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Ken Storey of Orlando Weekly has a great update on possible mergers coming in theme parks, including some headquartered here in O-town:

https://m.orlandoweekly.com/Blogs/archives/2019/10/11/the-future-of-floridas-amusement-parks-is-about-to-get-really-complicated-thanks-to-seaworld-six-flags-and-an-onslaught-of-private-equity-f

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1 hour ago, spenser1058 said:

this is great.  I went to HHN last week and a Uni worker was telling me about their corporate events.  it's a thing over there so now Epic is designed for that.  The great thing about that is that when OCCC markets to shows and uses entertainment options as the draw, here, you have what otherwise might have been written off years ago as a cop out entertainment option b/c it is a theme park, versus a casino or show.  Now, there is a track record of these corporate events interwoven into the general theme park clientele that has seen success, and now the construction of a new park that will have corporate events as a focus by design.  It's just awesome.

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20 hours ago, jrs2 said:

this is great.  I went to HHN last week and a Uni worker was telling me about their corporate events.  it's a thing over there so now Epic is designed for that.  The great thing about that is that when OCCC markets to shows and uses entertainment options as the draw, here, you have what otherwise might have been written off years ago as a cop out entertainment option b/c it is a theme park, versus a casino or show.  Now, there is a track record of these corporate events interwoven into the general theme park clientele that has seen success, and now the construction of a new park that will have corporate events as a focus by design.  It's just awesome.

When I worked in attractions back in '10 when the Wizarding World just opened there were TONS of corporate events. We had the Governors Conference, PriceWaterhouseCooper and more. 

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On 10/25/2019 at 4:51 PM, spenser1058 said:

You can now stop in for your medical marijuana On I-Drive at MedMen. They’re also coming soon to University Blvd near UCF. Toke On!

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/os-cfb-medmen-orlando-cannabis-20191025-zro7xaowwfcnlhs2wcp5fvfvcy-story.html

From the Sentinel 

ah...me thinks a whole lotta toking has already been transpiring for quite some time now on that there corridor...

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Sea World has yet another CEO who seems to have no background in the theme park business. Meanwhile, the third quarter saw a decline once again. What could possibly go wrong?

Shall we give this one six months or will the company be sold off by then?

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/tourism/os-bz-seaworld-earnings-november-20191107-wagthts2wvcdnefbf6tpghm64m-story.html

From the Sentinel 

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For those who insist our reliance on theme parks means that all our economy can hope for from them are endless variations on “you want fries with that?”, Ken Storey points out Orlando has a growing industry of firms that export entertainment products designed right here in Orlando.

One, Dynamic Entertainment, has been so successful that the work done here has totally eclipsed that done by its Canadian parent, steel maker Empire Industries.

No word yet if this means another corporate HQ for Orlando but the parent is changing its name because the Orlando subsidiary now will be the entire company’s focus:

https://m.orlandoweekly.com/Blogs/archives/2019/11/04/dynamic-attractions-a-steel-company-that-built-orlando-rides-will-now-focus-exclusively-on-attractions

It’s definitely a story where most folks “don’t know the half of it”.

From Orlando Weekly

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On 11/7/2019 at 11:10 AM, spenser1058 said:

Orlando Vineland Premium Outlets to get year-long makeover including renovated food hall and bridge connecting parking with the stores:

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/os-cfb-orlando-vineland-outlets-renovation-20191107-n2a6gelaajau3ktycy7ihc7db4-story.html

From the Sentinel 

they're probably talking about the newest wing where Off Fifth is.  they were supposed to connect it with a skywalk when it opened, but they skimped.  The parking deck on the other side already has a skywalk connecting it to the mall.

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Universal announces the second of their value resorts on the former Wet ‘n Wild site will open in March.

Rooms are expected to start at $85/night. Since opening, the first of the two Endless Summer hotels have apparently already had an impact on older budget motels along International Drive.

Since many of those properties are well past their prime, look to see the aging tourist district replaced and an improved look forthe area. 

I know that some will be shocked that I’m so sanguine about that but the early 70’s look of the strip built on the cheap (and in a hurry) really has very little about it worth keeping. In this case, imho starting over will be a definite improvement.

From the Sentinel 

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/tourism/os-cfb-endless-summer-opening-day-20191111-yhd75bd2szcltei4zkxhuxm22q-story.html

 

Edited by spenser1058
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Obviously, this is a moot point since they acquired all the land for hotels, theme parks and an entertainment district near the convention center.............. however, if that did not go down, Universal had deep enough pockets to buy parcel after parcel and redevelop that entire North end of I drive between SLR and UB. I know certain land owners would have welcomed the offers in that area. Some were actively  waiting for an offer that never came. 

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16 minutes ago, spenser1058 said:

Universal announces the second of their value resorts on the former Wet ‘n Wild site will open in March.

Rooms are expected to start at $85/night. Since opening, the first of the two Endless Summer hotels have apparently already had an impact on older budget motels along International Drive.

Since many of those properties are well past their prime, look to see the aging tourist district to replace and improve the look of the area. 

I know that some will be shocked that I’m so sanguine about that but the early 70’s look of the strip was built on the cheap (and in a hurry) and really has very little about it worth keeping. In this case, imho starting over will be a definite improvement.

From the Sentinel 

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/tourism/os-cfb-endless-summer-opening-day-20191111-yhd75bd2szcltei4zkxhuxm22q-story.html

 

How is this different from the 192 corridor that was essentially abandoned after the opening of value resorts at Disney? 

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1 minute ago, prahaboheme said:

How is this different from the 192 corridor that was essentially abandoned after the opening of value resorts at Disney? 

In many ways they’re similar except for proximity. For me, US 192 was a colossal failure from the get-go because it was too autocentric (it was a definition of sprawl in the middle of nowhere).

North I-Drive, by no means perfect, is more compact than the Osceola disaster and is at least marginally walkable.

The coming of Epcot and Epcot Center Blvd. (plus the switch of most visitors to arrival by air instead of auto) mostly made Irlo Bronson obsolete.

Conversely, as North I-Drive was fading, the expansion of Universal made it relevant again.

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16 minutes ago, spenser1058 said:

In many ways they’re similar except for proximity. For me, US 192 was a colossal failure from the get-go because it was too autocentric (it was a definition of sprawl in the middle of nowhere).

North I-Drive, by no means perfect, is more compact than the Osceola disaster and is at least marginally walkable.

The coming of Epcot and Epcot Center Blvd. (plus the switch of most visitors to arrival by air instead of auto) mostly made Irlo Bronson obsolete.

Conversely, as North I-Drive was fading, the expansion of Universal made it relevant again.

lots of interesting dynamics at play here.

North I-Drive was fading but it shouldn't have been since the outlet mall in one shape or form has been at it's terminus since the '70's or '80's; yet it never really helped the rest of the corridor.

More people flying versus driving- that was the big difference between Orlando and Vegas ala numbers at MCO...now...MCO is getting more and more busy almost exponentially so.

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7 minutes ago, jrs2 said:

lots of interesting dynamics at play here.

North I-Drive was fading but it shouldn't have been since the outlet mall in one shape or form has been at it's terminus since the '70's or '80's; yet it never really helped the rest of the corridor.

More people flying versus driving- that was the big difference between Orlando and Vegas ala numbers at MCO...now...MCO is getting more and more busy almost exponentially so.

The opening of Belz in the early ‘80’s is another great point, although it was short-lived because the family didn’t have much of a grasp on retail. Once the larger outlet mall opened in LBV (LBV also played better as a place to stay, we should note, because of location), I think its impact really dwindled until Simon took over both outlets.

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36 minutes ago, spenser1058 said:

In many ways they’re similar except for proximity. For me, US 192 was a colossal failure from the get-go because it was too autocentric (it was a definition of sprawl in the middle of nowhere).

North I-Drive, by no means perfect, is more compact than the Osceola disaster and is at least marginally walkable.

The coming of Epcot and Epcot Center Blvd. (plus the switch of most visitors to arrival by air instead of auto) mostly made Irlo Bronson obsolete.

Conversely, as North I-Drive was fading, the expansion of Universal made it relevant again.

1990s Kissimmee was definitely not a failure (definition of sprawl... probably).

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10 minutes ago, prahaboheme said:

1990s Kissimmee was definitely not a failure (definition of sprawl... probably).

 

10 minutes ago, prahaboheme said:

1990s Kissimmee was definitely not a failure (definition of sprawl... probably).

I’m talking strictly about tourism. (In fact, were it not for Gaylord, Osceola would be well-served to de-emphasize tourism at this point, imho, which St. Cloud has already done.)

Celebration and Osceola County government getting out of the bubba era are entirely different matters. 

The county has much to be proud of off the Irlo Bronson corridor.

Edited by spenser1058
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2 minutes ago, prahaboheme said:

Which raises an interesting point:  in a metro who's main industry is tourism, how does a county like Osceola recover from it?

I think they’re doing it by taking the emphasis off the 192 corridor motels, building up tech, making St. Cloud and especially Kissimmee more attractive. 

Tourism still has a place in the rental houses the Brits and other international guests like. Developments like Margaritaville also will keep the county growing and of course the working-class folks in mega neighborhoods like Poinciana are still going to keep WDW running.

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