ABSTRACT
The last decades of the twentieth century mark a colossal shift in the organization of metropolitan life, particularly as cities formerly known for industrial manufacturing have transformed into centers of entertainment and cultural production. Downtown areas and their renewed public spaces strongly reflect the urban renaissance experienced by many cities during the 1990s, as illustrated by the rise of shopping malls, flagship stores, branded tourist attractions, and the spectacular excess represented by the new urban nightlife: gilded performing arts centers, themed restaurants, velvet-roped nightclubs, spectator-sports bars, gaming arcades, multiplex theaters, and branded live concert venues from the House of Blues to the Hard Rock Café (Hannigan 1998; Klein 1999; Grazian 2008).
