Observations about Orlando-from new transplant (Jacksonville, Miami: neighborhood, living, vs.)

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Originally Posted by kyle19125

Orlando's downtown looks more modern than St Pete or Tampa? Care to elaborate? They were both built around the same time in terms of major vertical development, plus both Tampa and St Pete have newer additions in terms of larger buildings and redevelopment, so I'm curious to hear your more detailed take on your original "observations".

Downtown Tampa looks very old, and is not very built up. Downtown Orlando looks like Disney in comparison.

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Also, Tampa just isn't my kind of city. While on the surface Orlando doesn't look that different (all Florida cities tend to look the same for the most part), it's much better IMO. I grew up in Tampa, but it's definitely not somewhere I would want to live permanently in. Orlando is that place, though.

[MrKnight]

Originally Posted by kyle19125

Orlando's downtown looks more modern than St Pete or Tampa? Care to elaborate? They were both built around the same time in terms of major vertical development, plus both Tampa and St Pete have newer additions in terms of larger buildings and redevelopment, so I'm curious to hear your more detailed take on your original "observations".

I have been to Tampa many times and grew up in the Orlando area so I am very familiar with both, from personal experience in both cities I can tell you that in recent years Downtown Orlando has most definitely surpassed that of Tampa/St. Pete in terms of physical development, modernism, trendiness/vibrancy, urban planning, and a recent wave of visible economic prosperity. One could also argue that Orlando's downtown is more visually appealing than Tampa's but I will stay away from that subject area as that part really comes down to personal preference. I will speak on facts and here are some major points that Orlando's downtown has that blow a punch to Tampa:

- Brand New world class performing arts center (Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts)
- Over 45 major development projects simultaneously under construction (http://www.downtownorlando.com/site/...1.30.20142.pdf)
- Three Brand New major sports venues (Amway Center, New Citrus Bowl, Orlando City Stadium)
- Home to three major pro sports franchises (NBA, MLS, AFL) located in the core of downtown
- Orlando Sports & Entertainment Megaplex under development (Orlando City Council Green Lights Magic Development | Orlando Magic)
- Creative Village and Future UCF Downtown Campus under development
- Brand new SunRail commuter rail system in place
- Over seven major hospitals within downtown limits including regional level 1 trauma center
- Hip and vibrant neighborhoods within downtown limits (Thornton Park, Eola Heights, etc)
- Proximity to vibrant upscale residential neighborhoods (Winter Park, Baldwin Park, etc)
- Major events hosted (NBA All Star Weekend, NBA Finals, College Bowl games, NCAA Championships, Citrus Parade, EDC Orlando, etc)

I could go on and on.. Hope this provides some insight your question..

[StreetSmarts]

Originally Posted by OptimusPrime69

That's funny cuz when I visit Orlando I dont think it's cool at all. rather, it seems "southern".... and not particularly beautiful. It's not a bad area, it just seems like car dealerships, strip malls and like... subdivisions.

Tampa seems cooler to me cuz it has St pete and Clearwater and just has water and nature

Southern? Where?

[bmw335xi]

Originally Posted by ropper111

So I made a good day visit to Orlando lately.

I noticed mainly that Orlando is more like a Miami than it is to Tampa. The style is much more cool (ps. I have NOT been to miami, but pop culturewise I know).

I felt like I was in a more modern place in Orlando. I love Tampa but felt a difference in Orlando. I will enjoy to visit more often. Is this something that has been commented on about Orlando before, from fellow Tampans? Thanks for your inputs!!

There is a big rivalry between Tampa and Orlando, so I don't think you will find many agreeing Tampons

I think Miami has a very vacation-like atmosphere as well as Orlando. That is about the only similarities I find between the two though. I definitely prefer Orlando over Tampa and Miami. I'm glad you enjoyed your stay!

[kyle19125]

Originally Posted by MrKnight

I have been to Tampa many times and grew up in the Orlando area so I am very familiar with both, from personal experience in both cities I can tell you that in recent years Downtown Orlando has most definitely surpassed that of Tampa/St. Pete in terms of physical development, modernism, trendiness/vibrancy, urban planning, and a recent wave of visible economic prosperity. One could also argue that Orlando's downtown is more visually appealing than Tampa's but I will stay away from that subject area as that part really comes down to personal preference. I will speak on facts and here are some major points that Orlando's downtown has that blow a punch to Tampa:

- Brand New world class performing arts center (Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts)
- Over 45 major development projects simultaneously under construction (http://www.downtownorlando.com/site/...1.30.20142.pdf)
- Three Brand New major sports venues (Amway Center, New Citrus Bowl, Orlando City Stadium)
- Home to three major pro sports franchises (NBA, MLS, AFL) located in the core of downtown
- Orlando Sports & Entertainment Megaplex under development (Orlando City Council Green Lights Magic Development | Orlando Magic)
- Creative Village and Future UCF Downtown Campus under development
- Brand new SunRail commuter rail system in place
- Over seven major hospitals within downtown limits including regional level 1 trauma center
- Hip and vibrant neighborhoods within downtown limits (Thornton Park, Eola Heights, etc)
- Proximity to vibrant upscale residential neighborhoods (Winter Park, Baldwin Park, etc)
- Major events hosted (NBA All Star Weekend, NBA Finals, College Bowl games, NCAA Championships, Citrus Parade, EDC Orlando, etc)

I could go on and on.. Hope this provides some insight your question..

Actually Tampa Bay has much more of a thriving cultural community

Straz Center About The Straz
The Mahaffey The Mahaffey: The Mahaffey at 50
Ruth Eckerd Hall About : Ruth Eckerd Hall
The Dali Museum The Dali Museum, St. Petersburg, FL | Unparalleled collection of Salvador Dali art works
Museum of Fine Arts Museum of Fine Arts, St. Petersburg
The Chihuly Morean Arts Center
Tampa Museum of Art Tampa Museum of Art
Museum of Science and Industry mosi Home
The Plant Museum Henry B. Plant Museum

Tampa Bay is further along and for some reason you place a premium on newness and in planning or in development, which isn't surprising since many an Orlando transplant has starry eyes about everything being "so new". Furthermore Orlando has not surpassed Tampa Bay in an way shape or form economically despite theme park world as Tampa Bay's more diversified economy outperforms Orlando's. And sorry, but downtown St Pete's skyline and setting is more impressive than Orlando's (unless you're predisposed otherwise) and more vibrant at night than Orlando...perhaps other than when there is a special event of some kind.



Tampa Bay offerings...

Sports venues (hosting three of the four Major sports leagues with NFL, MLB and NHL)
Raymond James Stadium (home of the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
Tropicana Field (home of Major League Baseball's Tampa Bay Rays)
Al Lang Stadium (home of the NASL's Tampa Bay Rowdies)

Existing college campuses in both downtown areas (USF-St Pete and the University of Tampa)

Plenty of regional medical care including nationally known Tampa General Hospital, a top level I trauma center. By the way downtown Orlando has two hospitals with varying sub-names for children's or maternity care....not seven.

No rail system in Tampa Bay, though I'm not sure Orlando is all that keen on it's boondoogle of a system which carries a whopping 4000 riders a day.

Both Tampa and St Pete have well-established and new "hip and vibrant" urban neighborhoods and is hardly exclusive to Orlando, as well as upscale residential neighborhoods in South Tampa, Westshore, Old Northeast and others.

Tampa Bay has a ton of sporting events ranging from the NCAA Football National championship game upcoming in 2017, this year's NCAA Women's Basketball Final Four, the Outback Bowl and St Pete Bowl, as well as Spring Training for the NY Yankees, Toronto Blue Jays and Philadelphia Phillies.

[kyle19125]

Originally Posted by bmw335xi

There is a big rivalry between Tampa and Orlando, so I don't think you will find many agreeing Tampons

Or Whorlandans.

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Originally Posted by kyle19125

Actually Tampa Bay has much more of a thriving cultural community

Straz Center About The Straz
The Mahaffey The Mahaffey: The Mahaffey at 50
Ruth Eckerd Hall About : Ruth Eckerd Hall
The Dali Museum The Dali Museum, St. Petersburg, FL | Unparalleled collection of Salvador Dali art works
Museum of Fine Arts Museum of Fine Arts, St. Petersburg
The Chihuly Morean Arts Center
Tampa Museum of Art Tampa Museum of Art
Museum of Science and Industry mosi Home
The Plant Museum Henry B. Plant Museum

Tampa Bay is further along and for some reason you place a premium on newness and in planning or in development, which isn't surprising since many an Orlando transplant has starry eyes about everything being "so new". Furthermore Orlando has not surpassed Tampa Bay in an way shape or form economically despite theme park world as Tampa Bay's more diversified economy outperforms Orlando's. And sorry, but downtown St Pete's skyline and setting is more impressive than Orlando's (unless you're predisposed otherwise) and more vibrant at night than Orlando...perhaps other than when there is a special event of some kind.



Tampa Bay offerings...

Sports venues (hosting three of the four Major sports leagues with NFL, MLB and NHL)
Raymond James Stadium (home of the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
Tropicana Field (home of Major League Baseball's Tampa Bay Rays)
Al Lang Stadium (home of the NASL's Tampa Bay Rowdies)

Existing college campuses in both downtown areas (USF-St Pete and the University of Tampa)

Plenty of regional medical care including nationally known Tampa General Hospital, a top level I trauma center. By the way downtown Orlando has two hospitals with varying sub-names for children's or maternity care....not seven.

No rail system in Tampa Bay, though I'm not sure Orlando is all that keen on it's boondoogle of a system which carries a whopping 4000 riders a day.

Both Tampa and St Pete have well-established and new "hip and vibrant" urban neighborhoods and is hardly exclusive to Orlando, as well as upscale residential neighborhoods in South Tampa, Westshore, Old Northeast and others.

Tampa Bay has a ton of sporting events ranging from the NCAA Football National championship game upcoming in 2017, this year's NCAA Women's Basketball Final Four, the Outback Bowl and St Pete Bowl, as well as Spring Training for the NY Yankees, Toronto Blue Jays and Philadelphia Phillies.

I guess many areas of Tampa just never clicked for me. The first time I was in Winter Park, I fell in love. Growing up in Tampa might have given me a different opinion of the city, but I just never liked the city for whatever reason. It just never appealed to me. But I guess Tampa is growing too...it just seems like Orlando is doing it on a bigger scale. It's just very boring to me.

It's all about perspective. The OP was really impressed with Orlando for a reason.

[spidac]

Yes Tampa is definitely more southern, when I'm there I'm amazed at all the southern accents I hear from the locals, sounds no different than an Alabama or South Carolina accent to me.

[MrKnight]

Originally Posted by kyle19125

Actually Tampa Bay has much more of a thriving cultural community

Straz Center About The Straz
The Mahaffey The Mahaffey: The Mahaffey at 50
Ruth Eckerd Hall About : Ruth Eckerd Hall
The Dali Museum The Dali Museum, St. Petersburg, FL | Unparalleled collection of Salvador Dali art works
Museum of Fine Arts Museum of Fine Arts, St. Petersburg
The Chihuly Morean Arts Center
Tampa Museum of Art Tampa Museum of Art
Museum of Science and Industry mosi Home
The Plant Museum Henry B. Plant Museum

I really don't see why you claim that Tampa has "more of a thriving cultural community" when both cities provide quality cultural offerings and museums, every museum that you listed above can be matched in Orlando with a similar counterpart:

Dr. Phillips Center (Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts)
Orlando Museum of Art (OMA - Orlando Museum of Art)
Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art (Louis Comfort Tiffany, the Morse Museum, Orlando, Florida)
Mennello Museum of American Art (The Mennello Museum of American Art)
Orlando Science Center (osc.org - Home)
Cornell Fine Arts Museum (Cornell Fine Arts Museum | Rollins College | Winter Park, FL)
Orange County Regional History Center (The Orange County Regional History Center - Downtown Orlando's Museum)
Orlando Fire Museum (Community | City of Orlando Fire Department)
CityArts Factory (CityArts Factory - Downtown Arts District of Orlando)
University of Central Florida Art Gallery (UCF Art Gallery)
Maitland Art Center (Art & History Museums - Maitland, All Rights Reserved. | Art & History Museums - Maitland)
Harry P. Leu Gardens & Museum (Leu Gardens)

Originally Posted by kyle19125

Tampa Bay is further along and for some reason you place a premium on newness and in planning or in development, which isn't surprising since many an Orlando transplant has starry eyes about everything being "so new". Furthermore Orlando has not surpassed Tampa Bay in an way shape or form economically despite theme park world as Tampa Bay's more diversified economy outperforms Orlando's. And sorry, but downtown St Pete's skyline and setting is more impressive than Orlando's (unless you're predisposed otherwise) and more vibrant at night than Orlando...perhaps other than when there is a special event of some kind.

I am not an "Orlando transplant" as you state, I was actually raised in the Orlando area, graduated from the University of Central Florida, and have lived in the area for most of my lifetime. My points are based on the current modern stature of Orlando, several years ago Tampa may have been ahead of Orlando in most areas, however, present day that is no longer the case. It was not my intention to place an emphasis on the "newness" as you claim, however, it is a fact that many of the facilities I listed are in fact new and that in itself is noteworthy. I also do not see your comparison of Orlando's downtown to St. Pete especially in the nightlife arena, this leads me to believe that you are not familiar with Orlando's nightlife scene which is in fact very active and vibrant, on your next visit to Orlando spend a Saturday evening on Orange Avenue, Wall Street Plaza, and the GreyGoose One80 Lounge and tell me if you still believe nightlife in Orlando is "not vibrant" ..

Originally Posted by kyle19125

Existing college campuses in both downtown areas (USF-St Pete and the University of Tampa)

In addition to the UCF downtown campus under development that I mentioned previously, the following college facilities presently exist in Downtown Orlando:

Valencia Community College - Downtown Satellite Campus
University of Central Florida - Downtown Satellite Campus / Executive Development Center
UCF - Florida Interactive Entertainment Academy
Florida A&M University - School of Law
Florida State University College of Medicine - Orlando Regional Campus
Adventist University of Health Sciences - Main Campus

Originally Posted by kyle19125

Plenty of regional medical care including nationally known Tampa General Hospital, a top level I trauma center. By the way downtown Orlando has two hospitals with varying sub-names for children's or maternity care....not seven.

Orlando Regional Medical Center (Level 1 Trauma Center)
Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children
Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women and Babies
M. D. Anderson Cancer Center Orlando
Florida Hospital Orlando
Florida Hospital Cancer Institute
ORMC - Lucerne Pavilion Hospital

Not to mention Orlando's Medical City to the south..