Bankroll Membership, a sports activities and leisure venue, plans to take over the landmark Boyd Theater in Philadelphia

Bankroll Membership — a novel, tech-based sports activities and leisure middle with a Stephen Starr restaurant — is planning to occupy the Chestnut Avenue constructing that when housed the landmark Boyd Theater.

A liquor-license software was not too long ago posted on the constructing at 1910 Chestnut St., as famous on the Philadelphia Industrial Heritage Fb group. An indication software with town Planning Fee additionally says the venture will occupy the GAP outlet retailer subsequent door, now at present occupied.

Representatives of Bankroll weren’t instantly accessible for remark. Marc Rayfield, a former CBS Radio government who’s an investor, instructed The Inquirer in early 2021 that it will likely be a restaurant the place prospects can view video games and different leisure occasions — like a sports activities bar.

Bankroll prospects can use a proprietary app to make it a extra immersive expertise.

Starr, listed among the many buyers in public paperwork, will function the restaurant, which is predicted to be on the excessive finish with numerous seating choices.

Bankroll’s principal is Paul Martino, a Lansdale-raised Silicon Valley tech start-up specialist who was an early backer of FanDuel, a sports-betting app.

Though phrase has unfold that betting might be part of Bankroll, firm officers have instructed group conferences that it’s going to not provide a sports activities e-book or be affiliated with anybody sports activities e-book. It would take promoting from sports activities playing in addition to different sources.

The Boyd Theater, a circa-1928 film palace later operated as a Sameric theater, closed in 2002 and fell into disrepair as numerous house owners dithered over potential makes use of whereas historic-preservation advocates lobbied for it.

Pearl Properties, which purchased the theater from Reside Nation in 2014, demolished its auditorium in 2015 however maintained its facade for a redevelopment of the property, a block and a half from Rittenhouse Sq..

The Boyd and adjoining properties stretch alongside nineteenth, Sansom, and Chestnut Streets and now embrace the high-rise referred to as The Harper, a Goal retailer, and Ok’Far restaurant.