Landing turns 25 years old

[fsujax]

Pretty neat slideshow of the Landing over the years. Tonight is the open house. I remember opening day!

http://jacksonville.com/slideshows/slides-entertainment/jacksonville-landing-look-back-25-years#slide=0

[Adam W]

Pretty neat slideshow of the Landing over the years. Tonight is the open house. I remember opening day!

http://jacksonville.com/slideshows/slides-entertainment/jacksonville-landing-look-back-25-years#slide=0

Great pictures. The early ones brought back some good memories. The Landing opened when I was in High School and I thought it was so cool. I loved going there and buying tapes in the music store. It's really sad to see how many shops and restaurants closed down over the years.

[David]

I was at the Landing for NYE's '99-2000. That was back when Y2K was the big worry, we were hoping the power would go out when the clock struck midnight, but alas, just fireworks and many many drunken woooooooos.

[vicupstate]

I didn't realize Sleiman has owned it for almost 9 years.   I bet if he had it to do all over again, he would never have bought it. 

It needs a makeover so badly. 

Such big plans and now nearly a decade later, still dead in the water. Just think if the $2mm spent on that LaVilla Seafood restaurant and $3.5 million pegged for the garage across Independent had instead been directed to the Landing with a corresponding private infusion from Sleiman. 

[tufsu1]

There are now over 40 shops and vendors in the Landing....I encourage all MJers to come down and check out all the local businesses

[BackinJax05]

I remember opening night. It was great! So was the Landing for a few years after that. Then, sadly, for whatever reasons, the Landing went down the drain fast.

In the early years we were treated to The Sharper Image, Stadium Stuff, Fun N Games, Shine Em Up, Banana Republic, Annie Tiques, Flamers, Rocky Rococo, and Fat Tuesday, to name a few. Oh yeah. Dont forget Aqua East and the live bikini models.

Today the Landing looks almost as bad as the rest of the downtown bums.

[KenFSU]

Though I fully realize the environmental and cost benefits of an artificial tree with LED lights, man do I ever miss the real Christmas trees at the Landing.

[RockStar]

Landing is actually going through a renaissance of sorts...new cool stuff there...Mav's has been killing it. Fionn's is rocking....more to come. Look out. If you haven't been in awhile, check it out.

[Garden guy]

Maybe McDonalds should go in there...thatd bring in some business

[CG7]

The biggest problem with the Landing right now, is Village Bread takes up over half the front area, but is only open for breakfast and lunch monday - Friday, so the entrance gives off a ghost town feeling at night and on weekends.

[copperfiend]

I spent a lot of time (and quarters) at the Ostrich Landing. Anybody remember the Twainesque-riverboat shooting game? In middle school, it was one of the highlights for most kids on our field trips to the Florida Theater or MOSH.

I like the Landing and support it. I was there two weekends ago. It still brings in the crowds for special events and serves a good central location. But it is in dire need of a makeover.

[fsujax]

I was at the food court Thursday for lunch. It could use a few more options. A national fast food vendor wouldn't hurt. Come to think about it a Chic-Fil-A would kill it there. Even with the limited selection there was still a good number of people up there eating.

[tufsu1]

The biggest problem with the Landing right now, is Village Bread takes up over half the front area, but is only open for breakfast and lunch monday - Friday, so the entrance gives off a ghost town feeling at night and on weekends.

actually I heard last night (while at the celebration) that they have reinstated Saturday hours...will verify tomorrow

[KenFSU]

Come to think about it a Chic-Fil-A would kill it there. Even with the limited selection there was still a good number of people up there eating.

On small, somewhat related side note, the Regency Mall Chic-Fil-A looks to have closed recently.

[fsujax]

wow. you know that's a bad sign, when a Chic-Fil-A closes in your mall.