After a drought of water parks -Water, water, everywhere! Water park competition heats up b/w Fort Laudedale Stadium and Dolphins Stadium

After a drought of water parks -Water, water, everywhere!
Water park competition heats up between Fort Lauderdale Stadium to the north and Dolphins Stadium on the Broward and Miami-Dade county line.

Per this interesting Broward Politics blog story by Scott Wyman re Thursday morning's Broward Planning Council meeting -which I will likely be attending- the info below may well interest you, since the area may well go from almost nothing H2O in this market to double our fun with some nearby competition in the future for water park users.

South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Broward Politics blog

Fort Lauderdale water park plans could clear hurdle this week

By Scott Wyman

May 25, 2011 09:00 AM

Fort Lauderdale’s proposal to turn its sports stadiums into a major water park resort could clear a major hurdle this week.

The Broward County Planning Council is set to consider whether to sign off on the project and send it to the state for review.

City commissioners are negotiating a deal with Schlitterbahn Development Group for the use of the Lockhart and Fort Lauderdale stadium property for the park.

Read the rest of the post at:

http://weblogs.sun-sentinel.com/news/politics/broward/blog/2011/05/fort_lauderdale_water_park_pla.html

Previous posts by Scott Wyman on this topic were April 25th

http://weblogs.sun-sentinel.com/news/politics/broward/blog/2011/04/fort_lauderdale_see_progress_o.html

and on September 13th of last year

http://weblogs.sun-sentinel.com/news/politics/broward/blog/2010/09/neighborhood_opposition_develo.html

There are a lot of well-informed reader comments there!

Before seeing this story tonight, I was going to post this news regarding the July 21st hearing before the Miami-Dade County commissioners on the plan near Dolphins Stadium to my blog on Sunday, after getting a look at the plans on Friday down at the Steve Clark Bldg. and snapping some photos.

But since the hearing on the facility up in Fort Lauderdale is Thursday, rather than wait a few days, I thought you'd all like to know that the market for this sort of enterprise will be very different once the Dolphins get their way with the M-D officials... which I think is a pretty safe bet I'd say, even if it's not a particularly well thought-out plan.

I still plan on making that trip to downtown Miami on Friday and after snapping some photos of some places and people I've been aiming to mention and show here on the blog for a while -inc. some of the American Airlines Arena for some readers overseas- at some point, I'll swing over and snag some photos or artists depictions of the water park from the formal application.

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Miami Herald

Plans for water park near Sun Life Stadium making a splash

By Hannah Sampson

August 20, 2010

A new water park with wave pools, slides and a snorkel area is planned just across the street from the current playground of the Marlins and Dolphins.

Miami Dolphins owner and real-estate developer Steve Ross intends to turn a 40-acre parking lot next to Sun Life Stadium into a water attraction pegged to a spring 2012 opening -- just as the Florida Marlins will move from Sun Life to the new baseball stadium in Little Havana, said Dolphins CEO Mike Dee.

"We're looking at any and all ways that we can utilize the stadium and bring economic value. It's both an opportunity and a challenge,'' Dee said.

The water park -- which would include private cabanas and a "swim with the fish'' pool -- would be South Florida's first new major attraction since Jungle Island opened in 2003 on Watson Island. And it will be the region's first water park since Atlantis the Water Kingdom closed almost two decades ago. The water park would occupy 20 acres, with another 20 acres of parking.

The Miami Gardens land designated for the park is owned by Ross, former team owner H. Wayne Huizenga and other team partners. The project, still unnamed, will cost "tens of millions'' and will be privately financed, Dee said.

It will require a zoning change from office use to an "unusual'' designation that must be approved by the Miami-Dade County Commission. The project is meant to offset revenue losses in the summer months that would have normally been busy with baseball. It is the first stage of a new stadium master plan, Dee said. Talks on other plans to improve the stadium are ongoing, he said, though he wouldn't give details.

It is expected to create approximately 600 construction jobs and an additional 400 jobs from the water-park operation and increase tourism stays in the area, according to a company release.

The new park would be a unique attraction in South Florida. While the World Waterpark Association says an estimated 1,000 water parks operate in North America, none have existed in this area since Hollywood's Atlantis closed in 1992. The closest comparable park, Rapids Water Park in Palm Beach County, is slightly larger than the planned new project.

Earlier this year, team officials floated the idea of a hotel tax increase to fund nearly $200 million in stadium upgrades, saying the improvements were necessary to keep the Super Bowl coming back. The campaign was put on hold.

But the addition could also boost the region's chances of hosting the Super Bowl again, said William Talbert III, CEO of the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau.

"Certainly we would use any asset, any enhancement to the facility, as part of our bid,'' Talbert said.

Dee called the planned park a "best-in-class, state-of-the-art facility'' that should appeal to tourists: "We're going to market it aggressively.''

So will the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau, Talbert said. ``It would have an appeal to the family vacationer as something new and exciting.''

Company estimates forecast nearly 700,000 visitors during the first year and and additional $7 million in local, state and federal taxes.

Dreams of grand attractions are not new in South Florida. Huizenga himself had planned in the 1990s to build Blockbuster Park, a baseball stadium, movie studios and entertainment complex. The designated site was in Miramar west of Interstate 75. The plan fell apart when Blockbuster was taken over by Viacom in a merger.

While water parks are not primary draws like Disney or Universal theme parks, they still play a role in tourism, said Abraham Pizam, dean of the Rosen College of Hospitality Management at the University of Central Florida in Orlando.

"It would be an addition to the attractions that are already there,'' he said. ``If people are already there, they can extend their stay for another half a day or day, which is great because everybody wins.''

Water parks have survived despite the recession, with more coming online during the past 5-10 years. More of that business has been indoors or at resorts or municipalities rather than outdoors, said Aleatha Ezra, the association's director of park membership development.

Florida -- specifically, Orlando -- has four of the world's top seven parks in terms of visitors, with a combined total of more than 6.7 million visitors in 2009, according to an attraction attendance report from AECOM and Themed Entertainment Association.

"They are still good drivers of tourism and, similar to regional theme parks, they have tended to do a little bit better than larger, more extensive destination-oriented ones,'' said Edward Shaw, senior associate with the economics arm of consulting firm AECOM. "The tickets tend to be a little more reasonable for the markets and they're good for staycations and the resident-oriented market.''

The proposed water park will have some features similar to Aquatica, SeaWorld's water park in Orlando, which opened in 2008.

The Neuman Group, the aquatic destination planning and construction firm shoring up the local project, is involved with both. Theme-park operator Palace Entertainment -- which runs Boomers arcades and Sea Life Park in Hawaii, among others -- is also working with the Dolphin venture.

The downturn in the economy could actually be a boost to a new project like the one Ross plans, some experts say.

"It's much cheaper to build anything nowadays than it was two or three years ago,'' said UCF's Pizam. ``People are out of jobs, companies are looking for projects. The cost has been going down, almost spiraling down.''

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Per the embarrassing butt-kissing comments above of the CEO of the Greater Miami CVB, whom I've ripped before, all I can say is how very preposterous but typical coming from this over-paid sycophant, who supports the idea of M-D taxpayers bankrolling expensive improvements to the stadium -owned by a billionaire!
Read them again:

But the addition could also boost the region's chances of hosting the Super Bowl again, said William Talbert III, CEO of the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau.

"Certainly we would use any asset, any enhancement to the facility, as part of our bid,'' Talbert said.

Broward School Board's policies/results are deal breakers. Let Murray be Murray!

My comments follow this Sun-Sentinel Broward politics blog post from yesterday and article by Anthony Man and Akilah Johnson today on the Broward School Board, and one of their typically bad PR moves, and the Hannah Sampson article on the same that appeared today in the Herald.

_______________________
Broward Politics blog
Broward schools want some federal bailout money
Posted by Anthony Man at 4:21 PM
http://weblogs.sun-sentinel.com/news/politics/broward/blog/school_board_elections/
________________________
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/broward/breaking-news/story/804598.html
Miami Herald
Broward School Board to vote on bailout request
By Hannah Sampson
December 8, 2008

Potentially joining the ranks of auto executives and banking mavens, the Broward School Board will vote Tuesday on whether it is going to ask the federal government for a bailout.

''We're certainly at the edge of a cliff and anywhere at the state or federal level that we can seek help, we will,'' said Broward Schools Superintendent Jim Notter.


The Broward school district is predicting cuts of $160 million for the upcoming school year. Already this year, the district has been told it will lose $34 million from the budget.

Board member Beverly Gallagher, who asked Notter to put the request on the meeting agenda, said she has been getting e-mails from worried parents for weeks asking what the board will do to counter the cuts.


''This is a good start,'' Gallagher said. She said she hoped the request for federal aid would get the attention of state lawmakers, too.

''We know they don't have any money, but we'd like a bigger slice of the pie from them,'' she said.

The board will not vote on a specific amount of money Tuesday. The request says the assistance would be for construction and operating costs.


Broward's vote comes just weeks after Miami-Dade Schools Superintendent Alberto Carvalho called on the federal government to rescue public schools with a bailout.
__________________________________
www.sun-sentinel.com/news/schools/sfl-flbschools1208sbdec08,0,2449279.story
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Board might request federal bailout include Broward County schools
Two members say education should be included in Barack Obama's plans to broadly assist the U.S. economy
By Anthony Man and Akilah Johnson
December 8, 2008

Wall Street got one. Detroit automakers may get one this week. Some governors have put their hands out for federal cash, citing their difficulties coping with the national economic crisis.

Now, the Broward School Board is pulling out its own tin cup.

"We will ask Barack Obama for bailout money for public education," School Board member Beverly Gallagher said Sunday. "We think if he bails anybody out, it should be public education."

Gallagher said she has asked Superintendent James Notter to prepare a resolution for the board to consider Tuesday. She expects the proposal to pass.

School Board Chairwoman Maureen Dinnen said Sunday the district would be "derelict within our duty if we didn't say, 'Hey, here is our list of things that we need you guys to pay attention to.'"

President-elect Barack Obama announced Saturday that his administration will institute a massive public-works initiative for such infrastructure projects as repairing roads and bridges, while also increasing technology and so-called green jobs.

"Certainly, schools rank as high as a roadway or a bridge or something," Dinnen said.

Gallagher agreed, saying schools deserve special consideration from federal taxpayers."

If you don't have a strong public education system, you don't have a strong work force." Gallagher said.She didn't have a specific dollar amount in mind.

She said she'd like capital funding to help improve older school facilities and operating funding to help pay for work-force training.

After slashing $94 million from this school year's budget, the district, the sixth largest in the nation, expects to lose about $160 million for the 2009-10 school year, according to the preliminary request on Tuesday's agenda.

Notter said in November that he expects more cuts will come when the Legislature meets in the spring.

The district will continue its freeze on filling non-instructional jobs, while looking for other ways to save money, he said. Construction projects have either been scuttled by the state or put on hold by the district.

"It is critical that the federal government include public schools in any financial relief efforts in order to ensure economic recovery in the State of Florida and throughout the nation," the preliminary request reads.
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$160 million loss expected
After slashing $94 million from this year's budget, the district, the sixth largest in the nation, expects to lose $160 million for the 2009-10 school year, according to a resolution drafted for Tuesday's meeting.

Reader comments at:
http://www.topix.net/forum/source/south-florida-sun-sentinel/TPNO8B1H27O5Q5E9T
__________________________________
Tried to put a shortened version of this on the Herald's website comment area, below the article, but it kept cutting too many words. Hence...

If this foolish idea were actually allowed to reach fruition, don't we already know from experience what we'd be hearing about months from now?

An avalanche of after-the-fact reporting on the closed-to-the-public Workshop/Retreat in Naples or Captiva or somewhere that the Broward County School Board, James Notter & Co. would have to take, so they could focus and concentrate their energy on what they'd spend the money on.

A lot of Broward voters in District 1 like me voted for Ann Murray for Broward School Board over personable Rick Saltrick precisely because despite some very appealing qualities, he was TOO MUCH LIKE the current Board members in policy outlook, and probably wouldn't fight hard enough for taxpayers and parents against either poor administration or union policies when confronted with them.

I met Saltrick a few times in the weeks before the election, in both Hollywood and in Hallandale Beach, and would certainly strongly consider voting for him in the future for another political office.
Hell, I wouldn't mind exchanging him in a heartbeat for about two dozen people I can think of who are currently in office hereabouts.

But for Broward School Board, I felt that his strong connections/ties to current and past Broward education administration types/lobbyists/fixers, which he thought was a plus, and certainly was as far as raising campaign money and producing high-quality campaign literature, became a negative at the ballot box at a time when people really want to see increased accountability.
Or at least say they do.

Perhaps too much "get along" and not enough signs of clear-cut independence.

Apparently, as the vote showed, I wasn't alone in my intuition.

Murray's rhetorical question towards the end of the campaign about why he would spend so much money for a part-time job really hit home with a lot of voters I spoke with, too.
Even ones in his redoubt of Hollywood who had voted for Saltrick in the primary.

Meanwhile, Murray's stated position that her work experience gave her a clear insight into the system's bloat, as well as ideas as to where the bodies were hidden, resonated with voters.

She deserves the chance to use her new position on the Board to do more digging and make those sorts of arguments from the dais, and make the relevant information/policies public before the Broward School Board gets one more cent.

With the exception of Murray, the existing Board members seem to be Educrats in complete denial about how bad most of even the "average" schools are in their system.

Even worse, they seem to fundamentally misunderstand what a deal-breaker that sort of pronounced mediocrity -and inability to effectively deal with crime- is for many companies and individuals/families who are genuinely interested in relocating down here, even after they get over the unjustified housing costs.

And incidents like the one this spot-on Glenna Milberg story from the end of November highlights,
about an incident in Hallandale, only make their apathy and unwillingness to re-examine existing policies look more stark and pathetic.
16-Year-Old Accused Of Bringing Knives To School, 20 Students Expelled For Weapons This Year POSTED: 6:11 pm EST November 24, 2008
Video at http://www.local10.com/news/18053278/detail.html

Sunshine or not, the combination of high housing costs and mediocre, crime-plagued schools is a deal breaker!

The School Board needs to accept that reality, and stop making the same bad mistakes and political arguments, over-and-over, and move on to changing the dynamic with tangible results and less flippant chatter from the likes of Beverly Gallagher.

Until then, save Murray, they simply aren't trustworthy -period.

For more, see this post from the Herald's Naked Politics about my email and post of August 12th
Broward blogger complains about school campaign against amendments 5, 7 and 9
http://miamiherald.typepad.com/nakedpolitics/2008/08/broward-blogger.html

It was written after having seen the School Board's website and reading this August 12th post:
School Board member starts political action committee
http://weblogs.sun-sentinel.com/news/politics/broward/blog/2008/08/school_board_member_starts_political_action_committee.html#more