Jacksonville Landing

The Jacksonville Landing has been compared to New York City's South Street Seaport, Boston's Faneuil Hall or Miami's Bayside--for good reason. [ [http://www.frommers.com/destinations/destinationmap.cfm?destID=410&a_id=25034 Frommer's Destinations Jacksonville Landing] ] All were developed by the Rouse Company and it was actually modeled after Baltimore's Inner Harbor. [ [http://travel.nytimes.com/travel/guides/north-america/united-states/florida/jacksonville/attraction-detail.html?vid=1154654614531 Jacksonville Landing - Reviews and Ratings of Sights in Jacksonville - New York Times Travel ] ] The two-level glass-and-steel complex with the orange roof on the north bank of the St. Johns river has been an icon for Jacksonville and one of the most recognized attractions in Northeast Florida since it opened in June, 1987. [ [http://www.metrojacksonville.com/content/view/373/119/ Metro Jacksonville.Com: Mar 22, 2007-Urban Connectivity: The Jacksonville Landing] ] . [http://www.coj.net/About+Jacksonville/Jacksonville+History.htm City of Jacksonville website: About Jacksonville-a Rich and Vibrant History] ]

The City of Jacksonville contributed nearly half of the Landing's $43 million price tag. That figure included $10 million in infrastructure improvements, a $10 million second mortgage and a new parking facility.

Events

The Jacksonille landing provides patrons with entertainment such as mimes, clowns creating balloon sculptures and fireworks. There is weekly live music of almost every type on the courtyard stage. The Landing is the home of around 300 events each year. [ [http://www.visitflorida.com/articles/fun-filled-jacksonville Fun-filled Vacation In Jacksonville, Florida - Florida vacation information, VISIT FLORIDA ] ] Most events take place in the open brick courtyard in the center of the horseshoe shaped structure. Activities have included something for everyone:

Walk to Cure Diabetes Blessing of the Fleet St. Patricks Day Earth Day & Ecology Fair Jazz Festival World of Nations Sail Jacksonville Run for the Pies Cinco de Mayo Memorial Day classic car show

Freedom, fanfare & fireworks Jax4Kids Jaguar Team Rallies Labor Day Light the Night Georgia vs Florida football Komen Race for the Cure Halloween Veterans day Christmas tree lighting

Jacksonville Light Parade Sea & Sky spectacular New Years Eve Gator Bowl Team rallies Art Walk Pre and Post Event Parties Landing Restaurant Events Charity functions Political Gatherings baseball-card show

[ [http://www.frommers.com/destinations/destinationmap.cfm?destID=410&a_id=25034 Frommer's Destinations Jacksonville Landing] ] Just before the GA-FL football game in 2007, the Landing installed a 19x15 foot JumboTron in the courtyard.

Location

Unlike the facilities in the other cities mentioned above, this nine-acre complex is popular among tourists and local area residents. [ [http://www.visitflorida.com/listings/taggroup.Jacksonville/filtergroup.8 VisitFlorida.com Jacksonville] ] [ [http://travel.yahoo.com/p-travelguide-34010614R-jacksonville_landing_the_jacksonville-i YAHOO! Travel:Jacksonville Landing] ] There are 65 stores as well as dining and entertainment in the 125,000sf building. The Landing features 10 full-service restaurants plus an inexpensive food court with indoor and outdoor seating that overlooks the river. The Jacksonville Landing (usually referred to as just the "Landing" by locals) has large local patronage base with over 65,000 Downtown office workers and over 1,000,000 residents in the surrounding metropolitan area of North Florida and South Georgia. However, it does attract a large percentage of the 5.18 million visitors that come to Jacksonville annually. [ [http://www.downtownjacksonville.org/detail/?loc_id=1287&page_id=19 Downtown Jacksonville: play downtown: Location Detail: Jacksonville Landing ] ] In 2003, the Rouse Company announced it would sell the Jacksonville Landing to local developer Toney Sleiman for $5.1 million. [ [http://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/stories/2005/06/13/focus3.html Jacksonville Business Journal: Jun 10, 2005-The Landing drags 'the strip mall king' into the limelight] ]

Problems

The city must still resolve a two decade-old problem of inadequate parking at the site. The city agreed to provide 800 spaces when the entertainment center was built but none of the vague plans for meeting that obligation ever came to fruition. Because the city has been in default of the parking provision in the lease, the Landing's owner is exempt from paying rent of about $100,000 a year. When the parking issue is resolved, the rent will become payable. [ [http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/082803/bus_13385355.shtml Jacksonville.com: Business: Landing to go for $5.1 million 08/28/03 ] ]

ee also

*Jacksonville Riverwalk

References

External links

* [http://www.jacksonvillelanding.com/ Jacksonville Landing Official website]