Festival Bay Mall (Tampa, Orlando, Edgewater: foreclosures, skatepark, movie theaters)

[andygump5]

Took the Kiddos today to Monkey Joes inside the Festival Bay Mall.

I had never been there before(have lived here less than a year)but remembered reading that there were hardly any stores open inside, so my assumption was that it was an old run-down mall from a couple decades ago...

Well, you know what they say about assuming. I was shocked at how nice it was inside, so now I have to ask, What happened? Was it ever filled up or has it always been that deserted?

[GLS2010]

Originally Posted by andygump5

Took the Kiddos today to Monkey Joes inside the Festival Bay Mall.

I had never been there before(have lived here less than a year)but remembered reading that there were hardly any stores open inside, so my assumption was that it was an old run-down mall from a couple decades ago...

Well, you know what they say about assuming. I was shocked at how nice it was inside, so now I have to ask, What happened? Was it ever filled up or has it always been that deserted?

Its a different kind of mall. It has stores like Monkey Joes and Vans Skate park. Not many regular mall stores set up shop there due to the mall at millenia being right down the road from it.

[boy3365]

I agree with GLS2010. There are too many malls (FL Mall, Millenia, Festival Bay and the two major outlets) too close together. Someone was not going to make it and it looks like Festival Bay took the hit.

[brinkofsunshine]

I suppose Prime Outlets also takes a lot of the attention away from Festival Bay. It was probably doomed from the beginning, despite in being located on ever-popular I-Drive. It's always been deserted. Unfortunate, seeing as it had a lot of potential. It is nice inside, but now it just reminds me of the malls in zombie movies/video games .

[DavieJ89]

Originally Posted by brinkofsunshine

I suppose Prime Outlets also takes a lot of the attention away from Festival Bay. It was probably doomed from the beginning, despite in being located on ever-popular I-Drive. It's always been deserted. Unfortunate, seeing as it had a lot of potential. It is nice inside, but now it just reminds me of the malls in zombie movies/video games .

I thjink what keeps festival bay plugging along is the movie theater (which is cheap btw) the skate park, and the bass pro shops, and shepler's too (is shepler's in there?)

[MAniacTHW]

I loved the Skatepark there (though EXTREMELY expensive, considering Skatepark of Tampa is just up the interstate and is a world known skatepark).

[**NoodLes**]

Festival Bay has always been deserted, just like most of the city.

[Wilshire81182]

Originally Posted by **NoodLes**

Festival Bay has always been deserted, just like most of the city.

Seriously? Festival Bay is deserted, but the rest of the city? What about the groups walking along and dining at sidewalk cafes on Park Avenue or the crowds downtown Thursday through Sunday after 9PM. Downtown Disney, Edgewater in College Park, Cranes Roost, Citiwalk, the south end of I Drive, etc. There is constantly traffic and long red lights at huge intersections. There are very few parts of town that I would consider abandoned or deserted, except some heavily hit areas with foreclosures and vacant new development.

[GLS2010]

Originally Posted by **NoodLes**

Festival Bay has always been deserted, just like most of the city.

the city is not abandoned, nice try though.

[DavieJ89]

It appears our local troll has returned once again

Orlando is definitely not deserted. Driving on any major road here can be a real b i t c h at certain times

Movie theaters, restaurants, stores, other public places are always crowded