More Attractions Headed Florida's Way

[Metro Jacksonville]

More Attractions Headed Florida's Way



I-Drive 360 will feature several attractions, including the little sister of the famous London Eye, a 400-foot-tall cantilevered observation wheel with enclosed glass capsules, the Orlando Eye.

Read More: http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2015-mar-more-attractions-headed-floridas-way

[Anti redneck]

What does this have to do with Jacksonville?

[I-10east]

^^^Someone will correlate this with the same old "Too bad nothing going on in Jax" or some crap like that, watch...I'm gonna preface and say that I'm not a fan of the ferris mania that's going on in the US, but esp Orlando's situation. I just don't get what the vista is on this Orlando Wheel. Someone would say 'viewing Disney World', but tourists would just go to Disney up close and personal. The dormant Cape Canaveral launch pad??? I just don't get it. Typically these things are near a body of water of some kind. I'm sure that curious tourists will line up in droves, some kinda way...

[thelakelander]

What does this have to do with Jacksonville?

The world doesn't rotate around Jax. From time to time, we do cover things outside of Jax in our "Cities" section. However, if you're looking for a link, it provides Jax's residents with a good visual example of what many of the things occasionally mentioned for DT (observation wheels, aquariums, walkable retail, etc.) actually look like. It's also good to know, so when some of our half-baked ideas and gimmicks revolving DT revitalization pop up, we can at least be aware that these things already exist within a short drive of Duval County.

[PeeJayEss]

The world doesn't rotate around Jax.

Well played in the Ferris Wheel discussion.

One note: The Orlando Eye is not actually a cantilevered wheel, though the London Eye is.

[CityLife]

What does this have to do with Jacksonville?

Quite a bit actually. I believe something like 75-80% of state revenue comes from Sales Tax. A fairly substantial amount of that comes from tourists that visit Orlando (and other parts of the state). Without the tourist dollars that flood the state, we would have to have  personal income tax and higher corporate income taxes in order to pay for roads, schools, conservation and recreation, etc.

Orlando, as cheesy as it may be, is a big cash cow for this state.

[InnerCityPressure]

I also thinks this gives us insight to what the regional response might be if we got a "gimmick" for downtown. 

We see it go up in Orlando and say "How ridiculous.  Who gives a shit?"  So, we can't be surprised when we get a totally awesome sea glass tower and people from far and wide let out a resounding "How ridiculous.  Who gives a shit?"

[jcjohnpaint]

not to mention their DT is kicking our ass

[finehoe]

What Happens When Every City Has a Giant Ferris Wheel?

http://www.citylab.com/tech/2014/07/what-happens-when-every-city-has-a-giant-ferris-wheel/375012/

I've predicted before that Jacksonville will jump on this bandwagon about ten years too late.

[I-10east]

The famous tightrope walker Nik Wallenda is gonna walk atop the Orlando Eye as it spins.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/destinations/2015/04/13/nik-wallenda-orlanda-next-tightrope-stunt/25698791/

[spuwho]

You could be Las Vegas.

Someone started one. Caesars Palace bought them out so it wouldn't interfere with theirs.

Now you have the completed "High Roller" and the "Skyvue" which sits incomplete across town.

[I-10east]

An incident yesterday was a black 'eye' for Orlando. (see what I did there?)

http://www.news4jax.com/news/66-evacuated-after-orlando-ferris-wheel-stops/33993316

[Ocklawaha]

No gimmicks needed, however, if the Navy and the Jaguars ever leave town, me thinks Jacksonville will become Biloxi East as the rest of Florida charges past metropolitan California!

[mtraininjax]

An incident yesterday was a black 'eye' for Orlando. (see what I did there?)

People on vacation in O-town can spend 3 hours alone on I-4 in traffic. No big deal....

[I-10east]

No gimmicks needed, however, if the Navy and the Jaguars ever leave town, me thinks Jacksonville will become Biloxi East as the rest of Florida charges past metropolitan California!

Yawn.