some room for dinner.

"Meals will be cooked to perfection thanks to the most innovative and technologically advanced food preparation system of its kind," says Burt Leiberman, Big Apple Director of Food Service Operations.

Big Apple employees will be treated better than any others in the industry. "I often see unhappy employees who are overworked and severely underpaid, and it shows in their performance and attitude. We are not going to let that happen at the Big Apple entertainment complexes.

"Employees will be better paid, better trained and will have better opportunities for advancement with Big Apple. New employees will be fully trained away from the complexes. This will help eliminate distractions that impair restaurant employees from giving patrons the attention they deserve," Cerasuolo explained.

Tom House, Big Apple Hospitality Director said, "Good service means customers don't have to ask for anything. That's exactly what they are going to get at the Big Apple," he said.

Like New York City, Big Apple entertainment complexes will become cities that never sleep. With more than 5,000 annual festivals in New York City, the Big Apple will never run out of promotions or entertainment themes. "We will also be able to recreate different periods of time," Cerasuolo said.

The Big Apple brings to the table what many theme restaurants seem to be lacking, restaurant experience. Cerasuolo was the creator and a managing partner of Flix (restaurant and night club), a dynamic theme facility based on motion pictures and Hollywood stars. Flix, which preceded the establishment of Planet Hollywood by one year, was named one of the Hottest Nightspots in Fort Lauderdale for two consecutive years by South Florida Magazine.

Prior to Flix, Cerasuolo worked his way up from waiter to Senior Manager at Yesterday's in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., at which time Yesterday's became one of the most successful restaurants in the United States, achieving nearly $13 million in annual sales.

Cerasuolo has chosen Sunrise, Fla., for his premier location. Although Sunrise is one of south Florida's hottest spots today, attracting 25 million visitors annually, there's not much to do there at night. With the Florida Panthers nearly completed hockey arena and plans to develop super hotels and other similar projects, the Big Apple will help the city of Sunrise compete head-to-head with Orlando, Fla., for tourist dollars.