Church Street Station (Orlando)
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- Orlando (ACL station) redirects here. For the post-1926 ACL Orlando station, see Orlando (Amtrak station).
Church Street Station is a commercial development in downtown Orlando, Florida, spanning both sides of Church Street and both sides of CSX's A Line tracks, just east of I-4. At least one of the buildings was formerly used by the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad for their Orlando station. Amtrak now stops about a mile (1.6 km) south of downtown (see Orlando (Amtrak station)). The Seaboard Air Line Railroad station was two blocks north of Church Street, at Central Boulevard (see Orlando (SAL station)).
The Development saw its greatest popular success operated as an attraction offering admission to multiple nightclubs (of various formats) facilitating "club hopping" for a single price in a monolithic location. Walt Disney World emulated the successful formula, opening its own Pleasure Island club district amidst Church Street Station's peak years of success. The attraction's developer proceeded to develop a similar venue in Las Vegas, "Main Street Station" that at inception shared many club concepts with the Orlando facility.
As an attraction, Church Street Station eventually experienced a steep decline in attendance and had largely closed as a club-hop by the end of the 1990s.
Several attempts have been made by multiple owners to re-create the success of the mid-80s. Today there is a relatively new improv venue in what used to be a restaurant. The area immediately around the station is slated to become downtown apartments.
With foreclosures and serial disappointments duplicating the successes of the past, the future of the development remains questionable. A source of probable stimulus will likely occur with the new Amway Center. Across Interstate 4, Orlando's new entertainment arena is being constructed on Church Street, within close walking distance of Church Street Station. The arena, home to the Orlando Magic of the NBA, is slated to open in Fall 2010.[1] In addition, SunRail plans to revive the station as a commuter rail stop.[2]
[edit] Timeline
- 1972: Entrepreneur Bob Snow announces plan for a downtown Orlando entertainment complex.
- 1974: Snow opens Rosie O'Grady's.
- 1982: Cheyenne Saloon & Opera House opens.
- 1985: Church Street Station draws 1.7 million visitors, making it the fourth-largest tourist attraction in the state after Walt Disney World, Sea World and Busch Gardens.
- 1988: Snow sells 50 percent interest in Church Street Station.
- 1989: Snow sells remainder of his interest to a subsidiary of Baltimore Gas & Electric Co.; total cost of the two-step deal: $61 million to $82 million.
- 1994: Church Street Station completes major expansion with a 24,000-square-foot (2,200 m2) Presidential Ballroom for $5.5 million.
- 1998: Church Street Station loses $1 million on revenue of $20.85 million, attracts only 550,000 visitors.
- 1999: Baltimore Gas & Electric sells Church Street Station to Enic PLC, a British firm, for $11.5 million.
- 2001: Enic PLC sells Church Street Station to F.F. South & Co. for $15.9 million.
- 2002: Lou Pearlman buys into Church Street Station, later becomes majority owner.
- 2007: Pearlman's financial troubles trigger foreclosure lawsuit against Church Street Station.[1][dead link]
- 2007: Cameron Kuhn (Developer) purchased church street station at bankruptcy court auction due to financial issues of former owner Lou Pearlman Trans Continental Empire. The property was purchased by Kuhn for $34.1 million.
- 2008: Church Street Station retail opens including The Cheyenne Saloon by Bob Snow, Bliss Ultra Night Club, Brick and Fire Pizza and Wine Company, Ceviche Tapas Restaurant and Bar, The Dessert Lady and Hamburger Mary's.
- 2008: Lender Tremont Net Funding LLC file to foreclose on the property while Mr.Kuhn tries to retain control & negotiate the re-sell of the complex.
[edit] References
- ^ "MAGIC: Events Center". Orlando Magic. http://www.nba.com/magic/news/Events_Center_Prebid_Meeting-289691-66.html. Retrieved 2009-07-06.
- ^ Church Street Station (SunRail)
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