Your Downtown Dream...

[downtownparks]

The issue is the licensing. If it is done legally, there is about $250 per movie cost. The City of Jacksonville also didn't realize this when they started doing the movies at the beach several years ago. They recently had to pay the back licensing fees to the tune of $80K... I can get the equipment, its the movies I cant get, unless we did a series of the old movies that are now considered public domain, or hosted a series of locally produced shorts (I don't know how we would pay the film makers though). I would be cool with both, I just don't know how sustainable they are by themselves. How often could you do it, and expect enough people to make it worth your time?

I may revisit this at some point once the weather cools, I just have other things I am focusing on right now :-)

[Ocklawaha]

Are we talking about showing some of the flicks from the early film days in Jacksonville? I plan to screen every one of the movies or shorts that I can find and see if a cut and paste can be done on Trolley scenes. There aer a couple of great video archive sites, and the library downtown was started by such a society. Those films may be vaulted right under our noses.

A public showing (not for profit) can still bring legal action unless SAG and ASCAP are in on the show. They do make exceptions and also grants for historical screenings. Anyone just casually reading this be warned, if you play a public radio station at your work site, and a ASCAP spotter walks in the door, YOU WILL be served for unauthorized public performance. As long as the licence fee is paid, it's okay to do. The folks at "Leave Em Laughing" at the San Pablo library might also be able to help depending on their experience.

[downtownparks]

Showing movies from Jacksonville's film industry might not be a bad idea, and I bet most of them are now public domain, so there wouldn't be any licensing fees. It also makes sense to use Klutho Park since many of the films were shot in and around Springfield.

And interesting side note, Jacksonvilles zoo Started in Springfield park, over near what is now Part of Klutho, and Part of Schell Park. Most of the zoos early animals came from movie shoots. Once the movie was shot, the animals were often released onto city streets. Once the zoo opened, many of the animals were turned over to the zoo.

[tufsu1]

Talk about killing a neighborhood, I-95 went right through the heart of Overtown.  If that wasn't enough, I-395 took out another section.  The old Overtown business district, where the Lyric Theater is at, is located between I-95 and the FEC rail line.  The Performing Arts Center is in the same general area, but a few blocks east of the rail line.  I know we talk about our homeless, situation here, but you don't want to get caught under the I-95/395 interchange at night.  Its like a third world country down there.

great info....after looking at the aerial, the part of 395 they want to bury is from the FEC line east....so it may not help Overtown much....and the "homeless camp" problem is exaserbated by Miami-Dade's rules on sex offenders living anywhere near a school, park, etc.....apparently the whole city is off-limits....there was a story on TV about someone who got out of prison and is now forced to live under a 395 bridge!

[thelakelander]

Yes, you're right, Overtown will still be covered by a maze of overpasses.  Here's a few graphics on the I-395 trench proposal.   

[downtownparks]

Yeah, we talked about that, but it adds a whole new layer of things to worry about and put together. I would LOVE to see it happen, I just haven't had the time to do it.

[big ben]

i had to work all labor day weekend (and the 2 weeks and weekends before that).  hopefully i'll be able to make it to the dog days.  i definitely enjoy springfield. 

[Ocklawaha]

Or just push the School Board into the river and sell the whole parcel to the Miccosukee Tribe of Florida. Between the Miccosukees (see: web site Miccosukee Resorts) agressive development, the National Indian Gaming Association (see: web site), and our ideas for a Southern Music Hall of Fame, Jacksonvile would be unbelieveable.

Would be

Could be

Should be.

[Jason]

Again, giving land to the Miccosukee is a fantastic idea.  Although, the sports district or LaVilla would be better suited because it would be more connected to the core.

[thelakelander]

Isn't there a law that prohibits indian tribes from just going out and buying land to build casinos?

[Jason]

I think so.  The land that they have is usually designated as some sort of reservation or is at least given to the tribe.  I'm not to sure as to how it all works though.

[Lunican]

In order to build a casino, the land has to be designated an Indian Reservation. This is definitely something that the city does not have the authority to create. Also, just because Indians buy the land, does not make it a reservation.

[Jason]

So would the designation be a state or federal thing?

[Lunican]

It's federal. The reservations operate as quasi sovereign nations.

I have no idea if new ones can be created at this point.

[Jason]

I wonder how long the Hollywood, FL site had been designated a reservation.