QuoteBy Alison Trinidad, The Times-Union
TAMPA - An industrial waterfront, a convention center without a nearby hotel and a people mover to nowhere may sound like Jacksonville's downtown landscape, but it's actually that of Tampa's 10 years ago.
It's a far cry from the booming tourist core of today, anchored by the Tampa Convention Center on one end and The Florida Aquarium on the other.
About 25 Jacksonville business and civic leaders trekked to Tampa on Thursday to see what the River City could be if it wanted to be a serious convention destination. Most were members of a task force assigned to study the city's need for a larger convention center.
They toured Tampa's waterfront convention center, a couple of hotels and a shopping and dining marketplace. They rode an electric streetcar that connects the convention center to various entertainment stops. In one afternoon, a crime and safety convention convened while a beach volleyball tourney played and a passenger cruise ship left the dock.
the rest is here...
http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/060107/bus_174040566.shtml
hasn't lakelander commented (from his trips down that way) that the actual riverfront district down in Tampa isn't that great??
No, heck I don't even know. Who is he? Where does he play?
How sad that Jacksonville, the one-time undisputed, metropolitan city of Florida, is now going to Tampa, Atlanta, and maybe even Green Cove Springs and Lulu, to figure out how to create an attractive downtown. I fully expect something stupid from City Hall in response to these trips. It gives me chills to think that someone so in love with Jacksonville, can so quickly become cynical.
I expect:
We will lease out an old Eckerds Store, line the walls with 20 gallon fish tanks and declare ourselves the "New Sea World of North Florida".
Expect to see, a dozen or so life boats collected from sinking ships so we can advertise "See and tour 12 REAL ships."
Someone will go to Wal-mart and attach 10 lean-to tool sheds to the convention center just to expand our square footage while being Conservative with our budget.
JTA will advertise our own "Trolley" is expanding to Riverside, Avondale and Springfield, then they will buy 4 more potato chip trucks, nail some plywood on the side and shout to the world, "We have REAL trolleys too!"
We'll hire the homeless men from Hemming Plaza to carry little kids up and down the Riverwalk while painted up to resemble pony rides.
The City will install two swing sets at the Landing and then advertise our new carnival midway and theme park right in the middle of downtown.
JPA will cut a deal with Sony's BBQ and one of the local mobile home dealers, to build a new joint restaurant, BBQ and cruise ship terminal building on the Northside.
Our once famous Zoo, will expand the parking lot by 10 spaces and buy 2 more packets of seeds, in an effort to draw the tourists destined for Busch Gardens.
Someone will recruit an old hippie to hand out hard drugs to the visitors to make sure they stay too stupid to know the difference.
Amazing the lack of leadership, imagination and boldness, shown by our elected officials. Maybe we could erect new billboards, (I'd suggest over the top of the JTA building) "Welcome to Jacksonville, running in reverse since consolidation!" The way I see it, it is up to the members of this and the other forums to hold their feet to the fire.
Ocklawaha
Quote from: Driven1 on June 05, 2007, 08:30:40 PM
hasn't lakelander commented (from his trips down that way) that the actual riverfront district down in Tampa isn't that great??
The riverfront in Tampa could be much better. For example, that city still hasn't taken full advantage of having the University of Tampa in downtown or it's streetcar line by expanding it into the heart of their CBD. However, from a convention center standpoint, Tampa is light years ahead of us and the gulf is increasing.