- Big Bamboo Lounge
The Big Bamboo Lounge was a bar in
Kissimmee, Florida known as a popular after work hangout for players, coaches, and fans of theHouston Astros during spring training in nearbyOsceola County Stadium and year round for employees of theWalt Disney World Resort . It was located at 4849 W. Irlo Bronson Highway, Kissimmee, FL 34746. It was known simply as "The Boo" by regulars. [cite book|last=Taylor|first=Wendy |title=Orlando & Central Florida|pages=77] [cite book|last=Pahigian|first=Josh |title=The Ultimate Baseball Road-trip: A Fan's Guide to Major League Stadiums|publisher=Globe Pequot|isbn=1592281591] The front of the bar was decorated with a World War II era ambulance and spotting tower which were maintained by customer and employee volunteers.The bar opened in 1977 when Bruce Muir, a former World War II fighter pilot, bought the former home of a doctor and modeled the bar after those he had experienced in the South Pacific. The walls were decorate with Disney employee name tags and business cards from visitors. In keeping with the theme of the South Pacific of the 30's bartenders wore Hawaiian shirts and featured swing music. The Big Bamboo was closed in 2004 due to hurricane damage. In December 2005, a fire destroyed the building, believed by officials to be started by vagrants trying to keep warm. The bar remains closed. [cite news|url=http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-12177092_ITM?email=nospam@wikipedia.org&library=State%20Library%20of%20North%20Carolina|title=Fire damages 'Big Bamboo'|last=Jacobson |first=Susan |date=28-DEC-05|work=Orlando Sentinel|accessdate=2008-07-03]
In 2003, Astro's broadcaster
Larry Dierker was so enamored with the bar that he built a replica at the AstrosMinute Maid Park inHouston, Texas . [cite news|url=http://www.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20030226&content_id=204591&vkey=spt2003news&fext=.jsp&c_id=null|title=Popular establishment coming to Minute Maid Park|last=Footer |first=Alyson |publisher=Major League Baseball|accessdate=2008-07-03] [cite news|url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=CSTB&p_theme=cstb&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=103F2FA20F52CA87&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM|title=Houston hits home run with bold attractions|last=Hoekstra |first=Dave |date=July 11, 2004 |work=Chicago Sun Times|accessdate=2008-07-03]References
External links
* [http://bigbamboolounge.com official website]
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