Skyway expansion to Sport's Complex (arena, Baseball Grounds, & Everbank Field

[Coolyfett]

Whats the estimate cost of expanding the skyway out to the stadium/arena complex?  Who will be riding it?  The only way you'll get jaguar fans on it is if you do away with the bus service, and really its only 8 weekends a year.  What the max people it could transport in an hour and a half?    Lets face it after a couple hours of tailgating, then the game, the goal of most people is to get home.  Baseball games?  I doubt it, there is more than enough surface parking for those and most of the events in the arena.  Now the gator bowl and the fl-ga game I could see that working well.  But all that depends on the cost estimate.  I don't see expanding to the stadiums as being a panacea or even significantly increasing the ridership when taking the extra cost into account.

The Skyway is another option....the only reason there are so many parking spaces there is because the Skyway is NOT THERE. A Sport Complex station would pick up Suns fans as well as concert goers, especially before the event. Plus Jax gets a lot of 1pm games......Ive always went to eat after a game to eat, relax & watch more football. People leave downtown because they are FORCED TO. especially Westsiders & Southsiders. How many can it ride? They have ways of adding cars to the Skyway trains. You forgot the 2 preseason games the scrimages, practices & the Arena Football...Man the amount of games/events dont matter...how many games do they play at the dinky parking lot at Jefferson Station? How many Concerts have played at the RiverPlace Station?? None. Why expect one Station at the Sports Complex to change the world when the city has 2 other ueless Stations on the line? If we are going to break it down by stations hell shut those 2 down & build to Sport Complex.

[Doctor_K]

skyway extension to the stadium would cost at least $25 million

3 Stations

One for Sports Complex & Metro Park/Shipyards, One for Hyatt & Riverfront District & One for Landing, Omni Hotel & Laura Street. That would be perfect...no loses but taxi drivers lol...also when the old courthouse is empty that spot will also be served by the Hyatt/Riverfront station. It would set Jax 5 years ahead instantly!

Granted it's not connected to the property per se (another topic of discussion), there's already a station near/at the Omni. 

And per another thread, on that property sits the parking lot that Sleiman got for the Landing, if I'm not mistaken.

So basically, based on this train of thought, you need two stations and not three - since technically the Landing's got one (albeit not convenient): Sports Complex/A Philip Randolph/Metro Park, and Hyatt/Rivverfront (which IMO would still be a sweet location for a new Convention Center).

[Captain Zissou]

The only way you'll get jaguar fans on it is if you do away with the bus service, and really its only 8 weekends a year.  What the max people it could transport in an hour and a half?    Lets face it after a couple hours of tailgating, then the game, the goal of most people is to get home.  Baseball games?  I doubt it, there is more than enough surface parking for those and most of the events in the arena. 

I agree with Coolyfett on this.  The massive sea of parking is partial because of the lack of transit to the stadium.  If you put a skyway station into Lot J, you'd be able to get rid of a lot of the parking.  You could build additional attractions on that area and enhance the existing amenities in the area.  This could generate more events and more reasons to ride the skyway to the area.  Between the Sharks, the Suns, the Jags, the concerts, Met Park events, and random other occurances, I don't see why this wouldn't work. 


Think also about people that could use the skyway for the reverse commute, from the sports complex to the core.  Out of town fans could stay at a hotel adjacent to the stadium and ride into the core for food/nightlife.  Workers in the area could use it for lunch in the core.

This area draws far more visitors than the convention center, which has its own station.
 

[civil42806]

So in other words unless you dump the surface parking and "force" people to ride the riderless express it won't succeed.  So the goal of the suns and jaguars and city is to make it inconvienent to get to there games and activities?  Quite frankly eliminating the surface parking at these facilities is a pipe dream.  If thats what it takes, lets save the money and expand it somewhere else.

[ChriswUfGator]

So in other words unless you dump the surface parking and "force" people to ride the riderless express it won't succeed.  So the goal of the suns and jaguars and city is to make it inconvienent to get to there games and activities?  Quite frankly eliminating the surface parking at these facilities is a pipe dream.  If thats what it takes, lets save the money and expand it somewhere else.

Come on and show some common sense.

What is the cost of the undeveloped and undevelopable land that is devoted to empty parking lots?

Decentralizing the population of parkers will only help everyone.

That's a good point.

This city has watched hundreds of millions in what would/used to be its urban tax base get tied up in surface parking and vacant lots that are valued at next to nothing. The tax revenues which would be created if they were used for their highest and best purpose are probably quite significant. The other problem is COJ is turning basically all of downtown into one big city administration complex. All of that is off the tax rolls, meaning there is no revenue to accomplish anything down there, since most suburbanites around here can't stand the thought of their tax dollars being used for anything downtown, or even much beyond the end of their own street. This probably leads to the situation we have now, where every time COJ wants to do anything downtown they have to rob peter to pay paul.

[buckethead]

I don't believe those lots are valued at nothing. $20 per vehicle fee x 250 cars x 16(+) games including Gator Bowl and FL/GA = $80,000.00 for a lot with a 250 car capacity. Not bad work if you can get it.

I support taking the skyway to the stadium to save my $20 bucks as a citizen rather than to bolster property owners (even if it is the city) that wish to keep the wasteland status quo.

[civil42806]

Well first of all I'm not talking about parking lots in general in downtown.  I'm talking about the lots specifically around the stadium.  Neither the Suns or the Jaguars are going to want to surrender those lots.  As much as Mr Bragan and Mr Weaver love jacksonville, I doubt either are going to want to irritate there customers.  If there is all this pent up demand for development of there parking lots I recommend you forward them to the endless lots in the heart of downtown or the old shipyards or the ambassador.

[buckethead]

Well first of all I'm not talking about parking lots in general in downtown.  I'm talking about the lots specifically around the stadium.  Neither the Suns or the Jaguars are going to want to surrender those lots.  As much as Mr Bragan and Mr Weaver love jacksonville, I doubt either are going to want to irritate there customers.  If there is all this pent up demand for development of there parking lots I recommend you forward them to the endless lots in the heart of downtown or the old shipyards or the ambassador.

Perhaps there is misunderstanding. I don't believe anyone is suggesting the infill of the Stadium core parking lots. Let the mercedes lexus crew have their lots right at the stadium. In fact, bringing in the skyway doesn't compel anyone to do anything different than they already do.

What it does do is offer a more affordable alternative for attendees, provides out of towners a better way to and from hotels/venues and enhances the value of the skyway.

Those wishing to park very close to the stadium will still be able to. Those wishing to keep their properties as parking lots will be able to. Those wishing to earn a better return than a seasonal parking lot offers will also have such an opportunity.

[904Scars]

What it does do is offer a more affordable alternative for attendees, provides out of towners a better way to and from hotels/venues and enhances the value of the skyway.

Agreed! I generally ride my bike to the games if weather permits... or we squeeze 10 people in my buddys SUV. I refuse to pay $20+ to park. AND... having people park further down the river would also disperse traffic after the game. The last game we sat in downtown traffic for close to an hour and that was just to go down Jefferson into Riverside.

[urbanlibertarian]

"The last game we sat in downtown traffic for close to an hour and that was just to go down Jefferson into Riverside."

Might I suggest taking Beaver St. to Myrtle Ave, King St. or McDuff Ave. to get from DT to Riverside after the game.

[exnewsman]

What's wrong with the Stadium Shuttle that is currently available for Jaguars games? Sports Illustrated named it the NFL's top shuttle service a year or two ago. Seems to work pretty well to me. Much better than paying $20 and dealing with all the traffic.

[Coolyfett]

What's wrong with the Stadium Shuttle that is currently available for Jaguars games? Sports Illustrated named it the NFL's top shuttle service a year or two ago. Seems to work pretty well to me. Much better than paying $20 and dealing with all the traffic.

ha ha ha ha ha Thats a good one.

[Coolyfett]

Why cant workers use those lots during the week?

[Coolyfett]

skyway extension to the stadium would cost at least $25 million

3 Stations

One for Sports Complex & Metro Park/Shipyards, One for Hyatt & Riverfront District & One for Landing, Omni Hotel & Laura Street. That would be perfect...no loses but taxi drivers lol...also when the old courthouse is empty that spot will also be served by the Hyatt/Riverfront station. It would set Jax 5 years ahead instantly!

Granted it's not connected to the property per se (another topic of discussion), there's already a station near/at the Omni. 

And per another thread, on that property sits the parking lot that Sleiman got for the Landing, if I'm not mistaken.

So basically, based on this train of thought, you need two stations and not three - since technically the Landing's got one (albeit not convenient): Sports Complex/A Philip Randolph/Metro Park, and Hyatt/Rivverfront (which IMO would still be a sweet location for a new Convention Center).

yea I think you are referring to Central Station...i coud see where it might serve the Omni & maybe the Landing....I was kinda Laura Street area at Bay & Laura since it would be going that direction.

[Coolyfett]

So in other words unless you dump the surface parking and "force" people to ride the riderless express it won't succeed.  So the goal of the suns and jaguars and city is to make it inconvienent to get to there games and activities?  Quite frankly eliminating the surface parking at these facilities is a pipe dream.  If thats what it takes, lets save the money and expand it somewhere else.

See what I mean?? Why you gotta be so pro automobile man? I never said get ride of all the lots. People should drive to the game, BUT people should also have the rail option. How is it an inconvience?? Jags business is to sell the NFL experience.....SOME think its their job to sell wins. Suns provide the professional baseball experience. Options, options, options.....Some people take their boats to Jag games, some use Shuttle, some use their automobile like you...The Skyway is an option. The Best Option off keeping the consumer spending cash downtown. Especially once you remove the chore off driving around. I can assure you Sports Complex has ENOUGH parking spaces.