giovoni

The parks issue here is so funny... it's a huge huge huge asset to the area and should be embraced more by the people who live here. The reason I think it's funny though is because it reminds me of one of the skyscraper page forumers back in Denver who completely resented the mountains and the ski industry because it took attention away from Denver in his opinion. In actuality it's exactly the same.. people on this side of the country hear Denver and think skiing and snow even though really there isn't that much snow in the city itself. I have no idea why that should be wrong.. whatever you can do to get name recognition for your city should be welcomed.

Have you talked to all 11 Orlando natives to base this on

That wouldn't be culture.. but in January when it comes to Bob Carr it WILL be culture because it's not in Disney.

You can't pick a building or venue and then say that everything that happens there doesn't count. Culture is culture no matter who brings it to you or the "fanny pack crowd" that your city basically owes it's current existence to. Culture that is off broadway, non commercial, and less popular isn't inherently better than that that can speak to the masses as well. Lots of people, myself included, enjoy things like Cirque De Soleil AND bands that play in venues like "The Social," The Brazillian Symphony Orchestra that's coming on Sunday, and pretty much any bit of "cuture" that can be found here. There's nothing more annoying than the crowd of 10 or less people at a play or event that sucks who congratulate themselves, nodding knowingly at each other for enjoying "culture" that none of the rest of the "masses" can understand or enjoy. This snooty flippant dissmisal of all things touristy, Disney, and popular, is terribly off-putting all too prevelant in Orlando and if anything shows a LACK of understanding of just what culture means.

I'm technically not in the city..but I imagine the cost is going to be the same or for all intents the same. And I have really no qualms about doing whatever I need to do to get everything hooked up. I can do the line from the tank on my own and pay whatever tap fee there is. What I'm more curious about is what's going to happen to the other neighbors who either can either barely own and have no way to do such a major project or are renting from people who quite clearly couldn't care less about the property at this point. I do appreciate all the help so far though..it at least confirms what I've found so far.

Yeah those numbers sound about right but if the county actually does it that way it's going to be about as useful and relevant to most residents as opening up a Tiffany & CO on the corner of OBT and Gore would be.

Hey everyone.. sorry for the sorta tangential post but I am wondering about something and havn't gotten much response from the investigating I've been doing so far. I own a house not quite in Parramore (off Rio Grande and Grand) and not quite in Holden Heights that I've just finished restoring.. it looks great etc etc... well as you may know the county is finally putting sewer/drainage lines and some streetscape improvements in the neighborhood (how the city/county let the area not have these basic services until 2006 is, frankly mind boggling but a rant that makes me redfaced and shaky if I get too much into it.) My question is... how are they planning on hooking up the new sewers to the houses that are already there, how do they plan to get rid of the septic systems that are in everyone's homes now. I would imagine that left to have to pay for it themselves about 0% or less of the residents that are already there would be able to afford hooking into the system, filling their old tanks or removing them etc. Anyone know how they did this with earlier phases in Holden Heights? I've written to my county commisioner and called the number on the signs there and haven't gotten any type of response yet.... Thanks in advance..

I've read the article several times now and I don't see that he addressed that "fear" either. And while central florida taken as a whole may be a superior market than Ohio I don't see how a city with one professional sports team can trumpet itself as superior to a city that has the (replacement) Browns, Cavaliers, and Indians.. all with more tradition and ingrained fans than Orlando will ever have. Although I think as time goes on there will be more and more people who have actually grown up in Orlando and call the place home. ... from being here 18 months I just don't see that as an asset Orlando has. I'm not trying to knock Orlando either.. I think if I cared about this city more than just an interesting place to be for 3 years I'd definitely be congratulating the city for keeping the team. From a purely me standpoint I'd like nothing more than the city to tell the Magic to piss off and have my relatives pay a couple pennies less everytime they came to visit me. I definitely think there are myriad examples of what people in this city and the entire country will give up as a result of "fear" but I think a new basketball court isn't really one of them.

Yeah there was a city in Ohio that thought like that once about a football team.. I think they were less than pleased how that all worked out.

it's also funny that the city/state is spending billions to build more highways/lanes so that more gas guzzling cars can fit on the road and spend 2.50 - 3.00/gallon to billionaires that don't entertain you at all yet no one is really having fits over that either.

If the PAC doesn't get more money they're not going to move to Tampa.. if the Citrus Bowl doesn't get any more money they really only endanger two bowl games. If the Magic don't get their arena they most likely end up leaving...or blackmailing the city more overtly. It's nice to have standards but for sports teams/arenas when there are maybe 100 other cities with markets suitable for your team that are happy to build a castle for free for them getting any contribution might seem like a victory. Denver bent over and happily asked the Denver Broncos to rape them with their new stadium, on the plus side the team not only stayed in Denver but the stadium was still downtown and not in a suburb, the tax dollars that will be reovered from the fans going to the arena really probably balance out what was given to the team for the stadium in the long run. I would imagine the same thinking about keeping the fans not only in the Orlando area but the city itself and close to a downtown that's basically being born from scratch in the next 10 years would mean it's probably a better deal than not for Orlando.

you know it's not entirely clear from the pictures above.. can someone remind me how much this deal is worth?