Misplaced Pages

#246753

44-614: The Kissimmee Civic Center is a multi-purpose facility in Kissimmee, Florida . It has a maximum capacity for basketball of 3,100. It was once home to the Florida Flight of the Continental Basketball League and World Basketball Association . 28°17′36″N 81°24′15″W  /  28.293239°N 81.404277°W  / 28.293239; -81.404277  ( Kissimmee Civic Center ) This article about

88-518: A 2020 population of 2,673,376. The Census Bureau defines an urban area with Kissimmee as the principal city, which is separated from the Orlando urban area. The Kissimmee– St. Cloud , FL urban area had a 2020 population of 418,404, making it the 100th largest in the United States . The area was originally named Allendale, after Confederate Major J. H. Allen, who operated the first cargo steamboat along

132-493: A day with two paved airport runways—respectively 5,000 and 6,000 feet (1,500 and 1,800 m). There are also two flight training schools and a museum at the airport. Orlando International Airport can be reached from Kissimmee in 40 minutes by car. The major roads in the Kissimmee area are Florida's Turnpike , Interstate 4 , Osceola Parkway , and US 192 . Among other important routes are US 17/92 that join with US 441 into

176-533: A dense, narrow strip along the coast. The developed area is highly urbanized and increasingly continuous and decentralized, with no particular dominant core cities. The center projects this pattern to continue in the future. There have been several proposals for partitioning the state of Florida to form a separate state of South Florida. Such proposals have usually been made as political statement rather than serious attempts at secession. Reasons often stated are cultural, ethnic, economic, and financial frustrations with

220-420: A household in the city was $ 33,949, and the median income for a family was $ 36,361. Males had a median income of $ 25,851 versus $ 21,025 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 15,071. About 12.3% of families and 15.4% of the population were below the poverty line , including 19.0% of those under age 18 and 10.2% of those age 65 or over. Multinational multi-level marketing company Tupperware Brands

264-506: A large measure. But even though the Disney facility took over much of the open range cattle lands, cattle ranches still operate nearby, particularly in southern Osceola County. The 1998 Kissimmee tornado outbreak killed dozens of people in the area. On August 13, 2004, Hurricane Charley passed through Kissimmee with winds in excess of 100 miles per hour (160 km/h), damaging homes and buildings, toppling trees and cutting electrical power to

308-602: A multi-modal transportation hub between Neptune Road and Monument Street. It includes the Amtrak train station , which is a stop on the SunRail commuter rail system. There is a Greyhound bus station. The hub also has a bus terminal providing service by the Lynx network. Kissimmee Gateway Airport has four fixed-base operators that provide service to the area. Kissimmee Gateway Airport (ISM) accommodates general aviation air service 24 hours

352-475: A number of English and Spanish conventions were held by the Witnesses, bringing thousands of delegates to the Kissimmee area for the three-day events. Kissimmee has a number of public parks, including: The Shingle Creek Regional Trail (SCRT) is an inter-governmental project that is planned to connect Kissimmee to Orlando through a 32-mile bicycle trail. It runs along the environmentally sensitive Shingle Creek, and

396-552: A sports venue in Florida is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Kissimmee, Florida Kissimmee ( / k ɪ ˈ s ɪ m i / kih- SIM -ee ) is the largest city and county seat of Osceola County , Florida , United States. As of the 2020 census , the population was 79,226. It is a Principal City of the Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, Florida, Metropolitan Statistical Area , which had

440-591: A supermajority of the region's inland and rural areas. Largest cities in South Florida by population: The Miami accent is a regional accent of the American English dialect spoken in South Florida, particularly in Miami-Dade , Broward , Palm Beach , and Monroe counties. The accent was born in central Miami , but has expanded to the rest of South Florida in the decades since the 1960s. The Miami accent

484-429: Is rhotic ; it also incorporates a rhythm and pronunciation heavily influenced by Spanish (wherein rhythm is syllable-timed ). Lamme and Oldakowski identify several demographic, political, and cultural elements that characterize South Florida and distinguish it from other areas of the state. Many of its differences appear to be driven by its proportionately higher level of migration from the northern U.S. states and from

SECTION 10

#1732876474247

528-514: Is an athletic facility in the area that hosts a variety of annual events. The city is also home to the annual NCCAA men's soccer National Championship Tournament. Osceola Heritage Park is an event facility featuring a concert arena ( Silver Spurs Arena ) and professional sports stadium ( Osceola County Stadium ). The Silver Spurs Arena has hosted many acts, from Hilary Duff and Bob Dylan to an annual rodeo. Jehovah's Witnesses use Silver Spurs Arena for their annual district conventions. In 2008,

572-602: Is based in Kissimmee. According to Kissimmee's 2018 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the city's top employers are: From 1985 to 2016, the Houston Astros conducted spring training in Kissimmee, at Osceola County Stadium . The stadium also hosts numerous amateur baseball events throughout the year in conjunction with USSSA , Triple Crown Sports, World Baseball Federation and Promotion Sports. The Jim Evans Academy of Professional Umpiring has also called Osceola County Stadium home since 1994. Austin-Tindall Regional Park

616-487: Is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild, dry, and sunny winters. According to the Köppen climate classification system, Kissimmee has a humid subtropical climate ( Cfa ). As of the 2020 United States census , there were 79,226 people, 22,836 households, and 15,732 families residing in the city. As of the 2010 United States census , there were 59,682 people, 22,040 households, and 15,812 families residing in

660-631: Is dominated by the Miami metropolitan area and the Everglades . It also contains the Florida Keys ; three U.S. national parks: Biscayne , Dry Tortugas , and Everglades ; and multiple cities. As with all vernacular regions, South Florida has no official boundaries or status and is defined differently by different sources. A 2007 study of Florida's regions by Ary Lamme and Raymond K. Oldakowski found that Floridians surveyed identified "South Florida" as comprising

704-405: Is land and 0.6 square miles (2 km ), comprising 3.7%, is water. Kissimmee and St. Cloud are the county's only incorporated settlements. They are in proximity to each other along U.S. Highways 192 and 441. A large geographical area of unincorporated Osceola County is also referred to as Kissimmee. This includes most of the 192 corridor west of the city border to Highway 27 , areas north of

748-581: Is most prevalent in American-born South Floridian youth. The Miami accent is based on a fairly standard American accent but with some changes very similar to dialects in the Mid-Atlantic (especially the New York area dialect , Northern New Jersey English , and New York Latino English .) Unlike Virginia Piedmont, Coastal Southern American, and Northeast American dialects, the "Miami accent"

792-555: Is the Osceola County courthouse . The main thoroughfare follows Highway 17/Highway 92 through the city's center and is a combination of three streets: Main Street, Broadway Street, and Emmett Street. The downtown area consists largely of restaurants, small shops, and historic residences. The University of Central Florida has a business incubator in the area that is an important part of the economic engine downtown. The climate in this area

836-466: Is the only region of the state where ethnic foods are as popular as general American cuisine . Floribbean cuisine is a fusion cuisine which developed in South Florida, drawing influence from Floridian, Caribbean, Asian and Latin American cuisines. Additionally, while there was little geographical variation for most styles of music, there was regional variation for both country and Latin music. Country

880-577: The 2000 Presidential election . The economy in South Florida is very similar to that in Central Florida. Compared to the more diversified economy in North Florida, tourism is by far the most significant industry in South and Central Florida, with a much smaller but vibrant agricultural industry. Lamme and Oldakowski's survey also found some cultural indicators distinguishing South Florida. South Florida

924-658: The Caribbean and Latin America , particularly in the densely populated Miami area. Politically, South Florida is more liberal than the rest of the state. While less than 10% of people in either North or Central Florida felt their area was liberal, over a third of South Floridians described their region as such. 38% characterized the area as conservative; 26% as moderate. This tracks with South Florida's demographics, and Lamme and Oldakowski's findings parallel Barney Warf and Cynthia Waddell's research on Florida's political geography during

SECTION 20

#1732876474247

968-577: The Florida Department of Transportation . Some entities alternately designate this region "South Florida". Its definition includes much of the same territory as Lamme and Oldakowski's report, except the Gulf Coast and much of the interior Glades region.. It includes Monroe County and the three metropolitan counties of Miami-Dade , Broward , and Palm Beach , as well as the three " Treasure Coast " counties of Indian River , St. Lucie , and Martin to

1012-689: The Kissimmee City Street Railway . But Kissimmee's heyday was short-lived. Expanding railroads began to challenge the steamships for carrying freight and passengers. By 1884, the South Florida Railroad, now part of the Plant System , had extended its tracks to Tampa . The Panic of 1893 was the worst depression the U.S. had experienced up to that time, crushing land speculation and unsound debt. Disston closed his Kissimmee land operation. Consecutive freezes in 1894 and 1895 wiped out

1056-704: The Kissimmee River —the Mary Belle . It was renamed Kissimmee when incorporated as a city in 1883. The modern town, the county seat of Osceola County, was founded before the Civil War by the Bass, Johnson and Overstreet families. The etymology of the name Kissimmee is debated, apart from general agreement that it is Native American in origin. Its growth can be credited to Hamilton Disston of Philadelphia , who based his four-million acre (8,000 km ) drainage operation out of

1100-400: The 3.23% Asians living in Kissimmee, 1.1% were Indian and 0.8% were Filipino . As of the 2000 census , there were 47,814 people, 17,121 households, and 11,813 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,866.6 inhabitants per square mile (1,106.8/km ). There were 19,642 housing units at an average density of 1,177.6 per square mile (454.7/km ). The racial makeup of the city

1144-607: The Democratic Party are mostly concentrated in urban areas, as well as areas to the west of and including downtown Key West, rural communities surrounding Immokalee , and the areas surrounding Belle Glade , while supporters of the Republican Party reside in the most costal regions of the Miami area north of Pompano Beach , most of the Everglades, most of the regions between Port St. Lucie and Riviera Beach , Southwest Florida, and

1188-668: The Orange Blossom Trail (OBT) and the John Young Parkway . The city of Kissimmee also runs a service named Freebee Kissimmee which is a cab that provides transportation around Downtown Kissimmee, Advent Health , and Valencia College . Osceola Library System operates the Hart Memorial Central Library in Kissimmee. There are only two hospitals in Kissimmee, AdventHealth Kissimmee and HCA Florida Osceola Hospital . South Florida South Florida

1232-579: The South Florida region, such as the inclusion of Southwest Florida and the Treasure Coast . Southwest Florida , representing the state's Gulf Coast , has emerged as a directional vernacular region. Respondents from as far northwest as the Tampa Bay area identified their region as being in Central Florida. Confusing the matter further, the University of South Florida , named in part because of its status as

1276-400: The average family size was 3.21. In 2000, in the city, the population was spread out, with 27.0% under the age of 18, 12.0% from 18 to 24, 34.9% from 25 to 44, 18.5% from 45 to 64, and 7.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.8 males. As of 2000, the median income for

1320-487: The citrus industry. The freezes, combined with South Florida 's growth and the relocation of steamship operations to Lake Okeechobee , left Kissimmee dependent on open range cattle ranching . Kissimmee had a population of 4,310 in 1950. At that point, there was some citrus packing as well as ranching. Ranching remained an important part of the local economy until Walt Disney World opened nearby in 1971. After that, tourism and development supplanted cattle ranching to

1364-415: The city to Hunters Creek , and areas south of the city to Poinciana . The city is mostly built on deep sand which is poorly drained in its natural state. The most common soil series is Myakka . Drained by the Kissimmee River , the city is on the northwest shore of Lake Tohopekaliga (locally called Lake Toho, West Lake Toho, or simply West Lake) in central Florida . Shingle Creek , largely considered

Kissimmee Civic Center - Misplaced Pages Continue

1408-508: The city. Out of Kissimmee's 58.93% Hispanic or Latino residents in the 2010 US census, 33.1% were Puerto Rican , 5.1% Dominican , 4.0% Colombian , 3.9% Mexican , 2.6% Cuban , 1.4% Venezuelan , 0.9% Ecuadorian , 0.7% Salvadoran , 0.7% Peruvian , 0.6% Honduran , and 0.6% were Nicaraguan . Also in 2010, out of the 9.59% non-Hispanic African American or Black residents, there was an additional 2.8% of people who were Afro-Latino or Black Hispanic . The 2010 census also showed that from

1452-410: The city. In 2000, there were 17,121 households, out of which 37.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.2% were married couples living together, 15.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.0% were non-families. 20.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 4.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.77 and

1496-545: The entire city. Kissimmee Utility Authority restored power to 54 percent of the residents in the first 72 hours and to 85 percent within one week. Service was restored to all customers on August 28. Three weeks after Hurricane Charley, the area was struck by Hurricane Frances , then Hurricane Jeanne three weeks later. According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has an area of 17.32 square miles (44.9 km ), of which 16.7 square miles (43 km )

1540-517: The headwaters of the Everglades , also runs through the city, and features a canoe/kayak trail that runs from Steffe Landing on US 192 and ends in Lake Tohopekaliga . The downtown area lies near the intersection of U.S. Highway 17/92 and U.S. Highway 192 . Downtown Kissimmee has no skyscrapers; most of the buildings are two or three stories high. The biggest and the tallest building downtown

1584-451: The north. The demographics of South Florida residents can be segmented as following: Over 87.2% of all foreigners residing in South Florida come from Latin America. South Florida is politically diverse, with multiple congressional districts in the region supporting both the Democratic and Republican parties. As evidenced by the 2020 United States presidential election , supporters of

1628-476: The southernmost sections of peninsular Florida, meaning from Jupiter, Florida south. That area includes the Miami metropolitan area , defined as Miami-Dade , Broward , and Palm Beach counties, the Florida Keys , and the interior region known as the Glades . The term South Florida most commonly refers to the Miami metro’s tri-county area, interpretations vary on the inclusion of some other parts of Florida within

1672-588: The state government in Tallahassee , which is in North Florida . In 2008, the North Lauderdale City Commission passed a resolution calling for a new state of South Florida to be formed from Palm Beach , Broward , Miami-Dade and Monroe Counties. In 2014, South Miami 's city commission passed a resolution in favor of splitting the state in half, with a northern boundary drawn to include

1716-552: The state's southernmost public university at the time of its 1957 founding, is located in Tampa . Florida State Road 70 bisects approximately in the Central Florida region from west to east. However, Tampa is not considered South Florida region. Enterprise Florida, the state's economic development agency , identifies "Southeast Florida" as one of eight economic regions used by the agency and other state and outside entities, including

1760-402: The town. Disston had contracted with the financially wobbly state of Florida to drain its southern lands, for which he would own half of all he successfully drained. This deal made Disston the largest single landowner in the United States. Disston's dredging and land speculation required a small steamboat industry to transport people and goods along the new waterway. The Kissimmee shipyard

1804-409: Was 67.22% White , 9.99% African American , 0.52% Native American , 3.38% Asian , 0.10% Pacific Islander , 14.15% from other races , and 4.66% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 41.73% of the population. The majority of Hispanics residing in the city are Puerto Ricans . There are also small Colombian , Cuban and Dominican communities residing in and/or around

Kissimmee Civic Center - Misplaced Pages Continue

1848-450: Was included on President Obama's America's Great Outdoors list. Kissimmee is home to a number of golf courses and mini-golf courses. Kissimmee is near Orlando, home to Universal Orlando Resort and SeaWorld Orlando , and Lake Buena Vista/Bay Lake, home to Walt Disney World Resort , allowing tourists to access the parks through the city. The School District of Osceola County serves Kissimmee. High schools include: Kissimmee features

1892-541: Was responsible for building most of these large steamships, which were just one jump ahead of civilization—with Kissimmee as the jumping off point. Concurrently, the South Florida Railroad was growing and extended the end of its line from Sanford down to Kissimmee, making the town on Lake Tohopekaliga a transportation hub for Central Florida . On February 12, 1885, the Florida Legislature incorporated

1936-528: Was significantly less popular in South Florida than in North or Central Florida, while Latin was more popular than in the other regions. The Anthony J. Catanese Center for Urban and Environmental Solutions at Florida Atlantic University notes the unusual growth pattern of South Florida. Unlike many areas with centralized cities surrounded by development, most of South Florida is preserved natural area and designated agricultural reserves, with development restricted to

#246753