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In order for CFL to take the next big step local leaders need to seriously put in place a plan to connect MCO, the Tourist Corridor and Downtown. With the major port of entry in MCO, major attractions, convention space and housing in the Tourist Corridor and our premier venues (Amway, Citrus Bowl, DPAC and now Orlando City Soccer Stadium all downtown) there must a practical and useful form of transit that can bypass traffic and move masses of people between these 3 centers. I understand and accept that in the past we have had a tourist v local rivalries that encouraged hourding certain resources to certain areas but those days have to be put behind us now. We've shown that we can host large events (Pro-Bowl, NBA All Star weekend, College Tourneys, Political Conventions, Industry Conventions) but to host the largest events (Superbowl, College National Championships, DNC, RNC, Industry Global Conventions) we need to have a mass transit connector. Even with the current upgrades to I4, it just isn't that feasible to rent that many vehicles to that many visitors to add onto our residents and non-event visitors. Because of the layout geographically and roadways or area we must have mass transit connector. As the Pro Bowl recently proved the best events use up multiple facilities and spaces because of different needs. Championship sporting events now need more than just sports venues for the games, they need meeting/convention space for corporate events, league meetings, etc., sports facilities for the game itself and fan events like they hosted at Disney WWOS, and all the requisite hotel and dining facilities. It's reasonable to expect that to host an event like the Super Bowl and College Football National Championship we could conceivable use the Orange County Convention Center, Citrus Bowl, Amway Center, DPAC, Disney WWOS, I-Drive all at the same time. The same could be said for the DNC or RNC. I don't know if we need a brand new light rail planed from scratch or some improved, interconnected version of Sunrail but if we even want to dream about hosting the next level premier events it will be absolutely necessary to compete with other event cities NYC, CHI, PHI, ATL, PHO and so on. I hope our local leaders see this same way I do and get on it. Lets take that next step.
Orlando isn't in the same league and competition as cities like New York, Chicago, Atlanta. We don't have a significant high paid industry here.
You'd have us spend billions to make millions? Hosting these events is a great honor, but it simply isn't feasible, OR could be done without any major infrastructure overhauls.
Our local leaders are tardy to the party. Orlando was built incredibly spread out.
Compare major cities with MAPfrappe - Legacy Page . It's shocking how giant Orange County is. To unite it with transit would cost tens to hundreds of billions.
Orlando isn't in the same league and competition as cities like New York, Chicago, Atlanta. We don't have a significant high paid industry here.
You'd have us spend billions to make millions? Hosting these events is a great honor, but it simply isn't feasible, OR could be done without any major infrastructure overhauls.
Our local leaders are tardy to the party. Orlando was built incredibly spread out.
Compare major cities with MAPfrappe - Legacy Page . It's shocking how giant Orange County is. To unite it with transit would cost tens to hundreds of billions.
It would only take one type of connection but it the key from hosting the Pro-bowl to the Super Bowl or College Football National Championship. Granted cities like Tampa are able to host without mass transit options they are traditionally been known to host these events, we have not been given the chance yet so we would need to take that next step. Whether we have the political will to do it is questionable like you implied.
It would only take one type of connection but it the key from hosting the Pro-bowl to the Super Bowl or College Football National Championship. Granted cities like Tampa are able to host without mass transit options they are traditionally been known to host these events, we have not been given the chance yet so we would need to take that next step. Whether we have the political will to do it is questionable like you implied.
Who CARES? Why bend over backwards to host a sporting event? For 5 days of a boosted economy?
No city has ever been successful at building a transportation system to help TOURISTS.
Look at the after effects of the Olympics on many cities. The long term costs of some transit and infrastructure built so they can host the world for a week is crippling.
If you're going to built public transit in Orlando, paid for by Orlando/Orange County it should benefit RESIDENTS.
The residents can be helped by creating a transit system that gets them closer to jobs (which are VASTLY spread out), or helping the poor get a foothold on work, or by alleviating traffic, or by making the city more accessible, OR to create a hub which develops in areas with a limited amount of space (which is NOT Orlando).
I created a diagram a few posts back with a system that could operate and enhance many of those things.
Sporting events tend to seem like a losing venture these days considering how much has to be invested into security thanks to terrorists and crazies wanting to be on the news.
A system focused on tourism and private sector help would work best... connect i-drive, disney springs, city walk and also mall at millenia, florida mall, the outlets and downtown and boom you'll have a successful system.
Whether we like it or not we will need a system that caters to both tourists and residents. At the end of the day we NEED the tourists and their high riderships in their areas to subsidize resident fares in other areas. This is not just true for CFL but other systems like the DC Metro, Boston T, NYC Metro, Chicago L. Of course they systems would exists without tourists but I think it's fair to say its much easier to build a line out to Vienna VA for locals when you have millions of tourists riders a year using the Metro in Central DC. Same for Boston, Manhattan and the Loop.
Whether we like it or not we will need a system that caters to both tourists and residents. At the end of the day we NEED the tourists and their high riderships in their areas to subsidize resident fares in other areas. This is not just true for CFL but other systems like the DC Metro, Boston T, NYC Metro, Chicago L. Of course they systems would exists without tourists but I think it's fair to say its much easier to build a line out to Vienna VA for locals when you have millions of tourists riders a year using the Metro in Central DC. Same for Boston, Manhattan and the Loop.
You are absolutely wrong.
Public transit loses money on just about each rider.
Few few few few few lines turn a profit.
The alternatives that tourists use that aren't public transit benefit the city/county.
BART has a huge surcharge in SF for those going in and out of SFO.
MTA (NYC) has a surcharge for the Airtrain.
The purpose of public transit is never to make money. It's to increase density, alleviate traffic, and create modes of cost effective transportation for low income residents.
If we provided transportation services for every resident from MCO to Universal, I-Drive, and Disney... this county would be losing literally tens to hundreds of millions of dollars a year.
I understand your point that mass transit its not supposed to make money, it's a public service and is meant to provide benefit to the community regardless of cost. But my point is that cost is much more bearable when you have tourists or visitors paying a large share to help residents and local governments subsidize the cost of the service. My point on the DC line is that it's much more palatable and easier to find the money to build an outlying station when you have millions of dollars coming in each year from tourists and visitors who using primarily just the central lines and stations in the DC metro. Yes the DC metro will still lose money operationally overall, but it doesn't hurt to have a cushion at the farebox of riders who are primarily out of towners. We have that ability here in Orlando where as a place like Tampa, which although they see a good amount of tourist and visitors as well, would not have access to the same source of out of town travelers who can pad the fare box. If it's there for us we would be foolish not to utilize it if we truly want to ever build a comprehensive mass transit system here.
I understand your point that mass transit its not supposed to make money, it's a public service and is meant to provide benefit to the community regardless of cost. But my point is that cost is much more bearable when you have tourists or visitors paying a large share to help residents and local governments subsidize the cost of the service. My point on the DC line is that it's much more palatable and easier to find the money to build an outlying station when you have millions of dollars coming in each year from tourists and visitors who using primarily just the central lines and stations in the DC metro. Yes the DC metro will still lose money operationally overall, but it doesn't hurt to have a cushion at the farebox of riders who are primarily out of towners. We have that ability here in Orlando where as a place like Tampa, which although they see a good amount of tourist and visitors as well, would not have access to the same source of out of town travelers who can pad the fare box. If it's there for us we would be foolish not to utilize it if we truly want to ever build a comprehensive mass transit system here.
The tourists in DC are using the same stops as working people. DCA is served by the WMATA and relatively close to DC proper.
DC is developed and would be crushed by additional traffic.
MCO and our largest tourist destinations are incredible distances from each other and their traffic does not impact city residents terribly.
It would be nice for transit to help lower income individuals get to work at these locations, but the distance is just epic.
DC does not have a line extending to Busch Gardens VA.
There is quite a disconnect from Orlando as a working city with transit needs to the Tourist sector of Orlando. It would be great if the latter could foot the bill for the former, but that kind of build out isn't desired by Disney on their dine. For now magical express works well
Public transit loses money on just about each rider.
Few few few few few lines turn a profit.
The alternatives that tourists use that aren't public transit benefit the city/county.
BART has a huge surcharge in SF for those going in and out of SFO.
MTA (NYC) has a surcharge for the Airtrain.
.
I believe Denver has a higher rate from the airport. Philadelphia charges as much from the airport as from the most distant suburb. Chicago transit authority fare is double at the OHare subway station, though surprisingly Midway is standard fare. It's all to sock it to tourists, who don't vote in local elections.
The tourists in DC are using the same stops as working people. DCA is served by the WMATA and relatively close to DC proper.
DC is developed and would be crushed by additional traffic.
MCO and our largest tourist destinations are incredible distances from each other and their traffic does not impact city residents terribly.
It would be nice for transit to help lower income individuals get to work at these locations, but the distance is just epic.
DC does not have a line extending to Busch Gardens VA.
There is quite a disconnect from Orlando as a working city with transit needs to the Tourist sector of Orlando. It would be great if the latter could foot the bill for the former, but that kind of build out isn't desired by Disney on their dine. For now magical express works well
See and this is where Orlando will struggle with public transit. The residents live and work a considerable distance away from the tourist corridor. To expect a rail system to cater to both, tourists and residents is unrealistic at the moment.
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