History of Orlando
Historians
date Orlando's name to around 1837, when a soldier named Orlando
Reeves allegedly died in the area during the Second Seminole War.
It seems, however, that Orlando Reeves (sometimes Rees) operated a sugar
mill and plantation about 30 miles (50 km) to the north at Spring Garden
in Volusia County, and pioneer settlers simply found his name carved
into a tree and assumed it was a marker for his grave site. They then
referred to the area as "Orlando's grave" and later simply Orlando.
A memorial beside Lake Eola designates the spot where the city's namesake
fell.
During the
Second Seminole War, the U.S. Army established an outpost at Fort
Gatlin, a few miles south of the modern downtown, in 1838. But it was
quickly abandoned when the war came to an end.
Prior to
being known as its current name, Orlando was known as Jernigan, after
the first permanent settler, cattleman Aaron Jernigan, who acquired
land along Lake Holden by the terms of the Armed Occupation Act of 1842. But
most pioneers did not arrive until after the Third Seminole War in
the 1850s. Most of the early residents made their living by cattle ranching.
Economics of Orlando
Recognized by
BusinessWeek as one of the world’s “most fiercely competitive”
communities, Orlando offers unlimited potential on par with the nation’s top
business centers; a diverse spectrum of industries; young, vibrant, talented
workforce; multi-modal access to destinations around the globe; a
do-what-it-takes attitude; and year-round sunshine.
This is a place that
businesses are proud to call “home.”
Metro
Orlando
has a rapidly growing $13.4 billion technology industry employing 53,000
people, and is a nationally recognized cluster of innovation in digital
media, agri-technology, aviation, aerospace, and software. More than 150
international companies, representing approximately 20 countries, have
facilities in Metro Orlando.
A vital part
of the Orlando area economy is involved in the tourist industry, with
the city being known for its wide range of its attractions including
Walt Disney World Resort,
Universal Orlando Resort, and
Sea World Orlando. Over 48 million visitors came to the Orlando
region in 2004. The convention industry is also critical to the region's
economy. The Orange County Convention Center, expanded in 2004 to
over two million square feet (200,000 m˛) of exhibition space, is now
the second-largest convention complex in terms of space in the United
States, trailing only McCormick Place in Chicago. The city vies with
Chicago and Las Vegas for hosting the most convention attendees in the
United States.
Metro
Orlando has the 7th largest research park in the country (Central Florida
Research Park) with over 1,025 acres. It is home to over 120 companies,
employs more than 8,500 people, and is the hub of the nation’s military
simulation and training programs. Metro Orlando is home to the simulation
procurement commands for the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and
Coast Guard.
Orlando is a
major industrial and hi-tech center. Lockheed-Martin has a large
manufacturing facility for missile systems, aeronautical craft and related
high tech research. Other notable engineering firms have offices or labs in
Metro Orlando: KDF, General Dynamics, Harris, Mitsubishi Power Systems,
Siemens, Veritas/Seagate, multiple USAF facilities, Naval Air
Warfare Center Training Systems Division (NAWCTSD), Delta Connection
Academy, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, GE, Air Force Agency for
Modeling and Simulation (AFAMS), U.S. Army Program Executive Office for
Simulation, Training, and Instrumentation (PEO STRI), AT&T, Boeing, CAE
Systems Flight & Simulation Training, HP, Institute for Simulation and
Training, National Center for Simulation, Northrop Grumman, and Raytheon
Systems. The Naval Training Center until a few years ago was one of the
two places where nuclear engineers were trained for the US Navy. Now the
land has been converted into the Baldwin Park development. More than 150
international companies, representing approximately 20 countries, have
facilities in Metro Orlando.
Another
developing sector is the film, television, and electronic gaming
industries, aided by the presence of Universal Studios, Disney's
Hollywood Studios, Full Sail School, the Florida Interactive Entertainment
Academy, and other entertainment companies and schools. Numerous office
complexes for large corporations have popped up along the Interstate 4
corridor north of Orlando, especially in Maitland, Lake Mary and
Heathrow. The U.S. modeling, simulation, and training (MS&T) industry
is centered around the Orlando region as well, with a particularly strong
presence in the Central Florida Research Park adjacent to UCF.
Nearby Maitland is the home of Tiburon, a division of the video game
company Electronic Arts. Originally Tiburon Entertainment, it was
acquired by EA in 1998 after years of partnership, particularly in the
famous Madden NFL series and NCAA Football series of video
games.
Orlando is
the home base of Darden Restaurants, the parent company of Red
Lobster and Olive Garden and the largest operator of restaurants
in the world by revenue. They are building a new world headquarters and
central distribution facility on John Young Parkway.
Orlando has
two non-profit hospital systems: Orlando Health and Florida
Hospital. Orlando Health's Orlando Regional Medical Center is
home to Central Florida's only Level I trauma center, and Winnie Palmer
Hospital for Women and Babies and Florida Hospital Orlando have the
area's only Level III neonatal intensive care units. Florida Hospital's main
campus is ranked as one of the best hospitals in the nation, and has a
renowned brain attack facility. Orlando's medical leadership will be further
advanced with the completion of UCF's College of Medicine and a new
VA Hospital, both of which will be located in a new medical district
in the Lake Nona area of the city.
Historically, the unemployment rate in Greater Orlando was low, which
resulted in growth that led to urban sprawl in the surrounding area and, in
combination with the 2007 Subprime mortgage financial crisis, to the rising
cost of home prices. Today, according to Workforce Central Florida,
the March 2009 unemployment rate in Central Florida has increased to 9.9
percent.
The City of Orlando has
taken important steps to ensure that children have access to quality places
to play. Since 2003, the city has opened 16 new parks/playgrounds, renovated
14 parks/playgrounds and currently has three parks under construction (June
2009). These efforts have resulted in the City receiving the Playful City
USA recognition for the second straight year. Through the Playful City
USA program, Orlando serves as a role model to other communities across the
country.
Housing in Orlando
Housing
prices in Greater Orlando went up 34% in one year, from an average of
$182,000 in August 2004 to $245,000 in August 2005, and eventually to a
record $255,000 in February 2007. They are tapering off, however, down to
$211,000 in April 2008, and $161,000 in June 2009.
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