2016 Predictions: Jacksonville

[TheCat]

So, what's really going to happen in 2016?

I think we'll have a "coming to Jesus" about Stadium expenditures that will transcend the religiosity of sports. Okay, maybe that's more of a vain hope than a prediction.

[TheCat]

From Facebook:

Dean P.:  Jacksonville will get behind the Aquarium project

Nick T. Curry will declare himself emperor dissolve the city council, religious law will rule the land lolFrom

[Adam White]

The Jaguars will surprise everybody by not only making the playoffs, but by winning the Super Bowl. Shortly thereafter they will announce their plans to move to LA.

[coredumped]

The Jaguars will surprise everybody by not only making the playoffs, but by winning the Super Bowl. Shortly thereafter they will announce their plans to move to LA.

You mean after the Rams, Raiders and Chargers, right? Even espn has stopped saying the jags are moving.

My prediction - things FINALLY start to happen downtown, just slowly. The cowford chophouse starts a domino effect and things start popping up in between the chophouse and the elbow on bay street.

[Tacachale]

I predict that things will continue to improve Downtown and in the Urban Core. We should see some big projects wrap up - the current Brooklyn projects, Intuition Ale Works, and the early construction phase of the Cowford Chophouse. We should also see some of the currently proposed projects break ground. Hopefully we'll get started on the amphitheater and stadium projects, "The District", fixing Liberty Street, and others, and see some other good stuff announced.

[Dapperdan]

One Spark will have its final festival due to mismanagement.

[Captain Zissou]

I hope that some of the currently proposed infill projects start going vertical.  The District, the two La Villa Projects, and East San Marco.  I believe that a downturn will happen within the next couple years, so I hope we can move downtown forward before that time.

[camarocane]

RFP to revamp Skyway and extend it to the stadium and Kings Avenue garage.

But seriously, it would be nice to see the Emerald Necklace plan gain traction.

[johnnyliar]

One Spark will have its final festival due to mismanagement.

Absolutely.

[Adam White]

The Jaguars will surprise everybody by not only making the playoffs, but by winning the Super Bowl. Shortly thereafter they will announce their plans to move to LA.

You mean after the Rams, Raiders and Chargers, right? Even espn has stopped saying the jags are moving.

My prediction - things FINALLY start to happen downtown, just slowly. The cowford chophouse starts a domino effect and things start popping up in between the chophouse and the elbow on bay street.

Updated prediction:

The Jaguars will surprise everybody by not only making the playoffs, but by winning the Super Bowl. Shortly thereafter they will announce their plans to move to LA.

...and Coredumped will develop a sense of humor.

Do you really think I think the Jaguars are going to move to LA next year?

[Tacachale]

I predict that things will continue to improve Downtown and in the Urban Core. We should see some big projects wrap up - the current Brooklyn projects, Intuition Ale Works, and the early construction phase of the Cowford Chophouse. We should also see some of the currently proposed projects break ground. Hopefully we'll get started on the amphitheater and stadium projects, "The District", fixing Liberty Street, and others, and see some other good stuff announced.

Taca, Im interested to know why you are enthusiastic about this stadium district.

What do you think will be the impact and what good things do you expect it to accomplish?

I'm been hoping for an amphitheater, or something like it, in this city for 18 years. Year after year we miss out on touring acts who would otherwise stop here with more frequency because we don't have appropriate venues (and the few we do have all have serious drawbacks, such as being located on Anastasia Island). I also think the deal the city struck with the Jags to make it happen was pretty creative, making sure both sides get what they want. I fully admit I may be wearing amphitheater-colored glasses, but I think that adding 30 or so big downtown events a year and replacing mostly empty "flex space" with two new facilities (plus stadium improvements) is pretty good for what the city's paying.

[BoldCityRealist]

One Spark will have its final festival due to mismanagement.

Absolutely.

100

[Tacachale]

Ah.  I understand now.  Your support of the project is really a support of an amphitheater in the downtown?

I support this specific amphitheater and the rest of the project, yes. I wouldn't support a project just because it had an amphitheater.

[KenFSU]

2016 will be the year that the Laura Street Trio project finally gets off the ground.

The positive momentum at Hemming Park will continue.

Snyder Memorial Church will be the next historic property repurposed for use as a bar and restaurant.

The Landing will maintain its current status quo.

The new ampitheater and practice facility will exceed expectations, and will solidify Everbank/Veterans Memorial/Baseball Grounds/Ampitheater as one of the great sports complexes in the nation.

Jacksonville will finally get with the program and secure naming rights for the arena. It's money that's being left on the table for well-intentioned but impractical reasons.

The Jags will finally have a breakout year in 2016.

Even though the finances might not make sense, the city will rally around the aquarium project.

Shipyards cleanup will move at a snail's pace, and 2016 will come and go with no sight of the USS Adams.

Development in Brooklyn and Riverside will continue to explode.

And 2016 will continue a pretty incredible 2015 trend that I have never experienced prior to this year. For the first time that I can ever recall, there seems to be a genuine sense of optimism and pride about Jacksonville. People are kind of falling in love with their city, rather than being ashamed of it.

[Tacachale]

Ah.  I understand now.  Your support of the project is really a support of an amphitheater in the downtown?

I support this specific amphitheater and the rest of the project, yes. I wouldn't support a project just because it had an amphitheater.

I dont support the project as it is currently configured. I think it is designing an entire portion of downtown that will be completely reliant on taxpayer subsidies for the next forty years, without really doing anything for the downtown.  It does something nice for the rest of the city, but it could be done with a design that actually activates the area rather than sits on top of it.

That I can understand. If it were up to me, I'd move west of the Baseball Grounds, and move the parking to the current flex space if necessary. But if it were up to me, we'd have built an amphitheater at Metro Park 18 years ago.