LOCATION
Daytona Beach, Florida
PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS
Addressed long term masterplan strategy
Conducted convention center hotel needs assessment
Hotel funding & fiscal analysis strategy
Conducted the prior Ocean Center expansion feasibility study
Involved in multiple public meetings advancing the project
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
Johnson Consulting, in association with a team of planners, designers, and architects, developed a long-range masterplan for the Daytona Beach entertainment and retail zone (E-Zone). Key components of the study included an evaluation of industry trends, consideration of local and regional competitive factors, and development of a plan to ensure the on-going sustainability of the E-Zone over the next 20 years and to improve the competitive position of Daytona Beach in the convention and arena industries.
The study was not a feasibility study per se, but rather its intent was to establish a visionary statement about where the industry and the community were headed. The evaluation established a basis for the community to set priorities for land use and acquisition, and provide the City with a strong basis to make decisions regarding the optimal levels of hotel, retail, restaurant, and entertainment infrastructure and development to make Daytona Beach a competitively positioned destination for its world renowned beachfront status. This study was practical, but ignored traditional boundaries and rules adhered to in typical feasibility studies, which have a shorter time perspective. Furthermore, the long-range nature of this study provided an opportunity to manipulate short-term barriers to allow for the evolution of the best mixed-use entertainment and retail zone over the long term.
