Orlando city leaders rename Semoran Boulevard corridor

ORLANDO, Fla. — Orlando city leaders have renamed the Semoran Boulevard corridor.

Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer, Orlando City Commissioner Tony Ortiz and area residents held a ceremonial unveiling of the corridor's rebranding Thursday morning.

The city has renamed the area as the Gateway Orlando district, because South Semoran Boulevard ends at Orlando International Airport, which sees 42 million travelers each year.

"Everybody says, 'Well, we are near the airport. We are by the airport.' Well actually, you're in the Gateway Orlando District," said Susan Wilcox, president of Gateway Orlando.

More than 65,000 motorists pass through the corridor daily, which runs up to East Colonial Drive, the city said.

The city's efforts to beautify the area began in 2012.

When asked if the area will look and feel different, Ortiz told Channel 9 that it's a work in progress.

“We are looking to implement other measures in order to add revenue in order to be able to do that,” Ortiz said. “But those are the plans: to not only continue changing the façade but the whole face of the corridor.”

Thursday's rebranding event was held at the Gateway Village retail and residential complex.

The city said banners displaying the corridor's new branding will be hung around the complex and, eventually, elsewhere in the district as well.

Similar banners hang in Orlando's historic Colonialtown neighborhood, which the city rebranded as the Mills 50 district several years ago.

City leaders told Eyewitness News that people will also see more mass transit. They are in the process of completing a study to see how they alleviate the congestion.

There is also a big push to reduce crime. All 19 hotels on the corridor, along with Homeland Security, the FBI, the Orlando Police Department and the Orange County Sheriff's Department will get together once a month to discuss how to keep the area safe.

Cox Media Group