Orlampa, Florida

Orlampa is a fictional entity lying halfway between Orlando and Tampa, Florida. On a lot on the north side of Interstate 4 near mile 45, just east of the Polk City exit, a sign visible from the Interstate announces the "Future Site of Downtown Orlampa". The sign was installed soon before March 2002. [http://www.maddux.com/2002/March/corpreports.asp] There is also an oil well pump labeled "Orlampa Oil & Gas Co, Ltd", also put up several years ago.

During the widening of I-4 through Polk County, which was completed in 2006, there was a sign thanking Florida Department of Transportation for "paving the way to Orlampa's future" by the Polk City exit ramps.

The property is owned by developer Kermit Weeks, who also owns the nearby Fantasy of Flight aviation museum. On the Fantasy of Flight property, facing I-4 west of the Polk City exit, is an identical oil well pump labeled "Green Swamp Oil & Gas Co, Ltd" (Green Swamp is a nearby swamp).

The Orlampa site includes the Orlampa Citrus Packing Company, opened September 24, 2004. The packinghouse, formerly owned by Barfield Citrus, has been remodeled to look like a 1950s "Old Florida" packinghouse, and includes a gift shop and fruit store.

In October 2006, the gift shop, formerly located at the Orlampa Citrus Packing House, moved to its new location at I-4, exit 44. The gift shop offers soft serve orange ice cream, made with Orlampa's fresh squeezed juice as well as fresh citrus and Florida souvenirs.

The name of Orlampa is a portmanteau of Orlando and Tampa. Similarly named real places include Sanlando Springs, Florida; SeaTac, Washington; and the BosWash megalopolis. Orlando and Tampa have no plans for a similar metropolis, though they have been moving towards regional cooperation, including the Florida High-Tech Corridor Council (in charge of promoting high-tech business along Interstate 4) and the failed 2012 Olympic bid.

This is where some people predict where the sprawling Tampa in Hillsborough County, and Orlando in Orange County will meet and planners predict that a population increase of 350,000 residents could happen in the next 20 years. Planners also say that this will probably become the nation's next megaregion area.

External links

* [http://lakelandledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20040923/NEWS/409230354/1066/YOURTOWN27 Fantasy of Fruit] , Lakeland Ledger September 23 2004
* [http://www.orlando.org/index.php?src=news&submenu=Chamber_News&prid=17&category=Chamber%20News The Road to Cooperation] , Orlando Regional Chamber of Commerce Chamber News October 7 2002
* [http://www.orlampacitrus.com Orlampa Citrus Homepage]