More Everbank upgrades proposed. (Jacksonville, Miami: real estate, hotel, home)

[projectmaximus]

Originally Posted by Robyn55

I wonder if there might be some way to redesign the interior of the Arena so it could accommodate smaller audiences without making it look half empty during performances?

I imagine it can definitely be done but the cost would probably be very high for a regular conversion and it also doesn't help the issue of certain acts choosing a smaller venue due to lower costs.

Originally Posted by Robyn55

Noise pollution really seems to carry - especially at night. I know we had a dispute here between a local restaurant and nearby residents when the restaurant started to have small bands perform outside at night. You could hear the noise 1/4 mile away. I'm not sure (m)any people would want to "move to a nuisance" - i.e., an open amphitheater that generated a lot of noise well into the night. Robyn

Big difference between an acoustically-designed stage and an outdoor part of a restaurant. Engineers nowadays focus sound towards a specific area and have it dissipate in all other directions. But I won't pretend it's a magic pill either...I'm sure there is noise bleed for a 1/4 mile radius when you're talking about this level of decibels.

[mtraininjax]

Met park has met its end. The park is done and really cannot and should not be used for anything further. This new amphitheater is a shot across the bow at St. Augustine. There is no way SA should get the acts they get when Jax does not have a facility to handle outdoor performances.

[judeK]

Originally Posted by mtraininjax

There is no way SA should get the acts they get when Jax does not have a facility to handle outdoor performances.

HUH??? If Jax doesn't have an outdoor facility, why shouldn't St Augustine get the acts?

[Robyn55]

Originally Posted by mtraininjax

Met park has met its end. The park is done and really cannot and should not be used for anything further. This new amphitheater is a shot across the bow at St. Augustine. There is no way SA should get the acts they get when Jax does not have a facility to handle outdoor performances.

Why do you think Met park "has met its end". Note that I don't disagree (or agree) with you. I've only been to Met park a couple of times over the course of 20+ years. For things like outdoor afternoon festivals (I recall a Ronald McDonald House event for one).

I don't think it's a competition between JAX and SA either. If a group could get good sales in both places - it would probably play both places. I don't think groups that are "on the road" like to travel any more than they have to. FWIW - we are too far (and too old) for comfortable evening trips either to SA or downtown (we are kind of in the middle geographically). Although - over the course of the years - we have gone to many afternoon events in downtown JAX. Mostly concerts and shows. Not many rock shows and similar at 2 pm. Think the last one I went to that had afternoon acts was Woodstock .

Note that we have a concert hall in Ponte Vedra too. Not much that excites me there. Although there are some names I remember this season. Like Leon Russell and John Sebastian:

Welcome to the | Ponte Vedra Concert Hall

That is not enough to entice me to a concert (I don't care to see someone I remember from my youth as an old man). Although it's probably not as bad as seeing Bob Dylan on IBM commercials (OTOH - I can't blame the guy for trying to make a living):


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwh1INne97Q

Robyn

[judeK]

Hasn't the stage at Met Park been recently declared unsafe? Why don't they just tear it down and build a new Amphitheatre there?

[projectmaximus]

^I'm sure there are many factors (and honestly I'm not that well-versed in this), but two reasons off the top of my head are:

1) You'd still potentially have noise complainers across the river.
2) It's not the best ROI because the federal govt restricts the amount of private use at Metro Park. Back in the day they gave a grant to establish the park and stipulated only a dozen or so non-free events can be held there.

[mtraininjax]

I don't think it's a competition between JAX and SA either. If a group could get good sales in both places - it would probably play both places. I don't think groups that are "on the road" like to travel any more than they have to. FWIW - we are too far (and too old) for comfortable evening trips either to SA or downtown (we are kind of in the middle geographically).

Robyn, I will respectfully disagree with you. In fact the article from the Florida Times Union specifically called out the fact that Jacksonville was losing revenue out to SA for these shows. Per the Times Union:

The amphitheater would include 4,000 to 5,000 fixed seats and would be an open-air venue with a roof. What passes as an amphitheater in Metropolitan Park is well past its useful life. Jacksonville shouldn’t be losing concerts to St. Augustine’s amphitheater with people from Jacksonville having to drive there for shows.

Met Park is very old and tired and like the old Coliseum, it can be torn down and included in plans for developers to develop along the river. No need to have an outdoor music park that cannot be used because the neighbors across the river can kill any noise.

[NoleFanHSV]

Jacksonville just needs a concert hall/ampitheater. Perfect place would be on the river near the landing.

[mtraininjax]

http://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonvi...5&t=1447448594

Just saw this today as well, it is from the people trying to build the aquarium in Downtown Jacksonville. They are all for a new amphitheater.

The organizers behind AquaJax are saying they think the idea of an outdoor amphitheater near EverBank Field would jive well with plans for a potential aquarium on Jacksonville’s Southbank.

“I think they would really be symbiotic, that they would support and compliment each other,” said AquaJax co-founder George Harrell.

[JBtwinz]

Jacksonville has wasted so many years trying to reinvent themselves.

Right now the USS Adams has a deal to tie the ship up at the shipyards property..............of course this was negotiated before the contamination issues came to light.............which canceled the grand scheme of tearing down the Landing and Kahn using the Shipyards property for the state of the art practice fields, residential units and shopping and restaurants.
http://www.actionnewsjax.com/news/ne...rds-pla/nkDqn/


Fast forward and Kahn has shifted his vision to the property adjacent to Everbank Stadium which the city heavily invested in last year.............so what is another 45 million right?

Now the stage has been shut down at Metropolitan Park for inspection of the canopy.......hopefully that will be quicker than the inspections being done at the waterfront where the street fell away.

Notice that the Aquarium article states they would need to rethink strategy if the Shipyards property is not going to be redeveloped. Maybe a better return on investment instead of the scoreboards and pools and subsidizing the water taxi's and now a 45 million stake in Kahns vision would be to clean the Shipyards property for some much needed tax revenue with future additions of commercial property.

I for one don't think we need to build an amphitheater to compete with Saint Augustine.....Jacksonville tends to have a history of losing when competing.

Metro Park was established in 1985 and thousands of people have come to enjoy the unique waterfront experience...............why move it to a parking lot?

Bottom line is the City of Jacksonville really needs to sit down and figure things out.....Kahn has been great but, the city needs to reinvent itself not get led by hand......remember, the shipyard property and Landing were touted as the next second coming only to switch gears 180 degrees and propose a sporting district next to the Jags stadium. What happened to the riverfront being the jewel of downtown.......soil contamination