What other cities have done this trick before - Anaheim, Las Vegas, and Orlando are several. The trick: creating dense, entertainment packed area which attracts tourists and locals alike and gets them to open their wallets to leave their money behind.
Buena Park is reviewing ideas for the EZone along Beach Blvd, from Knotts to Orangethorpe Ave just above the 91 Fwy. Some businesses and hotels have been upgraded, but there isn't the critical mass needed to draw people in and keep them their.
To build this critical mass, Buena Park understands that a multi-pronged approach is needed. Hotels, destination restaurants and shopping need to be brought in. A "destination restaurant" is one where you specifically set out to go there and will hunt them down. For instance, theme restaurants are often "destination dining." These venues command a premium, bring traffic to the area both from tourists and locals, and there aren't a lot of them, so you have to GO THERE to fill your craving. Think Hard Rock Cafe in its prime.
Other elements needed for Buena Parks' success include parking and moving people around the district. Buena Park is considering parking solutions including strategically placed lots and garages. The idea is to solve the parking issue district wide, not shop by shop. This allows parking to be placed behind the shops, out of view, and allow the shopfronts to draw customers in. Parking can also be shared based on time of day when the most activity is expected.
The big trick in this is moving people. People won't walk in an area if they don't feel comfortable. Beach Blvd is a busy street, the district is large, and people must be able to move between attractions without using their cars. Streetscape design goes a long way to making people feel comfortable.
Streetscaping is more than planting palm trees and birds of paradise and putting in new streetlamps and benches. Good streetscaping includes making sidewalks wide enough to move large groups of people, making the area visually attractive, having businesses which are conducive to pedestrian traffic, and finding ways to keep pedestrians safely separated from traffic.
Trams and bridges are two very common ways of keeping people and cars separate. Trams allow people to travel the length of the district. Pedestrian bridges allow movement of people across streets in a safe manner.
Buena Park has a big project ahead of them that will pay off in the long run with a strong, healthy tourist destination that will provide jobs and tax dollars for the local economy.
See the Entertainment Zone Action Plan http://www.buenapark.com/Index.aspx?page=355
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