[Downtown Orlando Project Discussion]

http://www.bizjournals.com/orlando/blog/2014/04/4-key-issues-emerge-during-project-dtos-first.html?page=all

 

' "(Old Florida CEO John) Burden said as Old Florida National Bank grew from 3,000 square feet of space to 50,000 square feet, it would have been cheaper to relocate to somewhere like Maitland. But the company decided to spend more money to stay in downtown.

 

“It gets me upset that Darden [Restaurants] is on John Young Parkway,” Burden said. “We’ve got to have more big companies downtown.” '

Peer pressure can definitely help. Interesting thoughts emanating from the first of the DTO committees to meet.

 

This gets brought up a lot. A lot of people have jaded views of where major corporations camp out. Go to any city of comaprable size and you'll find the Dardens of the world parked out on large campuses in the suburbs. It's just a lot cheaper.

 

Downtowns in those cities usually are filled with office space for banks, government, attorneys, the occasional account, and smaller engineering type companies.

 

I know for a fact that the city pushed hard for Darden to move to downtown, but Darden never had that much interest.

[MLS Soccer Stadium]

Ours hasn't leaked because they're hoping to get the extra $20 mil (rebates) from the state. The pictures they showed the city council were "ideas", but at $88-$100 mil, I wouldn't expect anything over the top. Until that is all secured I wouldn't expect a rendering or groundbreaking. I wouldn't be shocked if all of Orlando City's 2015 season is played at the new Citrus Bowl and the new stadium opens in 2016.

 

That being said, the Miami concpet is a dream, at best. They don't have any funding in place yet.

[Redeveloping Orlando Executive Airport]

Not happening. While the numbers provided by the council reports aren't jawdropping, the executive has always been, and will continue to be profitable for the city.