Disney in the Panhandle?

[Uncle Timmy]

OK Folks, first a disclaimer: this one is straight off the rumor mill.

I have now heard it from several independant sources so I'm going to throw this out there to see if anyone has heard this.

Apparently Disney is looking at/has bought a large tract of land near Ebro, Florida.

My sources are somewhat dubious; namely my parents (who heard about this while in Ebro recently); and my friends (who heard about it from people involved with Panama City Beach's Pier Park project.)

Now I realize this sounds far fetched. Why would Disney put a theme park a few hours away from their mega-park complex in Orlando? I'm certainly skeptical but thought it would be fun to throw this out for general comment.

[Beachlover2]

Wasn't this rumor debated here once before - except then I heard it was near Crestview.

Rumors are always fun to hash out.

[Johnrudy]

I remember hearing this about 10 yrs. ago, near Ebro.

[Chickpea]

OK Folks, first a disclaimer: this one is straight off the rumor mill.

I have now heard it from several independant sources so I'm going to throw this out there to see if anyone has heard this.

Apparently Disney is looking at/has bought a large tract of land near Ebro, Florida.

My sources are somewhat dubious; namely my parents (who heard about this while in Ebro recently); and my friends (who heard about it from people involved with Panama City Beach's Pier Park project.)

Now I realize this sounds far fetched. Why would Disney put a theme park a few hours away from their mega-park complex in Orlando? I'm certainly skeptical but thought it would be fun to throw this out for general comment.

I know nothing about this so I cannot contribute and I am sorry to start a new question (and Kurt will reprimand me!) but since you started a rumor I would like to start another which comes from a suppposedly reliable source (but don't they always!) that Fedex headquarters in Memphis will spread out and they are seriously thinking about the new Panama City Airport as one of several bases they will use....does anyone know anything about this?

[nowgirl]

Haven't heard about the Fed Ex deal but the other rumor I've heard from several reliable sources, to be true, except it is Disney's Celebration division that builds residential communities.

[Atlanta Bo]

there are more rumors attached to this thread .


http://www.schooners.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=406&sid=4

[Tatertot]

I heard a few months ago that disney was looking to purchase land in the panhandle too. Someone threw the name crestview into the rumor then too. I also heard Annheiser (sp?) Busch bought some land around here to possibly do a large theme park? My sources aren't all that reliable...just throwing out what I've been hearing.

[Amp22]

These rumors about theme parks come up every so often (probably started by realtors).

I wouldn't be surprised to see it happen in the future when the airport and the cruise ships and the casinos start rolling into PCB.

[Franny]

These rumors about theme parks come up every so often (probably started by realtors).

I wouldn't be surprised to see it happen in the future when the airport and the cruise ships and the casinos start rolling into PCB.
Excuse me? Realtors? :idontno:

[Amp22]

Excuse me? Realtors? :idontno:

80% of realtors (or anyone for that matter) will say anything to avoid reality. If there was a major park going in here then money would fall from the sky. And sales would pick up.

[Smiling JOe]

...

Now I realize this sounds far fetched. Why would Disney put a theme park a few hours away from their mega-park complex in Orlando? I'm certainly skeptical but thought it would be fun to throw this out for general comment.

...because Panama City Beach is the number one driving destination in the southeastern United States.

search back through the threads and you will see my posts regarding this matter. I can give you the specific property in question, but I have not heard of an executed contract yet.

[SHELLY]

Come to think about it...I saw Chip & Dale cruising down 30-A in the back-seat of a leased Beamer with a Century 21 magnetic sign stuck to the door chauffeured by a buxom, Botoxed, bleached-blonde with a sprayed-on suntan. :eek: Maybe it is true!! (If you are insulted by the description --I wouldn't admit it if I were you.) ;-)

Anything could happen....but I'd say Disney has got their hands full just trying to manage what they've got out there now. I don't know why they'd want to "cannibalize" their Orlando business by placing another theme park in Florida (especially since their California Adventure Theme Park tuned out to be a bomb). Their stock has been ho-hum (or "hi-ho-hi-ho-hum") for the last couple years. I expect going forward they will concentrate on digging their movie business out of the ditch, concentrating on their Hong Kong Disney Park (the Chinese have got all our money to spend); and trying to lure tapped-out US consumers to their current theme parks. But then again...anything can happen, if you wish upon a star (but investing in real estate based on "rumor"? NOT!). :cool:

[TN2FLA]

To lay one of the above rumors to rest, FedEx will not be putting a hub at the new airport as of this time...

[Bob]

Come to think about it...I saw Chip & Dale cruising down 30-A in the back-seat of a leased Beamer with a Century 21 magnetic sign stuck to the door chauffeured by a buxom, Botoxed, bleached-blonde with a sprayed-on suntan. :eek: Maybe it is true!! (If you are insulted by the description --I wouldn't admit it if I were you.) ;-)

Anything could happen....but I'd say Disney has got their hands full just trying to manage what they've got out there now. I don't know why they'd want to "cannibalize" their Orlando business by placing another theme park in Florida (especially since their California Adventure Theme Park tuned out to be a bomb). Their stock has been ho-hum (or "hi-ho-hi-ho-hum") for the last couple years. I expect going forward they will concentrate on digging their movie business out of the ditch, concentrating on their Hong Kong Disney Park (the Chinese have got all our money to spend); and trying to lure tapped-out US consumers to their current theme parks. But then again...anything can happen, if you wish upon a star (but investing in real estate based on "rumor"? NOT!). :cool:Yes Shelly, Disney is managing OK here in Orlando. 2005 attendance figures:Magic Kingdom 16.1 million,up 6.5%, Anaheim Disneyland 14.5 million up 8.5%. All of their other theme parks averaged 5% growth in attendance. The 7.5 billion dollar merger with Pixar brings Steve Jobs aboard as Pixar's CEO and now Jobs will join Disney's Board. Nice company in the "ditch" isn't it?

[Cork On the Ocean]

Sorry I've been gone again guys. Went to NOLA but here's what we have. Would be interested in an email Joe regarding that parcel.

When we heard the Disney rumors we started watching large land parcel sales, specifically in Washington County which is where the rumors we heard were talking about. We began watching Disney corporate reports and while they mention the new PC airport as being the only new international airport in the next few years, nothing at all could be found on any plans for the panhandle. Then we looked at the fact that the ex-honcho with Disney is now a honcho with St Joe and thought, hmmm, maybe.

We then contacted Louis A. Mongello, Author of The Walt Disney World Trivia Book,Secrets, History and Fun Facts Behind the Magic who seems to watch Disney's activity very closely. His response to the Disney theory was:
"I can say with relative certainty that it is not true, as Disney is lookingto expand its current properties, develop overseas, etc. Plus, I highlydoubt any new US theme park would be located in Florida. That being said, that is not to say that a new Disney DVC resort couldn'tbe planned for elsewhere in the US, including Florida.":idontno:

Maybe that's where the Celebration people come in. Anyway this lead us to go down to the planning commission in Washington County. We were told by a clerk there that it's not Disney but Universal. We've been keeping this under our hat as again just another rumor. We mapped out the land parcels that are selling in blocks of 500 acres and they are in Vernon, north of airport.We haven't looked into Universal's corporate reports yet and no trend to a particular buyer,except what appears to be a couple of developers but when Disney boughtup Orlando,they bought it under a bunch of names that no one would ever catch onto so we're still watching the area and investigating the Universal rumor.

I also received a call Friday from a corporate relocation company looking for a realtor.They said that they've been contacted by a large corporation looking to relocate several hundred employees into the area in the next 2 years. The target area is Panama City to Apalachicola. That's all we've got so far but haven't stopped poking yet. We have a mailing list of investors waiting for more info so email me if you have interest and we'll keep you posted if we come up with anything reliable.

[kurt]

Wouldn't surprise me if lots of different investors and businesses were buying large parcels between PCB and I-10 along the 79 corridor which runs through Vernon. With the beach, the airport, and the interstate it will be a huge boom area in the near future. Think not only tourism, but manufacturing, distribution, and high tech.

[Cork On the Ocean]

Wouldn't surprise me if lots of different investors and businesses were buying large parcels between PCB and I-10 along the 79 corridor which runs through Vernon. With the beach, the airport, and the interstate it will be a huge boom area in the near future. Think not only tourism, but manufacturing, distribution, and high tech.

So maybe the sky isn't falling after all! :eek:

[Smiling JOe]

As you mentioned Cork, we would not see Disney's name on any contracts with the present owner. Even smaller companies will use an intermediary, not connected to the primary name at all, to purchase property then sell it to the primary. It really makes good business sense to keep the competition away from one's business plans, and around here, if such a property like Disney might be interested in has not sold yet, but a deal exists, you could expect prices in that area to skyrocket overnight, thereby driving up prices.

[southof30A]

Wouldn't surprise me if lots of different investors and businesses were buying large parcels between PCB and I-10 along the 79 corridor which runs through Vernon. With the beach, the airport, and the interstate it will be a huge boom area in the near future. Think not only tourism, but manufacturing, distribution, and high tech.
Maybe a brand spankin' new oil refinery, steel mill and fish packing plant.

[Rita]

CORK - Welcome back.

This is all very interesting.... Thanks for sharing your info and for qualifying it!

[Uncle Timmy]

Cork, that is great information, thanks.

I called a friend who works for an environmental services company in Panama City about this topic. He reported the following:

He was in a meeting with the DEP in P'Cola (on an unrelated matter) when he overheard them discussing "the theme park" on Hwy 79.

My friend was curious about what they were talking about and asked the DEP guys to explain. According to them, some company was already in talks with DEP for permitting a theme park somewhere along the Hwy 79 area, north of the new airport.

Interesting.

[Cork On the Ocean]

Hi guys,


Good to be back!
You're absolutely right Joe. When Disney bought Orlando, Disney kept his plans quiet and set up dummy corporations in order to secretly buy the land for his park so that speculators could not run up the price. By the time plans for the park were revealed 18 months later, Disney's lawyers had purchased 27,400 acres at an average price of only $182 per acre. From what I understand, when they did Epcot, they dubbed it Project X and even had secret war rooms (so to speak) set up for closed door discussions among the top brass. I'm sure whoever is doing a park (if they are), is using the same tactics.That's what's making it so hard to pinpoint the location but Vernon fits with tw's info on north 79.

Been trying to find corporate reports for Universal but no luck yet. Maybe a look into DEP public records could give a clue.

Did find JOE'S 2005 4th quarter report and it's quite interesting. Will start a separate thread for it. But they don't seem to be pulling back. Yes, they are diversifying some 1031 capital into other areas but lots planned for the Panhandle. Also hadn't realized that they don't have a final on the airport and are now projecting 9/06 for the final but I still think it's imminent.

In any event, while I'm certainly not big on quick flippers, I thing that investors that leave this area are gonna miss something big. Instead of freaking out, investors should be loving this buyers market. What ever happened to buying low? And yes, the panhandle is still low compared to other coastal areas in Florida. Just a guess but if Sept 06 is the airport approval, I'm thinking that we should be seeing an upswing again at that time. :idontno:

[Sandcastle]

Thanks Joe and Cork for all of the info. I’ve been a member of this site for only a short time and I find it fascinating reading every evening.

It’s hard to believe that St. Joe would devote the time and capital required to develop a major airport on Route 388, if its only objective was to sell beach-front properties and ranchettes in the piney woods to retiring boomers. There must be something in the works that will materially increase the value of Joe’s inland holdings, especially in Gulf and Franklin Counties where they own vast amounts of seemingly unattractive property.

I wonder if Joe has many large tracts close to Route 79.

I’ve also heard that Washington County has huge untapped ground water resources which would be required to sustain significant development. Maybe, if we locate the water we can locate the development area.

[montana]

Just to add fuel to the rumor's :eek: I had a friend who travels the southeast putting in commercial grade power lines yahdayahda........anyway. He was telling me that about a year ago they were putting in some realllllllllllllly serious stuff running from the bay county area power plant out toward the new airport area. This said: he mentioned that there was more planned and that the word in his camp was something in the Disney/Universal arena ;-) ;-)

[Smiling JOe]

Thanks Joe and Cork for all of the info. I’ve been a member of this site for only a short time and I find it fascinating reading every evening.

It’s hard to believe that St. Joe would devote the time and capital required to develop a major airport on Route 388, if its only objective was to sell beach-front properties and ranchettes in the piney woods to retiring boomers. There must be something in the works that will materially increase the value of Joe’s inland holdings, especially in Gulf and Franklin Counties where they own vast amounts of seemingly unattractive property.

I wonder if Joe has many large tracts close to Route 79.

I’ve also heard that Washington County has huge untapped ground water resources which would be required to sustain significant development. Maybe, if we locate the water we can locate the development area. Much of the land around Hwy 79 is owned by JOE and people that were in the know 3-4 years ago.

[Mrs Jones]

PCB Chamber officials told my husband's service club that a "major parcel delivery service" was planning to locate in Bay County. Specific names were not mentioned but the inference was that it is UPS.

[Camp Creek Kid]

Since this thread has been revisited:

I've been thinking about the theme park rumors and it has occurred to me that when Miracle Strip Amusement Park closed Sept. 2004, that there was talk that it would be relocated elsewhere in Bay County. The owners of Miracle Strip sold the land to developers and the equipment to someone else. Maybe this is the "theme park" everyone is hearing about. Maybe it is just a reincarnation of Miracle Strip, which wouldn't be a bad thing because it was a nice little amusement park.

[SHELLY]

Maybe it is just a reincarnation of Miracle Strip, which wouldn't be a bad thing because it was a nice little amusement park.

That would be a neat idea. I have a dream of winning the powerball, buying up a couple beachfront condos, leveling them, and putting up an old-fashioned (not Disney style) amusement park near the beach.

Lots of kiddies (now adults) had fond memories of that place and their time at the beach :wub: Too bad we now class shopping malls as "entertainment centers" and video arcades as "amusement."

[beachmouse]

My memory's pretty hazy, but I think there was talk of the rides getting sold off. Hopefully the nice old wood roller coaster found a home somewhere, whether it's at a new Miracle Strip Park or elsewhere. I love the old school wooden coasters so much more than what's supposedly the latest and greatest in thrill ride design.

Too bad the hurricanes make a Santa Cruz-style amuesment pier impractical in these parts. Because that would be just so cool if it was workable.

[SHELLY]

Hopefully the nice old wood roller coaster found a home somewhere, whether it's at a new Miracle Strip Park or elsewhere. I love the old school wooden coasters so much more than what's supposedly the latest and greatest in thrill ride design.



Damn ya Mouse! Ya made me take a stroll back through memory lane :(

The coaster was sold to Cypress Gardens: "Cypress Gardens will also break ground for the Starliner, another piece of amusement park history, which will get a new lease on life at the park in 2007."

A ride on the Starliner (http://www.themeparkreview.com/laborday2001/panama/panama2.htm)

Florida's Lost Tourist Attractions (http://www.lostparks.com/mstrip.html)

[Uncle Timmy]

Latest pseudo-news:

According to Florida Dept. of Environmental Protection folks in Tally-

1)There IS a theme park going in north of Panama City. It IS NOT Disney or Universal etc. but they are moving steadily through the permitting process and apparently this park will have some sort of zoo component too it.

2)Busch Gardens is/was looking at sites around Freeport and was discussing preliminary permitting issues with DEP but that this is not likely to go forward. According to DEP, Busch Gardens primary concern was the lack of housing options available for their staff who will run the park.

3)Disney has purchased a large tract around I-10 and is working with DEP to permit a planned community (like Celebration in Orlando). No theme park.

All information was verbal, I have not seen anything concrete to back any of this up.

And the panhandle's most persistant rumor rolls on..................

[TooFarTampa]

2)Busch Gardens is/was looking at sites around Freeport and was discussing preliminary permitting issues with DEP but that this is not likely to go forward. According to DEP, Busch Gardens primary concern was the lack of housing options available for their staff who will run the park.


Nearly two days passed and nobody's made a snarky (yet legitimate) comment on this? I can't help it. I miss SHELLY. :blink:

No offense twt512 ... thanks for the info! :cool: :popcorn:

[Cork On the Ocean]

Nearly two days passed and nobody's made a snarky (yet legitimate) comment on this? I can't help it. I miss SHELLY. :blink:

No offense twt512 ... thanks for the info! :cool: :popcorn:

Was doing some research for a client and found a dep permit for a development named Celebration Place by Celebration Development LLC in bay county but couldn't connect the principals to the Celebration in Disney. Actually one of the principals is a phil gann who's a pretty big recording artist. Can you shed any light on this SJ?

TFT, Nothing from Shelly :idontno: everyone is dying to know.

[ecopal]

If we were to fill out a"missing persons report' on SHELLY what description would we give? :idontno:

[Sandcastle]

Rumor has it that on May 28 Jeb Bush will announce a new “celebrity and animal” theme park on Route 79 south of I-10. We’ll see :idontno: .

[TooFarTampa]

Rumor has it that on May 28 Jeb Bush will announce a new “celebrity and animal” theme park on Route 79 south of I-10. We’ll see :idontno: .

A theme park and an airport? I feel bad for those few people who live in Ebro and along 79. We drive that way all the time coming from Tampa. I dunno ... kinda sounds like a nightmare. But a potential boost to St. Joe's RiverCamps. :roll:

[SHELLY]

Rumor has it that on May 28 Jeb Bush will announce a new “celebrity and animal” theme park on Route 79 south of I-10. We’ll see :idontno: .

Which begs the question, "Just how far will the salary of a "Tilt-a-Whirl" attendant go toward living in the panhandle these days?" :confused:

[Unplugged]

Which begs the question, "Just how far will the salary of a "Tilt-a-Whirl" attendant go toward living in the panhandle these days?" :confused:Good point - and :welcome: back SHELLY!

[Sandcastle]

Which begs the question, "Just how far will the salary of a "Tilt-a-Whirl" attendant go toward living in the panhandle these days?" :confused:

Remember, this is just a rumor. But the rumored location is very close to I-10 – away from the high-rent areas of SoWal.

It's VERY good to have you back Shelly!

[SoWalSally]

Found this in my inbox this Am - it was forwarded a few times.

I just got the scoop from the head of the steering committee for the theme
parks. His name is Bud Revere and he will be happy to talk to any Realtors
or customers interested. His phone number is 850-718-2268.
There is a purchase of over 790 acres at Smith Lake around Bonifay, the
intersection of I-10 and Hwy 79, and around Hwy 288 in Washington County.
The property has been sold by Pru Timberland. Two separate entities (one
being Jim Fowler from Mutual of Omaha, the other not announced yet) will
put in 2 side by side parks. One will be an animal kingdom and the other a
theme park with music venues, roller coasters, etc. This will employ over 1500 people. Blue Dolphin Development out of Destin is handling the
development.
It will be a 5 year build out at a cost of $150 million. They are video
taping a presentation to the public that will be shown for a public
announcement on the news for Channels 4, 7 &13 on May 24th.
Many of you have had developers interested in the 2 large parcels I have
listed, which are just a few miles away from all of this. Please pass it
along because this should help your customers see the value of the
properties. Thanks!!

Amanda Corbin, REALTOR®

[Paula]

Since I'm not from the area, I can't picture where this amusement park would be. Could someone post a map (e.g., how many miles would it be from Rosemary Beach)? Thanks

[Smiling JOe]

Since I'm not from the area, I can't picture where this amusement park would be. Could someone post a map (e.g., how many miles would it be from Rosemary Beach)? Thanks

>>>map (http://www.sowal.com/bb/gallery/showimage.php?i=2912&c=5)<<< You can click on the map to enlarge. Straight line distance is 38 miles.