All Orlando-Windermere-Kissimmee are great places to work,play and live...Don't you think? (Miami: property taxes)

[Eric G Ortiz]

As a Realtor in this area I have learned to love this great area. While in my military career I was able to visit many places in and out of the country, and when it came to a decision where I wanted to live for the rest of my life, I chose this area. The weather, the entertainment, the people, the culture, the future of this great place are some of the things that I like. Now with the new Medical City in Lake Nona, Orlando is expected to have a great growth as far as employment, and a number of professionals that will be moving to this area. You might have a different opinion but as far as I am concerned, I would rather live here than anywhere else.

[Kappy]

Originally Posted by Eric G Ortiz

As a Realtor in this area I have learned to love this great area. While in my military career I was able to visit many places in and out of the country, and when it came to a decision where I wanted to live for the rest of my life, I chose this area. The weather, the entertainment, the people, the culture, the future of this great place are some of the things that I like. Now with the new Medical City in Lake Nona, Orlando is expected to have a great growth as far as employment, and a number of professionals that will be moving to this area. You might have a different opinion but as far as I am concerned, I would rather live here than anywhere else.

Do you really see Kissimmee growing or even changing That would be nice.

[kinglouix]

There is an old saying: One man's garbage is another man's treasure. New York's motto is "If you can make it there you'll make it anywhere." Orlando's is "if you like it there you'll like it anywhere." Might I recommend some vacation spots that I am sure you will love: Gary, Indiana; Youngstown, Ohio; East St. Louis; Flint, Michigan; and Camden New Jersey.

[Magnulus]

Originally Posted by kinglouix

There is an old saying: One man's garbage is another man's treasure. New York's motto is "If you can make it there you'll make it anywhere." Orlando's is "if you like it there you'll like it anywhere." Might I recommend some vacation spots that I am sure you will love: Gary, Indiana; Youngstown, Ohio; East St. Louis; Flint, Michigan; and Camden New Jersey.

That's my feeling exactly. Orlando has about as much culture as your typical rust-belt town, maybe even less. That's not to say it doesn't have any, but I wouldn't give it high marks for culture. In fact Orlando even feels like a rust-belt, and there are lots of ex-rust-belters here, anyways. It isn't a cultural city like San Francisco, New York, Washington, or even Miami. It is very generic.

I'm not optimistic about growth, not unless Orlando can get away from tourism. I predict tourism will decline in the next decade or so, as the price of jet fuel increases. I couldn't guess how much exactly but, unless Orlando gets passenger rail services and so forth, I don't see the tourism industry being sustainable. Also the auto-dependent developement in Orlando will constrain growth moreso than other areas. And let's not forget the crime that may eventually frighten people off. All these things are challenges for the area and they require real political leadership but are not being talked about. Sure, people talk about property taxes and insurance but there is more to an area growing long term than taxes and insurance.

[kinglouix]

They don't even have enough foresight to include or extend the proposed light rail to connect with downtown. Combine that with the fact that there is probably the only city in America that doesn't have a highway that connects its downtown to its airport. The first thing you see for miles on 436 is Moderator cut: comments chain restaurants, filth and endless traffic lights. 436 from the airport to the 408 should be made a highway no matter wha the cost. The only option from the airport to downtown is a $40 cab ride. Let's assume downtown ever offered something except homeless and tattoo parlors, why would any tourists ever go there because of that obstacle?? Again, total lack of planning just like everything else in this city.

[bdpop]

I believe at one time there was a plan to build a highway from downtown to the airport, but one of the towns it would have passed through fought the proposal and the highway was never built.

[kinglouix]

It seems everything that was obvious and would have made Orlando a decent place was overridden by stupidity. I heard they saved some money by building I-4 just north of town with those hills and curves and that is why it never moves. Again, complete lack of vision. How about 50 where they approved everything being built without setbacks so they can never widen it. You can go on for days about what is wrong here but didn't have to be that way. There is no place more poorly planned on Earth.