 Bob Snow [Photo:Jeffrey Camp] |
When Church Street Station founder Bob Snow ran his famous Cheyenne Saloon in the 1980s, customers jammed all three floors; Garth Brooks, Alan Jackson and others took the stage before they were famous; the Nashville Network filmed there every Friday night for seven years.
Church Street Station lost its luster after Snow sold it to Baltimore Gas & Electric in 1989. The three-block entertainment complex has faltered since. But these days, Snow is back, polishing the wooden dance floors and rehabbing the barbeque restaurant upstairs. He’s one of several entrepreneurs investing in Church Street.
Another is Gordon Davis, owner of Ceviche tapas bars in Sarasota, Tampa and St. Petersburg, who plans to bring his Spanish fare and flamenco dancing to the complex. Developer Cameron Kuhn says Hilton plans to build a hotel onsite. Tim O’Sullivan, general manager at Ferrari Maserati of Central Florida, says his company is seriously considering moving in from Maitland: “The architecture is magnificent, and you’ve got great access from the highway,” O’Sullivan says. “The potential is amazing.”
Whether Kuhn can pull off the potential is a matter of considerable debate. Some downtown investors speculate he paid too much for the complex. Others criticize him for getting rid of successful tenants such as the Improv Comedy Club.
Snow says Kuhn has the right vision for Church Street. Kuhn wants to return the area to its glory days — but not the same glory days. “I think Orlando’s ready for it,” says Snow, “and I’m glad to be part of it.”