Medieval Times
Entertainment | |
Founded | December 20, 1983Kissimmee, Florida, US | in
---|---|
Headquarters | , U.S. |
Number of locations | 10 |
Area served | United States and Canada |
Services | Dinner theater |
Website | www |
Medieval Times Dinner and Tournament is a family
There are ten locations: the nine in the United States are built as replica
History
The history of
The first jousting tournament recorded in the 19th century, listed as the "oldest continuously-held sporting event in North America", was first held at the Natural Chimneys in
William Gilmor, a wealthy descendant of Scottish-born immigrant Robert Gilmor (1748-1822) of
After 1840, jousting tournaments became
After the end of the Civil War in 1865, and into the early 20th century, jousting tournaments remained a popular pastime among Southerners and ex-Confederates, with some even referring to the
The first two Medieval Times-styled shows were developed in the late 1960s by Jose Montaner in Spain at
In 1983, the Spanish investment group Manver (incorporated in the
In April 1997, the franchises in Florida and California sought bankruptcy protection after losing a court battle with the IRS that required the Buena Park location to pay US$7.5 million and the Orlando location to pay $2.5 million in back taxes (equivalent to about $14.2 and $4.7M in 2023). According to the IRS, Medieval Times improperly deducted royalties, loan interest, and management fees in the 1987 and 1989 tax years. When asked why the company was filing for bankruptcy the company's bankruptcy lawyer, Alan Friedman, said, "One of the primary reasons for filing was to prevent the IRS from beginning to seize any assets."[13]
The shows change about every six years.[14] A new show premiered in late 2017; and, for the first time in the 34-year history of the franchise, the lead role was filled by a Queen, rather than a King. This change was due to feedback from guests who wanted to see women in more significant acting roles. The company also stated that it took two months to teach a Queen how to ride an Andalusian horse.[15]
On 31 May 2022, employees at Medieval Times in
Jose's son, Perico Montaner, is now the President and CEO of the private company, which is headquartered in Irving, Texas.[21][5]
As of 19 October 2017, Medieval Times had served over 65 million guests across its entire history as a franchise.[15]
In popular culture
The chain was featured in the 1996 film The Cable Guy,[22] and the 2004 feature film Garden State. It has been featured in episodes of TV shows such as Friends,[23] Cake Boss,[24] Hell's Kitchen,[25] The Celebrity Apprentice,[26] Close Enough,[27] and Saturday Night Live.[28]
Locations
United States
- Orlando Castle (1983, Kissimmee, Florida)
- Buena Park Castle (1986, Buena Park, California)
- Lyndhurst Castle (1990, Lyndhurst, New Jersey)
- Chicago Castle, (1991, Schaumburg, Illinois)
- Dallas Castle (1992, Dallas, Texas)
- Myrtle Beach Castle (1995, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina)
- Baltimore Castle (2003, Hanover, Maryland)
- Atlanta Castle (2006, Lawrenceville, Georgia)
- Scottsdale Castle (2019, Scottsdale, Arizona)
Canada
See also
References
- ^ ""Castle Locations". Medieval Times Entertainment. Retrieved July 30, 2019.
- ISBN 978-0-7627-4407-7.
- ^ Reynolds, Christopher (August 7, 2016). "How Medieval Times survives in the digital age (paper version headline: "All in a knight's work")". Toronto Star. pp. B1–B3.
- ^ "Peralada". Costa Brava Living. Retrieved November 25, 2023.
- ^ a b Swierk, Adam (June 2, 2022). "The Untold Truth Of Medieval Times". Mashed. Retrieved November 29, 2023.
- ^ Martin, p. 181.
- ^ "The Tournaments of Colonial Times". National Jousting Association. Retrieved October 31, 2023.
- ^ a b c d "The Romantic Revival". National Jousting Association. Retrieved October 31, 2023.
- ^ "Md. Gen. Provis. § 7-329". Mgaleg.maryland.gov. Archived from the original on August 8, 2016. Retrieved August 1, 2018.
- ^ "Medieval Times". The Miami Herald. August 7, 1988. p. 148.
- ^ a b c "Spanish Dinner Entertainment Harks Back to Medieval Times". Chicago Tribune. June 18, 1991.
- ^ "Locations". Medieval Times. Retrieved October 31, 2023.
- ^ James, Granelli (April 26, 1997). "Medieval Times Owners File for Bankruptcy". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 11, 2009.
- ^ Palisin, Steve (May 31, 2012). "Medieval Times ready to roll out new show". The Sun News. Retrieved June 1, 2012.
- ^ a b "Queen Takes The Reigns at Medieval Times Castles Starting October 19". PR Newswire (Press release). Retrieved April 1, 2019.
- ^ "Medieval Knights LLC | National Labor Relations Board". www.nlrb.gov. Retrieved June 1, 2022.
- ^ Jamieson, Dave. "Judge Tosses Medieval Times' Trademark Lawsuit Against Union". HuffPost. Retrieved November 22, 2023.
- ^ Ahn, Ashley (November 12, 2022). "Medieval Times performers in California unionize following months of debate". National Public Radio. Retrieved February 23, 2023.
- ^ Breijo, Stephanie (February 15, 2023). "Workers at Medieval Times strike, citing low wages and high risks for knightly work". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 23, 2023.
- ^ "Medieval Times Buena Park employees end strike and will return to work Wednesday". LA Times via Yahoo Finance. November 22, 2023. Retrieved November 22, 2023.
- ^ "How Medieval Times survives in the digital age". The Toronto Star. August 7, 2016.
- ISBN 9781403974273.
- ^ ""Friends" The One with the Soap Opera Party (TV Episode 2003)". IMDb. Retrieved April 1, 2019.
- TLC, June 14, 2010
- Hell's Kitchen episode 3. Season 9. July 25, 2011. Fox.
- 12. Episode 2. February 26, 2012. NBC.
- HBO Max, July 9, 2020. Warner Bros.
- ^ "Medieval Times - SNL". YouTube.
Bibliography
- Martin, David G. (1993). The Philadelphia Campaign: June 1777 – July 1778. Conshohocken, PA: Combined Books. ISBN 0-306-81258-4.
External links
- Official website
- Media related to Medieval Times Dinner and Tournament at Wikimedia Commons