Yes, it's quite fine. Not a problem at all as you see by our robust and vibrant downtown district.

The quality is fine, it could use more quantity but it's not skid row. You should visit it once. If you're expecting MacDougal Street or Ybor City, yeah you're probably going to be disappointed.

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I'm condescending. That means I talk down to you.

Every downtown in America has homeless people. 

They are nothing to fear. 

Imagine not wanting to visit a portion of your own city because someone might *gasp* ask you for spare change. 

Asinine.

They’re advancing. One approached me holding a [BLEEP] terminal with a chip reader.

LOL.  I guess some of you have to change your facial expressions or something.  I mean the worse you can do is say no and they leave you be.  Anyone being threatened or attacked by homeless people needs to seek personal human protection ie: bodyguards, or just needs to travel with large groups of people.  I would be laughing but dont know if this is serious.

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Season Tix, Section 409

2023 and still counting.....SB will finally be ours soon enough.
TLaw aka 'the prince that was promised' supporter.

They’re advancing. One approached me holding a [BLEEP] terminal with a chip reader.

LOL.  I guess some of you have to change your facial expressions or something.  I mean the worse you can do is say no and they leave you be.  Anyone being threatened or attacked by homeless people needs to seek personal human protection ie: bodyguards, or just needs to travel with large groups of people.  I would be laughing but dont know if this is serious.

It's not a matter of fear, it's a matter of the image of our downtown, the vast majority of which is grayscape populated by the homeless. Until the they and the criminals are dealt with the idea of a great downtown is a pipe dream.

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“An empty vessel makes the loudest sound, so they that have the least wit are the greatest babblers.”. - Plato

They’re advancing. One approached me holding a [BLEEP] terminal with a chip reader.

LOL.  I guess some of you have to change your facial expressions or something.  I mean the worse you can do is say no and they leave you be.  Anyone being threatened or attacked by homeless people needs to seek personal human protection ie: bodyguards, or just needs to travel with large groups of people.  I would be laughing but dont know if this is serious.

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Every downtown in America has homeless people. 

They are nothing to fear. 

Imagine not wanting to visit a portion of your own city because someone might *gasp* ask you for spare change. 

Asinine.

When's the last time you drove down Main Street?

2 weeks ago.

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LOL.  I guess some of you have to change your facial expressions or something.  I mean the worse you can do is say no and they leave you be.  Anyone being threatened or attacked by homeless people needs to seek personal human protection ie: bodyguards, or just needs to travel with large groups of people.  I would be laughing but dont know if this is serious.

It's not a matter of fear, it's a matter of the image of our downtown, the vast majority of which is grayscape populated by the homeless. Until the they and the criminals are dealt with the idea of a great downtown is a pipe dream.

I'm not as avid a traveler as some on this board, but i have been to alot of different cities.  ATL, LA, NYNY, Newark, WPB FL, Miami, NO, etc.  I have never been to any city and not seen homeless people.  Thinking that building shops, hotels, or any businesses in general, will run them away is stretching it.  Homeless people will be everywhere because they are "home" less....ok ok that was dry.  All in all, just ignore them but that doesnt have any affect on whether downtown can be vibrant or not.  Getting the business up and running and having the people come there to buy is the only obstacle to overcome.

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LOL.  I guess some of you have to change your facial expressions or something.  I mean the worse you can do is say no and they leave you be.  Anyone being threatened or attacked by homeless people needs to seek personal human protection ie: bodyguards, or just needs to travel with large groups of people.  I would be laughing but dont know if this is serious.

lol what does this face mean?

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Season Tix, Section 409

2023 and still counting.....SB will finally be ours soon enough.
TLaw aka 'the prince that was promised' supporter.

LOL.  I guess some of you have to change your facial expressions or something.  I mean the worse you can do is say no and they leave you be.  Anyone being threatened or attacked by homeless people needs to seek personal human protection ie: bodyguards, or just needs to travel with large groups of people.  I would be laughing but dont know if this is serious.

It's not a matter of fear, it's a matter of the image of our downtown, the vast majority of which is grayscape populated by the homeless. Until the they and the criminals are dealt with the idea of a great downtown is a pipe dream.

You get it.

One of the few. 

Even if they develop downtown, they still have to get people there. Downtown Jacksonville will always be "event driven" for the rest of our adult lives.

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Johnny-O pretty much lost his cool on the subject in his column today. I guess he's tired of explaining it:
A hotel. A Music Venue. A parking garage. 700 million. More local revenue someday.

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Johnny-O pretty much lost his cool on the subject in his column today.  I guess he's tired of explaining it:
A hotel.  A Music Venue.  A parking garage.  700 million.  More local revenue someday.

That is not Oehser losing his cool lol. That's Oehser explaining politely why he's sick of talking about something. When he loses his cool on a subject, it's really obvious.

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I drove through downtown to get to dinner last night and it only emphasized my feelings that Lot J will never happen, The New Landing will never happen, and the Shipyarda will never happen.

I felt like The Griswolds when they got off the wrong exit in St. Louis. Roll em up!

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Yay. More small minded fear.

What's going on in downtown Jacksonville is normal. It's happening in hundreds of cities around the country.
The thing that ultimately drives out the homeless and crime element that so many are whining about is development.
Development like Lot J, the shipyards, etc.
Upstanding businesses, dining, and entertainment.
The more of that you have in a concentrated area, the more the homeless and crime move to the fringes. I've seen it happen elsewhere and the same dynamics apply in Jax. Money and tax dollars force the local authorities along with some private security to insulate the area they inhabit.
I'm surprised this concept isn't obvious to more people. It's incredibly commonplace.

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Curry is in a bad spot with the JEA thing and the perception of being Khans step stool. Combine that with the current movement of games to London does not bode well for a single shovel going into the ground. Wouldn't surprise me to see the main theme of the next mayoral race being "anti-Khan", driving an even bigger wedge.

It isn't looking good. In fact, it's looking horrible.

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Yay. More small minded fear.

What's going on in downtown Jacksonville is normal. It's happening in hundreds of cities around the country.
The thing that ultimately drives out the homeless and crime element that so many are whining about is development.
Development like Lot J, the shipyards, etc.
Upstanding businesses, dining, and entertainment.
The more of that you have in a concentrated area, the more the homeless and crime move to the fringes. I've seen it happen elsewhere and the same dynamics apply in Jax.   Money and tax dollars force the local authorities along with some  private security to insulate the area they inhabit.
I'm surprised this concept isn't obvious to more people. It's incredibly commonplace.

It's commonplace in places that aren't Jacksonville. Here? Not gonna happen.

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“An empty vessel makes the loudest sound, so they that have the least wit are the greatest babblers.”. - Plato

Yay. More small minded fear.

What's going on in downtown Jacksonville is normal. It's happening in hundreds of cities around the country.
The thing that ultimately drives out the homeless and crime element that so many are whining about is development.
Development like Lot J, the shipyards, etc.
Upstanding businesses, dining, and entertainment.
The more of that you have in a concentrated area, the more the homeless and crime move to the fringes. I've seen it happen elsewhere and the same dynamics apply in Jax.   Money and tax dollars force the local authorities along with some  private security to insulate the area they inhabit.
I'm surprised this concept isn't obvious to more people. It's incredibly commonplace.

It's commonplace in places that aren't Jacksonville. Here? Not gonna happen.

There's no real reason it can't though. 

The FBC grip/influence is fading, there is rapid real estate development happening 3.5 miles from the stadium in the "Brooklyn" area, and an NFL owner is running multiple proposals through city hall to develop the area around the stadium.  

I think it merely requires investors with vision and the fortitude to sack up to the opportunity.

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It's commonplace in places that aren't Jacksonville. Here? Not gonna happen.

There's no real reason it can't though. 

The FBC grip/influence is fading, there is rapid real estate development happening 3.5 miles from the stadium in the "Brooklyn" area, and an NFL owner is running multiple proposals through city hall to develop the area around the stadium.  

I think it merely requires investors with vision and the fortitude to sack up to the opportunity.

Sadly that is the same story as 1985, 1995, 2005, and 2015. Like the Jaguars themselves, the product rarely lives up the hype. I really do want the same as you, I just don't have the hope that it will be any different "this time."

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“An empty vessel makes the loudest sound, so they that have the least wit are the greatest babblers.”. - Plato

There's no real reason it can't though. 

The FBC grip/influence is fading, there is rapid real estate development happening 3.5 miles from the stadium in the "Brooklyn" area, and an NFL owner is running multiple proposals through city hall to develop the area around the stadium.  

I think it merely requires investors with vision and the fortitude to sack up to the opportunity.

Sadly that is the same story as 1985, 1995, 2005, and 2015. Like the Jaguars themselves, the product rarely lives up the hype. I really do want the same as you, I just don't have the hope that it will be any different "this time."

It won't be any different. Shad Khan already has 1 foot out the door AND Curry already has a horrible reputation. I also don't think the revitalization of downtown should be tied to a football team either.

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Jacksonville citizens: Downtown is dead and boring. No one lives there, no one goes there.

Investor: I want to invest in downtown.

Jacksonville citizens: Why bother? It's going to fail anyway.

Investor: I'll take my money elsewhere then.

Jacksonville citizens: Downtown is dead and boring. No one lives there, no one goes there.

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It's commonplace in places that aren't Jacksonville. Here? Not gonna happen.

There's no real reason it can't though. 

The FBC grip/influence is fading, there is rapid real estate development happening 3.5 miles from the stadium in the "Brooklyn" area, and an NFL owner is running multiple proposals through city hall to develop the area around the stadium.  

I think it merely requires investors with vision and the fortitude to sack up to the opportunity.

First Baptist Church fading helps...  But you still have the big jail right next to the stadium blocking a lot of the riverfront view... And the old shipyards are still a superfund site.

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My fellow southpaw Mark Brunell will probably always be my favorite Jaguar.

Jacksonville citizens: Downtown is dead and boring. No one lives there, no one goes there.

Investor: I want to invest in downtown.

Jacksonville citizens: Why bother? It's going to fail anyway.

Investor: I'll take my money elsewhere then.

Jacksonville citizens: Downtown is dead and boring. No one lives there, no one goes there.

Ding, ding, ding

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Jacksonville citizens: Downtown is dead and boring. No one lives there, no one goes there.

Investor: I want to invest in downtown.

Jacksonville citizens: Why bother? It's going to fail anyway.

Investor: I'll take my money elsewhere then.

Jacksonville citizens: Downtown is dead and boring. No one lives there, no one goes there.

So downtown potential investors do their due diligence based on message board feedback? Sound like horrible investors.

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