Do we need a convention center?

[Timkin]

A convention center close to the Hyatt would be nice, but not right now. Obamanomics still has the economy in the toilet, and there are bigger local issues to deal with as well.

Besides, didnt we try a convention center once already?

The Prime Osborn center saved Jacksonville Terminal from the wrecking ball, and that was a success. As a convention center, though, Prime Osborn has been a total flop.

I have to agree with this .. although, I personally would like to see the Jacksonville Terminal returned to being The Jacksonville Terminal. If this does not happen and another Convention Center is built elsewhere , wherever in the city, guess what will happen to the Jacksonville Terminal Building.... The same thing that happens to every vacated ,significant, historic building.  Abandonment, decay, wrecking ball.  We do not need to add another one to the list.

SO unless the Terminal becomes a train Terminal again, I do not see the need to expend the money for a NEW convention center, only to let that magnificent structure (and the 1504)  sit there and decay.  If and when that is a go, then I am all for another Convention Center.   If that is a go, most likely economics are also on the rise again and we have reason to be hopeful to afford a new one.

[tufsu1]

A convention center close to the Hyatt would be nice, but not right now. Obamanomics still has the economy in the toilet, and there are bigger local issues to deal with as well.

Besides, didnt we try a convention center once already?

The Prime Osborn center saved Jacksonville Terminal from the wrecking ball, and that was a success. As a convention center, though, Prime Osborn has been a total flop.

its not like it could get built overnight...reality is it will likely take 4-5 years at minimum....in the meantime, the space will sit empty, which surely isn't going to help our downtown!

as for the Prime Osborn being a total flop, the main reason is there's no adjacent hotel.

[If_I_Loved_you]

http://www.theatlanticcities.com/politics/2012/06/stop-building-convention-centers/2210/

[fsujax]

I think replacing what we have something a little larger is no big deal. It isn't like we are going to try and compete with Orlando or Chicago for conventions. But, hell we could probably snag some from Mobile or Huntsville!

[Ocklawaha]

No.  Yes.   A convention center should come after we find a draw.  Convention centers should be a result, not a cause of people to come here.

This is exactly the point too many people miss in Jacksonville. Try hanging out in Buffalo, Cleveland, St. Louis, Omaha or the Twin Cities in January and tell me Jacksonville doesn't have a draw. Hell's bells guys, PALATKA HAS A DRAW! Quick, how many states have a beautiful beach? How many cities? How many have a mix of a beautiful riverfront AND a string of state and national parks like us? NONE! Not even Orlando can compete with us on those things. Jacksonville has MORE state and national parks and monuments within a short drive of downtown then ANY OTHER AMERICAN CITY.

I'd call that DRAW, but we've been in the hands of Neanderthals since about 1925, growing like a weed, in spite of ourselves.

[tufsu1]

+1000

[cityimrov]

Like Lakelander said above, all of the components of the Inner Harbor work together....as has been said here many times, convention centers rarely turn a profit (kind of like transit)....but the spinoff revenue in hotels, restaurants, and the like equates to a pretty nice overall ROI

Why can't Jacksonville just build the convention center last instead of first?  Build a river tourist information and kayaking booth, bring the historic ship, build the aquarium, build the downtown zoo branch, build the restaurants, then build the convention center.

Jacksonville is also different in that it's part of Florida.  Does it really need a convention center to attract people when millions of people pass by us on I-95 every day to vacation either at Miami or Orlando?   The cheap tourist traps near Orlando do a better job of attracting them then the entire city of Jacksonville does. 

Every time I drive on I-95, it looks like Jacksonville doesn't want tourists.  Every highway exit on I-95 in Jacksonville except the last is dirty, scary, and uninviting. 

[JFman00]

Like Lakelander said above, all of the components of the Inner Harbor work together....as has been said here many times, convention centers rarely turn a profit (kind of like transit)....but the spinoff revenue in hotels, restaurants, and the like equates to a pretty nice overall ROI

Why can't Jacksonville just build the convention center last instead of first?  Build a river tourist information and kayaking booth, bring the historic ship, build the aquarium, build the downtown zoo branch, build the restaurants, then build the convention center.

Jacksonville is also different in that it's part of Florida.  Does it really need a convention center to attract people when millions of people pass by us on I-95 every day to vacation either at Miami or Orlando?   The cheap tourist traps near Orlando do a better job of attracting them then the entire city of Jacksonville does. 

Every time I drive on I-95, it looks like Jacksonville doesn't want tourists.  Every highway exit on I-95 in Jacksonville except the last is dirty, scary, and uninviting. 

I have never pulled off the interstate on an unplanned stop for anything other than gas, cheap food, or a room, and I never do so in an urban area because prices are generally higher. The prettiest exit ramp in the world is not going to suddenly make me want to stop somewhere. When my friends and I go on vacations to cities, we certainly don't do our exploring by getting on the highway.

[Tacachale]

^Yep. We actually see a lot of tourists here, though it's small potatoes compared to other parts of the state, and the ones that come come for the golf, the beach, boating, fishing, and big events - they wouldn't be won over by cheap tourist traps by the highway offramps.

[cityimrov]

I have never pulled off the interstate on an unplanned stop for anything other than gas, cheap food, or a room, and I never do so in an urban area because prices are generally higher. The prettiest exit ramp in the world is not going to suddenly make me want to stop somewhere. When my friends and I go on vacations to cities, we certainly don't do our exploring by getting on the highway.

Your kids don't say "Daddy, Mommy, what's over there?" every time you pass by something.  If it's the 9th time they are visiting, they don't scream at you wanting to stop by over there? 

[tufsu1]

Build a river tourist information and kayaking booth, bring the historic ship, build the aquarium, build the downtown zoo branch, build the restaurants, then build the convention center.

really....you'd rather us build an acquarium or zoo branch before a convention center?

[JFman00]

I have never pulled off the interstate on an unplanned stop for anything other than gas, cheap food, or a room, and I never do so in an urban area because prices are generally higher. The prettiest exit ramp in the world is not going to suddenly make me want to stop somewhere. When my friends and I go on vacations to cities, we certainly don't do our exploring by getting on the highway.

Your kids don't say "Daddy, Mommy, what's over there?" every time you pass by something.  If it's the 9th time they are visiting, they don't scream at you wanting to stop by over there? 

No kids. And when I was a kid I just wanted to get to wherever it was we were supposed to be going. Every second in Nowheresville, Anystate was time not spent at Disneyworld or Niagra Falls or whatever.

[If_I_Loved_you]

^Yep. We actually see a lot of tourists here, though it's small potatoes compared to other parts of the state, and the ones that come come for the golf, the beach, boating, fishing, and big events - they wouldn't be won over by cheap tourist traps by the highway offramps.

A lot of tourists come here for are fine Churches. http://www.floridavisiting.com/Jacksonville-FL/Churches

[BackinJax05]

A convention center close to the Hyatt would be nice, but not right now. Obamanomics still has the economy in the toilet, and there are bigger local issues to deal with as well.

Besides, didnt we try a convention center once already?

The Prime Osborn center saved Jacksonville Terminal from the wrecking ball, and that was a success. As a convention center, though, Prime Osborn has been a total flop.

I have to agree with this .. although, I personally would like to see the Jacksonville Terminal returned to being The Jacksonville Terminal. If this does not happen and another Convention Center is built elsewhere , wherever in the city, guess what will happen to the Jacksonville Terminal Building.... The same thing that happens to every vacated ,significant, historic building.  Abandonment, decay, wrecking ball.  We do not need to add another one to the list.

SO unless the Terminal becomes a train Terminal again, I do not see the need to expend the money for a NEW convention center, only to let that magnificent structure (and the 1504)  sit there and decay.  If and when that is a go, then I am all for another Convention Center.   If that is a go, most likely economics are also on the rise again and we have reason to be hopeful to afford a new one.

I, too, would like to see Jacksonville Terminal a terminal again (complete with a new Amtrak maintenance facility. Come on, Corrine. You did it for Sanford). Along with an indoor, air conditioned location for a re-restored 1504, and incorrectly labeled SCL Orange Blossom Special sleeper car.

The SCL sleeper is rusting away, too. Fortunately the olive drab paint hides it from a distance.

[BackinJax05]

A convention center close to the Hyatt would be nice, but not right now. Obamanomics still has the economy in the toilet, and there are bigger local issues to deal with as well.

Besides, didnt we try a convention center once already?

The Prime Osborn center saved Jacksonville Terminal from the wrecking ball, and that was a success. As a convention center, though, Prime Osborn has been a total flop.

its not like it could get built overnight...reality is it will likely take 4-5 years at minimum....in the meantime, the space will sit empty, which surely isn't going to help our downtown!

as for the Prime Osborn being a total flop, the main reason is there's no adjacent hotel.

No one ever wanted to chance building one there. Dont know why, there's plenty of vacant land around.