Skyplex Orlando Gains Approval from Orange County Commission @skyplexOrlando @joshuawallack

- Michelle Snow

Tonight the Orange County Board of County Commissioners unanimously approved a rezoning request for the proposed Skyplex Orlando development to be built on International Drive.

Skyfall Drop Tower Announced for Skyplex Complex on I-Drive in Orlando

The project, which calls for a 501-foot roller coaster topped with a revolving restaurant, also includes plans for a 350-room hotel, 333,000 square feet of entertainment space, more than 95,000 square feet of general retail and nearly 40,000 square feet of restaurant space.

For the last few months, there has been, at times, vicious opposition from nearby Universal Orlando and its supporters who have fought to keep the attraction from getting built. They claimed the height of the Skyplex tower is too tall and would adversely change the culture of the tourist corridor, and the project as a whole would create traffic issues at the already busy intersection of International Drive and Sand Lake Rd.

It was also revealed that Universal has a contract on 475 acres of land very close to the Skyplex land, near the Orange County Convention Center, and plans to possibly expand into that land.

Final discussions began around 3pm this afternoon in a packed room at the county administrative center, and wrapped a little after 6pm.

Joshua Wallack, developer of the Skyplex complex, as well as nearby Mango’s Orlando, has not confirmed the final height of the tower, which will also have a spire on top, but the FAA has cleared them up to 700 feet.

Wallack says the complex will create thousands of jobs for Orlando, and help revitalize the northern part of I-Drive to keep it competitive with new developments on the southern side, like I-Drive 360 and the Orlando Eye, which sits at 400 feet tall.

Congratulations to Wallack and Skyplex Orlando!

About Michelle Snow

Michelle is the owner and editor of CitySurfing Orlando. She also owns Zengrrl.com, is a freelance writer specializing in travel and entertainment, has authored/co-authored four guidebooks on Orlando and Florida, and was head editor/writer at TheDisneyBlog.com for 10 years. She's lived in Orlando near Walt Disney World since 1995, and still finds there's so much fun to be had in Central Florida.
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