Hard Rock Cafe Jacksonville

[Eazy E]

Not trying to be a dick or anything, but why do a couple of crappy chain restaurants buying space in yet ANOTHER strip mall qualify as hope for Jacksonville's future? I think it just perpetuates Jacksonville's identity crisis. Fill cities up with chains, and soon you won't be able to tell them apart. More strip malls and more chains taking up more land will not make Jacksonville a destination --- people can get a Banzai Burger in their own God-forsaken city. I call for more independent businesses, more places to establish tastes that are specific to Jacksonville and our city's signature flavor. And, anyway, the food at Hard Rock is gross.

Well said.

[Captain Zissou]

Well first thing is first ...Lets get a place to go downtown.Turn the Shipyards into a center piece of downtown.Bring in many different restaurants,clubs,an Imax theater.Maybe an Island of clubs on the St Johns.Similar to Downtown Disney.Add in many boat slips and some other attractions like a Dry docked naval carrier like the JFK or some other mothballed navy vessel.

An island of clubs? An aircraft carrier?  At most, the St. Johns is 600 meters wide downtown.  With all of the restricted waterflow, caused by your idea, we could incorporate whitewater rafting from the courthouse to the TU center. The Landing isn't totally lost. Put all your chain restaurants that you propose in there, and maybe you'd have the mix of tenants you suggested.  Downtown Disney is great, but I don't want it in my river.