Just Wow

[dcluley98]

I used to go to both, but I frequent UP only now just for the 7-11 jokes. 

[spenser1058]

Dcluley is my hero!

[spenser1058]

It appears that Ghost Town In the Sky, located atop a mountain in Maggie Valley,NC, has found investors to refurbish and reopen it.

The reasons that has anything to do with us are that the attraction was created by the same man who opened Six Gun Territory in Ocala. Ironically, for several years in the '60's and '70's, the Ocala park had the better attendance of the two.

Nevertheless, the company fell on hard times and Six Gun closed first (a victim of the Disney vortex sucking up all the tourists - Disney even opened an Ocala welcome center on I75 to remind motorists to keep going). Maggie Valley continued in fits and starts for a few years before closing.

Interestingly, while Six Gun was torn apart and demolished, Ghost Town is apparently intact on the mountain.

The other tie to Orlando is that the move to reopen is apparently being led by Val and Spencer Oberle, longtime WDW ops execs. I worked with Val in my MK days just out of high school.

I'm amazed that Legoland found a way to survive at Cypress Gardens despite the competition from the Mouse but Ocala's tourist cred is pretty much no more (although Silver Springs lives on across FL 40 from the old Six Gun site as a state park.)

https://www.wbir.com/amp/article?section=news&subsection=local&topic=five-at-four&headline=old-ghost-town-in-the-sky-theme-park-may-open-again&contentId=51-552287200

From News10

From  YouTube

Edited May 16, 2018 by spenser1058

[spenser1058]

While the Tallahassee politicians in one party continue to avoid climate change (Rick Scott at one point prohibited state employees from mentioning it - if we don't mention it, then it doesn't exist, right?), a problem other than an increase in flooding in Dade and other South Florida counties is rearing its ugly head upstate: saltwater intrusion.

This has the potential to affect the Central Florida areaand significantly change the progress of one leg of our three-legged economic base: construction and development:

http://www.news-journalonline.com/news/20180520/wells-and-even-springs-face-brackish-future?template=ampart

From the Daytona Beach News-Journal

[spenser1058]

Something  I didn't know but am pleased to find out: it turns out Sea World's interim CEO is also gay. That's also, of course, the case with WDW President George Kalogridis.

It's kind of amazing that the ranking execs of two of our largest employers are both out and proud.

Diversity is alive and well here in O-town.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/tourism/os-bz-seaworld-ceo-john-reilly-20180521-story,amp.html

From the Sentinel

[I am Reality]

Cool stuff from the Digital Graffiti Festival.

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/orlando-based-themed-entertainment-design-and-project-management-firm-wins-best-of-show-at-11th-annual-digital-graffiti-festival-300655256.html

[spenser1058]

Interesting prediction: former JCPenney CEO Mike Ullman suggests only 300 malls will survive the next five years (about 25%).

Interestingly, he says the malls  that will make it will have an Apple or Tesla store.

Given that locally, Millenia, Altamonte and Florida malls each have an Apple Store (our Tesla store seems to be in Eatonville and not in a mall), we appear to be above average.

https://www.axios.com/american-malls-retail-stores-amazon-mike-ulman-d8cb2df4-52a8-4dca-9e1a-235bc3de85fc.html

From Axios

Edited May 27, 2018 by spenser1058

[spenser1058]

Metro Jacksonville notes the 20 largest cities (not MSAs) in Florida in 2017 as determined by the US Census Bureau.

Orlando comes in at #4 in Florida and #72 in the US.

https://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2018-may-floridas-largest-cities-ranked-by-2017-population

Edited May 28, 2018 by spenser1058

[spenser1058]

The Orange County History Center began a commemorative exhibit about the Pulse tragedy this month. Admission is free June 10-16.

The museum does a great job in having events like this which are relevant to the community and to give us a chance to not only know about the sandy spit of land we call home but also about ourselves. We're lucky to have it downtown.

Pulse_Exhibit_Press_Release&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_94e79a69e5-803e124499-435042309

Edited June 4, 2018 by spenser1058

[orlandoguy]

I stopped by their exhibit last year. It's definitely worth your time if you haven't been.

[spenser1058]

Great article by Joy Wallace Dickinson in the Sentinel about the Frank Lloyd Wright creations at FSC in Lakeland and Spring House in Tallahassee. The collection in Lakeland is a great road trip for architecture buffs (as is a drive past Publix' Deco-inspired headquarters and the giant neon arch at Souhgate Center as seen in "Edward Scissorhands."

At 151, architect still has the Wright stuff
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/features/os-joy-wallace-dickinson-0610-story.html

Edited June 10, 2018 by spenser1058

[spenser1058]

http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/54

Photo of Parkwood Cinema and Trade Winds Cafeteria on West Colonial in 1961. "The South's widest screen" according to the Sentinel.

From Cinema Treasures

[I am Reality]

Prayers (and actual action????) for the 4 murdered children & the critically-injured policeman.

For the 2nd anniversary of Pulse, the New York Times ran a fascinating infographic about Orlando.  Almost 200 shootings have taken place within 5 miles of Pulse since that shooting took place. 

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/06/10/opinion/editorials/gun-violence-pulse-orlando.html

Edited June 12, 2018 by I am Reality

[spenser1058]

An interesting study from CNN that suggests where you live may be a better indicator of how you vote than who you are demographically.

For example, a white, college-educated male is more likely to vote Democratic and hold liberal values in an urban setting than a white, college-educated male in a rural area.

This corresponds with my personal experience. My friends and I tended to think quite similarly during our early to mid 20's (college and immediately after), but I've found my views becoming more progressive and Democratic over the years while my friends, many of whom returned to smaller Southern towns, have become more conservative and Republican. It's been fascinating to watch the changes.

https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2018/06/12/politics/republicans-democrats-different-worlds/index.html

From CNN

[I am Reality]

Would this work in Orlando?  

Other cities are dealing with the "scourge" of dockless electric-scooters (and bikes, to a lesser degree).  Companies Bird and Lime are already operating in dozens of cities, including here in FL.

Users simply access scooters through an app.  They then leave the scooters on the ground at their destination. Downtowns are being "littered" with scooters.

The problem is so new, cities have had no time to react.  They are trying to somehow get a grip on the problem by regulating or even trying to ban the scooters.

I personally like the idea of the electric scooters, especially during hot summer months.  (Wool is my enemy).  There seems to be strong demand in other cities, so it would probably work here too.  I hope to see them here in Orlando soon.

https://www.limebike.com/

[WAJAS]

On 6/24/2018 at 8:47 PM, I am Reality said:

Would this work in Orlando?  

Other cities are dealing with the "scourge" of dockless electric-scooters (and bikes, to a lesser degree).  Companies Bird and Lime are already operating in dozens of cities, including here in FL.

Users simply access scooters through an app.  They then leave the scooters on the ground at their destination. Downtowns are being "littered" with scooters.

The problem is so new, cities have had no time to react.  They are trying to somehow get a grip on the problem by regulating or even trying to ban the scooters.

I personally like the idea of the electric scooters, especially during hot summer months.  (Wool is my enemy).  There seems to be strong demand in other cities, so it would probably work here too.  I hope to see them here in Orlando soon.

https://www.limebike.com/

This is a curious problem that two cities I’ve been to seem to be or will be struggling with, Miami and Tel Aviv.  Neither of which have a proper solution yet.  I think one way to regulate them is to limit the number of rentable dockless bikes / scooters allowed within the city or downtown area.  The only problem is that the market could eventually look like the NYC Yellow Taxi system, where it becomes a political nightmare.  

The NYC Taxi system is a very interesting topic by the way. I highly recommend reading the history, politics, and economics of it. Wikipedia is a good start as well as YouTube.

[spenser1058]

Disney is one step closer tonight to its acquisition  of FOX. It's interesting to think about what new IP will eventually head to WDW and to think about how much Disney product would now be in USF (MCU, Simpsons, to name two.)

https://variety.com/2018/biz/news/disney-21st-century-fox-justice-department-approval-1202859241/amp/

From Daily Variety

[HankStrong]

Asking the Google tells me:

• Simpsons in FL/CA
• Conan in CA
• Star Wars in Singapore
• Indiana Jones in Singapore
• Marvel in FL/CA/Japan
• Muppets in Singapore

 

[WAJAS]

34 minutes ago, HankStrong said:

Asking the Google tells me:

• Simpsons in FL/CA
• Conan in CA
• Star Wars in Singapore
• Indiana Jones in Singapore
• Marvel in FL/CA/Japan
• Muppets in Singapore

 

What is this listing?

[spenser1058]

1 hour ago, WAJAS98 said:

What is this listing?

I believe he was noting Disney IP in Universal parks.

[HankStrong]

Correct.

[WAJAS]

2 hours ago, HankStrong said:

Asking the Google tells me:

• Simpsons in FL/CA
• Conan in CA
• Star Wars in Singapore
• Indiana Jones in Singapore
• Marvel in FL/CA/Japan
• Muppets in Singapore

 

 

43 minutes ago, spenser1058 said:

I believe he was noting Disney IP in Universal parks.

 

32 minutes ago, HankStrong said:

Correct.

In that case:

- correct

- I don’t know what this refers to.

- Do you mean Battlestar Galactica?

- Do you mean The Mummy?

- Not in California.

- I believe you mean Sesame Street, which Disney does not have the rights to.

 

I think your point still stands tho. A lot of Disney IPs will be in Universal parks.

[HankStrong]

Just to be clear, I just typed Universal licenses into Google, not hardcore research

• WIN!
• When I was there many years ago this was a show that is apparently gone now.  My bad.  That was from my childhood.
• You are correct
• You are correct
• I thought it was in CA, too.  I added that.  My bad
• It listed Bear in the Big Blue House, which is something I'm not even vaguely aware of, but it said it was a Muppets license.

 

 

[WAJAS]

16 hours ago, HankStrong said:

Just to be clear, I just typed Universal licenses into Google, not hardcore research

• WIN!
• When I was there many years ago this was a show that is apparently gone now.  My bad.  That was from my childhood.
• You are correct
• You are correct
• I thought it was in CA, too.  I added that.  My bad
• It listed Bear in the Big Blue House, which is something I'm not even vaguely aware of, but it said it was a Muppets license.

 

 

I don’t really know about the situation with that last thing. I’ve never been to the park or done a whole lot of research on it.

[spenser1058]

In this list of Atlanta's tallest buildings, it's interesting to note the buildings actually underway are well short of those previously erected. In fact, the city's tallest buildings go back to the 80's and 90's at a time when Orlando was getting its signature talls. As we might expect, Atlanta's two tallest buildings were trophy edifices built in honor of two of the city's major banks (one of which, C&S, crashed and burned in the '90's.)

Of the buildings actually underway, only one tops out a whopping 9' above our SunTrust Center. The remainder would fit in comfortably with our newer talls. Atlanta is also not contending with height restrictions from a close-in general aviation facility.

It's also notable that Atlanta's tallest buildings are not downtown but in fact up the road a piece in Midtown or beyond. 

As klstorey and jrs2 noted on another thread, we have a 40-story building underway in the tourist district, which is fitting given that tourism remains our #1 industry.

Given the much smaller base from which we began (it has been suggested Orlando's growth pattern runs about 25 years behind Atlanta's), we  seem to be  right on track.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_tallest_buildings_in_Atlanta

From Wikipedia