RIP The Jacksonville Landing

The Powers that Be here in Jacksonville, FL have finally shut down the iconic Jacksonville Landing. Located on the north bank of the St Johns River in downtown Jacksonville, it was built by the Rouse Corporation and opened in June of 1987. The Rouse Corp had built and owned several other similar facilities across the US back then and in celebration of the Grand Opening of the Jacksonville Landing, they set up a cable simulcast. At the time, I was playing keyboards with the Gold Tones, a 50/60's revue type oldies band. We were featured in the broadcast, playing "Sea Cruise" on a riverboat as we circled between between the north and south banks. The Gold Tones played there several more times in the latter Eighties.

It was a fantastic place. Shopping stores of all varieties, restaurants ranging from classy dinner places to a mall-type food court to cater to the downtown lunch crowd, bars, and a riverfront stage. There was a ferry to run folks back and forth across the river. In addition to local music, the Landing also hosted concerts by major performers over the years and was one of the various stages for the Jacksonville Jazz Festival for several years. Back in the day, if you scored a gig at the Landing, you'd done good. Paris Hilton even opened a bar there!

From mid 2007 to late 2009, the Trop-Rock band I played keys in were a regular there, at one point playing three Sundays a month. The attached video is our last show there in early October of 2009.

Sadly, city politics were the Landing's ultimate demise. I was last there in April of last year with the family of my departed friend and bassist for the Gold Tones, Chuck Gorospe, when they came into town for their Spring Break. It was very humbling when Chuck's 10 year old son held my hand while I was telling him old band stories of me and his Dad.

Thanks for listening to me reminisce.

 

I had the pleasure of having several conversations with Toney Sleiman. The COJ was royally screwing him over the parking issue. That was one of the reasons Rouse wanted out and sold it to him in 2003. Sleiman bought the building only because in the negotiations the COJ promised him 1000 parking spaces.

 

What show? Broadway type or other? The last time I played the Alhambra was for a touring production of "Oklahoma!" back in the mid 80's. The Alhambra was shut down for a while in the early 90's. The last show I saw there was "My Fair Lady" in the later 90's. I used to be one of the "house" bass players at Magnolia's YST across the street.