Orlando Extended Metro Developments (Volusia/Brevard/East Polk)

[codypet]

5 minutes ago, spenser1058 said:

All politics aside (really; after all, I sometimes start jonesing for Cracker Barrel but CFA, other than the sweet tea, is just meh), I just don’t get the cult of CFA. There are so many places with better-tasting chicken, both chains and indies.

 

Me neither PDQ achieves the same with less hastle.

[jack]

10 minutes ago, spenser1058 said:

All politics aside (really; after all, I sometimes start jonesing for Cracker Barrel but CFA, other than the sweet tea, is just meh), I just don’t get the cult of CFA. There are so many places with better-tasting chicken, both chains and indies.

 

It is the customer service. They treat pregnant woman and mothers like goddesses. My wife became a big fan when with our first born. 

[spenser1058]

7 minutes ago, jack said:

It is the customer service. They treat pregnant woman and mothers like goddesses. My wife became a big fan when with our first born. 

I also like the scholarships they do for employees.

[codypet]

1 hour ago, jack said:

It is the customer service. They treat pregnant woman and mothers like goddesses. My wife became a big fan when with our first born. 

That's how my ex felt about 4Rivers/Coop.  I get a free cupcake!

[jrs2]

2 hours ago, spenser1058 said:

All politics aside (really; after all, I sometimes start jonesing for Cracker Barrel but CFA, other than the sweet tea, is just meh), I just don’t get the cult of CFA. There are so many places with better-tasting chicken, both chains and indies.

 

once I realized Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen had the classic chicken sandwich, I found my new "crack."

[prahaboheme]

3 hours ago, jrs2 said:

once I realized Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen had the classic chicken sandwich, I found my new "crack."

Where I currently live, in DC, there is a Popeyes and a CFL within walking distance of each other. 
Popeyes is slammed. Granted, it’s open at 2am. And CFL, given it’s religious leaning ideals, isn’t burning the midnight oil. 

Edited October 8, 2022 by prahaboheme

[jrs2]

On 10/7/2022 at 9:50 PM, prahaboheme said:

Where I currently live, in DC, there is a Popeyes and a CFL within walking distance of each other. 
Popeyes is slammed. Granted, it’s open at 2am. And CFL, given it’s religious leaning ideals, isn’t burning the midnight oil. 

I think the best Popeyes in Orlando is the one on OBT near Washington.  I feel like Chappelle when he does that sketch of the crack addict licking his finger tips.  I can't believe I wasted all those years foregoing Popeyes out of ignorance.  Being mostly vegan for a dozen years didn't help matters either.

For the record- to each his own.  I personally don't agree with CFL closing on Sundays.  I don't thing the Gee Oh Dee really gives a sh!t on that one.  I don't even think they got it right to begin with, the whole sabbath thing and not working or whatever. I don't subscribe to that stuff anyway.

And on that note, isn't CFL a mall eatery chicken place at heart?  Chicken is bad for you as it is, but if I'm gonna eat it, I want my crack!

Edited October 10, 2022 by jrs2

[jgardnerucf]

6 hours ago, jrs2 said:

CFL a mall eatery chicken place

Simon and General Growth have been kickin 'em out of food courts for years. Not renewing leases.

[spenser1058]

10 minutes ago, jgardnerucf said:

Simon and General Growth have been kickin 'em out of food courts for years. Not renewing leases.

Oh my!

[jrs2]

16 hours ago, jgardnerucf said:

Simon and General Growth have been kickin 'em out of food courts for years. Not renewing leases.

I think it's bad business for a mall to have a closed eatery on a Sunday tainting the overall feel and energy of the food court, and ultimately, the mall.

[spenser1058]

I’ll always remember my maiden visit to the first CFA in town at Orlando Fashion Square. There was no food court then so it was at the entrance across from York Steak House (later Ruby Tuesday).

In the ‘70’s, it was rare to find sweet tea sold anywhere south of Jacksonville (doggone Yankees!), so I was completely bumfuzzled to find out they had it, not to mention that it was actually brewed instead of that instant nonsense.

Edited October 11, 2022 by spenser1058

[codypet]

That was my first experience with CFL.  The Florida Mall food court and what appeared to be an abandoned restaurant prominently in the middle of the food court.

[spenser1058]

And then there was Mardi Gras. It appears Joyland, a fixture on the Broadwalk since God was a child, has finally been ordered to move so Daytona can build yet another sterile big box hotel on the historic property. 

This whole saga, starting with trying to toss small businesses from the area using eminent domain thanks to the good ol’ boys then running Daytona, has been a mess for years.

It’s terrible it has come to this but here we are. A sad day indeed at what was once “The World’s Most Famous Beach”  as it becomes indistinguishable from Palm Coast or Melbourne Beach.

https://www.news-journalonline.com/story/news/local/volusia/2022/10/13/daytona-beach-boardwalk-legal-dispute-ends-with-two-business-evictions-gift-shop-joyland-arcade/10467421002/

From The News Journal 
 

[jack]

6 hours ago, spenser1058 said:

And then there was Mardi Gras. It appears Joyland, a fixture on the Broadwalk since God was a child, has finally been ordered to move so Daytona can build yet another sterile big box hotel on the historic property. 

This whole saga, starting with trying to toss small businesses from the area using eminent domain thanks to the good ol’ boys then running Daytona, has been a mess for years.

It’s terrible it has come to this but here we are. A sad day indeed at what was once “The World’s Most Famous Beach”  as it becomes indistinguishable from Palm Coast or Melbourne Beach.

https://www.news-journalonline.com/story/news/local/volusia/2022/10/13/daytona-beach-boardwalk-legal-dispute-ends-with-two-business-evictions-gift-shop-joyland-arcade/10467421002/

From The News Journal 
 

You can thank Supreme Court for that. An immoral decision that lead to 20 years later an immoral outcome. At least they did not have to pay rent for 20 years and received cash back in 2002. 

[jrs2]

7 hours ago, spenser1058 said:

And then there was Mardi Gras. It appears Joyland, a fixture on the Broadwalk since God was a child, has finally been ordered to move so Daytona can build yet another sterile big box hotel on the historic property. 

This whole saga, starting with trying to toss small businesses from the area using eminent domain thanks to the good ol’ boys then running Daytona, has been a mess for years.

It’s terrible it has come to this but here we are. A sad day indeed at what was once “The World’s Most Famous Beach”  as it becomes indistinguishable from Palm Coast or Melbourne Beach.

https://www.news-journalonline.com/story/news/local/volusia/2022/10/13/daytona-beach-boardwalk-legal-dispute-ends-with-two-business-evictions-gift-shop-joyland-arcade/10467421002/

From The News Journal 
 

any details? can't bypass paywall...

[spenser1058]

“…With the new ruling mandating that Psaros and Paspalakis move out of their gift shop and arcade, which includes a snack bar, that gives their landlord more property to pursue his decades-long quest to put a hotel on the site overlooking the waves of the Atlantic Ocean.

”For years, developer George Anderson and his investors have controlled the now-empty Boardwalk amusement ride lot along with more land directly to the west of the ride lot that reaches west back to State Road A1A. They've also owned the property just to the north of the ride lot that Psaros and Paspalakis are now vacating.

”In spring 2003, the city entered into a development agreement with Carlsberg to create a phased hotel project and OK’d the use of eminent domain. Carlsberg wound up getting most of the land it wanted through eminent domain actions, but Paspalakis and Psaros fiercely fought back.

”The result was a 2004 mediated settlement agreement that called for the Carlsberg group to pay Paspalakis and Psaros $2.6 million, which they did. The agreement also allowed the siblings to stay in the one-story building that houses Joyland and Lisa's Gfits rent-free, which has happened.

”In 2006, Anderson became a part owner of the Boardwalk property that had been taken through eminent domain and Carlsberg stepped aside. Shortly after Anderson got involved, Captain Darrell’s was demolished without consulting Paspalakis and Psaros.

”In 2007, the siblings and Anderson’s group struck a new mediated settlement agreement that offered Paspalakis and Psaros the option to buy the empty lot where Captain Darrell's had stood for $250,000, or to let the investors put up a new building and pay them $750,000 for it.

”Paspalakis and his sister chose to buy the empty lot and were trying to close the sale in December 2011 when Anderson and his partners threw in some new terms. Attempts to close the sale since then have failed and the case has wound up before judges multiple times.”

It goes on and on but bottom line is Joyland is running out of road due to bad faith on a deal the City should never have encouraged. It is, however, the way a city manager wedded to outdated thinking and who was allowed to stay at his post way too long ran the city for decades.

 

[spenser1058]

One irony of all this is the silly thinking of the folks running the Daytona tourist biz and to see how out of things they were is to go back to Marco Polo Park.

Instead of trying to compete with Disney on a piece of land too far away from anything, they should have updated and expanded the Broadwalk so they had something unique on one of the best locations around.

It’s why it’s best to leave creative thinking to real, ummmm, creative people instead of letting people in suits build ersatz “ Creative Villages”.

Edited October 13, 2022 by spenser1058

[jrs2]

28 minutes ago, spenser1058 said:

“…With the new ruling mandating that Psaros and Paspalakis move out of their gift shop and arcade, which includes a snack bar, that gives their landlord more property to pursue his decades-long quest to put a hotel on the site overlooking the waves of the Atlantic Ocean.

”For years, developer George Anderson and his investors have controlled the now-empty Boardwalk amusement ride lot along with more land directly to the west of the ride lot that reaches west back to State Road A1A. They've also owned the property just to the north of the ride lot that Psaros and Paspalakis are now vacating.

”In spring 2003, the city entered into a development agreement with Carlsberg to create a phased hotel project and OK’d the use of eminent domain. Carlsberg wound up getting most of the land it wanted through eminent domain actions, but Paspalakis and Psaros fiercely fought back.

”The result was a 2004 mediated settlement agreement that called for the Carlsberg group to pay Paspalakis and Psaros $2.6 million, which they did. The agreement also allowed the siblings to stay in the one-story building that houses Joyland and Lisa's Gfits rent-free, which has happened.

”In 2006, Anderson became a part owner of the Boardwalk property that had been taken through eminent domain and Carlsberg stepped aside. Shortly after Anderson got involved, Captain Darrell’s was demolished without consulting Paspalakis and Psaros.

”In 2007, the siblings and Anderson’s group struck a new mediated settlement agreement that offered Paspalakis and Psaros the option to buy the empty lot where Captain Darrell's had stood for $250,000, or to let the investors put up a new building and pay them $750,000 for it.

”Paspalakis and his sister chose to buy the empty lot and were trying to close the sale in December 2011 when Anderson and his partners threw in some new terms. Attempts to close the sale since then have failed and the case has wound up before judges multiple times.”

It goes on and on but bottom line is Joyland is running out of road due to bad faith on a deal the City should never have encouraged. It is, however, the way a city manager wedded to outdated thinking and who was allowed to stay at his post way too long ran the city for decades.

 

eminent domain for another private project...am I missing something here? sounds like you can't do that.

[spenser1058]

2 minutes ago, jrs2 said:

eminent domain for another private project...am I missing something here? sounds like you can't do that.

I think that was what Jack was alluding to with the SCOTUS case. There was quite a bit of abuse of that at one point.

[jrs2]

8 minutes ago, spenser1058 said:

I think that was what Jack was alluding to with the SCOTUS case. There was quite a bit of abuse of that at one point.

I miss the feel of the old Boardwalk.  they could've done so much also if they did not demolish those old motels and houses between Ocean Ave and A1A.  That could have been converted into updated motels ala Miami (to a point) and been the core attraction area.

it just sucks how it's gone the past thirty or so years.

[spenser1058]

3 minutes ago, jrs2 said:

I miss the feel of the old Boardwalk.  they could've done so much also if they did not demolish those old motels and houses between Ocean Ave and A1A.  That could have been converted into updated motels ala Miami (to a point) and been the core attraction area.

it just sucks how it's gone the past thirty or so years.

It is awful the way those yahoos threw the city’s heritage away. Ironically, things are already improving after Bubba was put out to pasture. Many of the mom and pops on the west side of A1A are being renovated into boutique Airbnb- type properties. 

[jrs2]

15 minutes ago, spenser1058 said:

I think that was what Jack was alluding to with the SCOTUS case. There was quite a bit of abuse of that at one point.

I wonder if they tried to weave in a public policy argument ala the decline of the Boardwalk issue due to blight and drug dealing, etc, highlighted by that Fotopoulos case from the early 1990's; the guy that actually shot his wife (Lisa) unsuccessfully, and had that Diedra Hunt chick as a hitman; they apparently would meet at the pool hall at the corner of Main St & Boardwalk.  

[spenser1058]

1 minute ago, jrs2 said:

I wonder if they tried to weave in a public policy argument ala the decline of the Boardwalk issue due to blight and drug dealing, etc, highlighted by that Fotopoulos case from the early 1990's; the guy that actually shot his wife (Lisa) unsuccessfully, and had that Diedra Hunt chick as a hitman; they apparently would meet at the pool hall at the corner of Main St & Boardwalk.  

Oh my.

[jrs2]

7 minutes ago, spenser1058 said:

It is awful the way those yahoos threw the city’s heritage away. Ironically, things are already improving after Bubba was put out to pasture. Many of the mom and pops on the west side of A1A are being renovated into boutique Airbnb- type properties. 

the building boom that only happened 25% on A1A resulted in 100% of the affected properties to be razed (in 2006-2008_  that was the icing on the cake...the cake being when Marriott was built and coquina rock became outlawed

8 minutes ago, spenser1058 said:

Oh my.

his wife Lisa is the sister of course of Paspalakis mentioned in the article...all related...  yeah, the trial was in Palatka.  my pop would drive there every day of the trial to see firsthand what was going on.  for whatever reason he was obsessed with that case. So was Inside Edition...

[spenser1058]

8 minutes ago, jrs2 said:

the building boom that only happened 25% on A1A resulted in 100% of the affected properties to be razed (in 2006-2008_  that was the icing on the cake...the cake being when Marriott was built and coquina rock became outlawed

his wife Lisa is the sister of course of Paspalakis mentioned in the article...all related...  yeah, the trial was in Palatka.  my pop would drive there every day of the trial to see firsthand what was going on.  for whatever reason he was obsessed with that case. So was Inside Edition...

Hey, a good bit of Mickey Spillane makes a town interesting!