Boca Raton

[Copernicus]

Originally Posted by DShoost88

Fun facts about the Boca Resort:
- Was purchased by the Blackstone Group from Huizenga Holdings for more than $1 Billion in 2003--that alone is a testament to it's influence as a major economic engine for South Florida.
- It ranks in the top 10 for amount of convention space in South Florida.
- Of the famous 3 resorts in South Florida built in the early twentieth century (Breakers Palm Beach, Boca Resort, Biltmore Coral Gables), it's the only one with boat/yacht access, adding to its appeal and value.

Not only that, but the true testament to the prestige of the Boca Resort, is the actual conferences that do take place there. The biggest Wall Street and Hedge Funds conferences in the world take place in the Boca Resort.


Here is a link to few excellent pictures of the resort.

http://www.bocaresort.com/photo_gall...to_gallery.cfm

few more from expedia.

http://www.expedia.com/pub/agent.dll...|+Inktomi|+ROW

[Maxim98]

I was really hoping to see some pictures. :-P

[Urbandeco]

I am currently residing in Seattle but I am not American. Having visited Boca Raton, and spent several nights in the city I must say I was very impressed. I was impressed by the restaurants, shops and buildings being built in the downtown area. It seems as though the city leaders are trying to pedestrianize the city and it seems as though it will pay off in a few years.

[Urbandeco]

one other note, from what I saw Boca Raton did spread west which I guess would be its suburbs. However, I really saw a lot of investment that made it appear to be a city trying to form a core. Mizner Park was a nice addition, saw a great concert there outdoors. My friend showed me an area that is being built which will be another pedestrian area.

[Urbandeco]

Having just come back to Seattle after visiting your region, I must say you all should be working together to make your region a better place rather than bicker. I am from Auckland, Nz. I have been living all around the world. (London, NYC, San Fran, and many other places. You live in a beautiful part of the world and should come together to brainstorm ways to make your cities and towns better. I loved Miami. Thought it was a beautiful place. I also liked Boca Raton and thought it was a very sophisticated place. So, what the problem? One is bigger than the other but for people from other parts of the world, they are in the same region, therefore they are connected. Got me?

[Miaminole]

Totally agree. Guess what? To you, Boca might be completely seperate from Miami. For Bob and Joe that live in Kansas City, Boca is part of Miami. Believe it or not, all of S Florida is considered Miami to the rest of the country.

Originally Posted by Urbandeco

Having just come back to Seattle after visiting your region, I must say you all should be working together to make your region a better place rather than bicker. I am from Auckland, Nz. I have been living all around the world. (London, NYC, San Fran, and many other places. You live in a beautiful part of the world and should come together to brainstorm ways to make your cities and towns better. I loved Miami. Thought it was a beautiful place. I also liked Boca Raton and thought it was a very sophisticated place. So, what the problem? One is bigger than the other but for people from other parts of the world, they are in the same region, therefore they are connected. Got me?

[Toucano]

Originally Posted by Miaminole

Totally agree. Guess what? To you, Boca might be completely seperate from Miami. For Bob and Joe that live in Kansas City, Boca is part of Miami. Believe it or not, all of S Florida is considered Miami to the rest of the country.

All of South Florida is considered to be Miami to anyone in SF...I bump into people all across the country claiming to be from Miami and I often ask: "Oh, yeah which part?" and the reply is often somewhere decidedly North of Miami...

[kevin22]

Originally Posted by Toucano

All of South Florida is considered to be Miami to anyone in SF...I bump into people all across the country claiming to be from Miami and I often ask: "Oh, yeah which part?" and the reply is often somewhere decidedly North of Miami...

true just as everyone in the east considers all of south cali to be los angeles. (when i moved to los angeles i didn't know san diego even was a city). LOL

[Andyxox]

The disagreement on these forums only reflect the disagreement between the cities and municipalities of south florida. thats why we don't have region wide public transportation, except for tri-rail.

[Toucano]

Originally Posted by Andyxox

The disagreement on these forums only reflect the disagreement between the cities and municipalities of south florida. thats why we don't have region wide public transportation, except for tri-rail.

Thats what I've always said...its so true...

[coruna]

On that issue of transportation, I think that it's more important to have a great expanded metrorail system that connects almost all areas of Miami-Dade county. That can connect to Tri-Rail which can then connect those same passengers to the transit systems in Broward and Palm Beach counties. I know what you mean, but I think that MIAMI transit should take priority over SOUTH FLORIDA transit, simply because Dade County is the most dense area of the region and there are more people there that would use the public transportation.

[DShoost88]

To address the "other" area "being" built that Urbandeco was talking about for a pedestrian area, I'm pretty sure you were referring to Royal Palm Place. It's actually the oldest shopping venue in the city, but in recent years they've added 10-story condo towers and offices to it (and no shortage of restaurants either). The overall goal to make Boca a very walkable downtown is to open a "spine" between Mizner Park and Royal Palm Place from North to South. It would do for Boca what Lincoln Road does for Miami Beach or what Las Olas does for Ft. Lauderdale.

Pictures coming, I swear it.

[Copernicus]

Originally Posted by coruna

On that issue of transportation, I think that it's more important to have a great expanded metrorail system that connects almost all areas of Miami-Dade county. That can connect to Tri-Rail which can then connect those same passengers to the transit systems in Broward and Palm Beach counties. I know what you mean, but I think that MIAMI transit should take priority over SOUTH FLORIDA transit, simply because Dade County is the most dense area of the region and there are more people there that would use the public transportation.

top priority right now is to get the property taxes eliminated or reduced to give the economy a boost.

http://www.nomorepropertytax.com/

[DGM]

Here in Gainesville they're going to have to eliminate somewhere around 25% of city services unless they can find some other way to generate city revenue than property taxes. In order to do this they will probably add a 5 cent tax to the already expensive gas price (Gainesville is a little more expensive than Miami already). So I am reluctant to agree with the "no property tax" idea. It is going to hit college students and other renters hard.

[DShoost88]

About the property tax issue, Boca Raton also relies very heavily on them to generate money for services in the city. The city has discussed options to the northwest and southwest for annex into the city--all of those properties would generate plenty of funds the city needs.

When I read about this, I learned another very interesting fact. About 50 square miles of urbanized area west of the FL turnpike with the Boca Raton mailing address (locally known as West Boca) is classified by the state of Florida as a sort of reserve. If the city of Boca Raton ever wants to annex the region west of the Turnpike, it cannot do it piece-by-piece as its done in the past with annexations east of the turnpike. If the city ever plans to annex "west Boca" down the road, the property tax generation for the city would be higher than any other municipality in South Florida.

[Hia-leah JDM]

Whats up with Boca having its own thread?!?!?!
One its just a normal suburb and its not having alot of development like Miami, Kendal, Ft. Lauderdale, or West Palm Beach.

[arch photographer]

Maybe it should have its own forum...

[floridian-will]

ITS PART OF THE MIAMI METRO AREA. Maybe the mods should make a forum for just Palm Beach county, because no one in the Miami forums, except for Chuckskyscraper, Kevin, Maki, and RX, have been welcoming to anyone in Palm Beach County, Im tired of seeing Boca getting bashed.

[MiamiMike]

Hialeah makes a good point. I actually think Boca is really nice. Top notch place to raise a family, etc. etc.

[floridian-will]

No not Boca. But maybe Palm Beach County all together can have its own thread like Tampa, instead of just a development news area, Im sure youll find less of us pesky Palm Beach ppl lingering here if that happens.