Fort Lauderdale, known as the "Venice of America" due to its expansive and intricate
canal
system, is a city in
Broward County
,
Florida
,
United States
. As of the
2000 census
, the city population was 152,397. The city is known for its beaches, many bars, nightclubs, and overall party atmosphere. According to the
2004
U.S. Census Bureau
's Estimates, the city grew to 164,578. Annexation of unincorporated areas in 2005 has boosted the city population to 170,823. It is the county seat of Broward County, and forms a part of the
South Florida metropolitan area
. According to the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention and Visitor's Bureau, Fort Lauderdale is "America's top gay resort area.
Economy
Fort Lauderdale's economy is heavily reliant on tourism. During the 1970s, the city was known as a spring break destination for college students; since the 1980s, police have cracked down on underage drinking and other illicit activity, and the tourist dollars have been largely redirected toward cruise ships and other nautical recreation. Fort Lauderdale now attracts a more sophisticated and affluent crowd[1], however it still remains a popular spring break site for college students.
The entertainment district runs east-west along Las Olas Boulevard, from the beach to the heart of downtown. The district is anchored in the West by the Broward Center for the Performing Arts, and runs through the city to arrive at the intersection of Las Olas and A1A. This intersection is the "ground zero" of Fort Lauderdale Beach, and is the site of the "Elbo Room" bar featured in the 1960's film Where the Boys Are
, which led in large measure to the city's former reputation as a spring break mecca. The city also hosts Langerado, an annual music festival.
Fort Lauderdale is a major manufacturing and maintenance center for yachts. The boating industry is responsible for over 100,000 jobs in the area. With its many canals, and proximity to the Bahamas and Caribbean, it is also a popular yachting vacation stop. The boating industry is in transition as high land cost are forcing marinas to sell and relocate out of the area. Addtionally, the number of boat slips are declining as marinas are more actively seeking the large mega-yachts.
The downtown area, especially around Las Olas Boulevard, has seen dramatic growth in the past decade, and now hosts many new hotels and high-rise condominium developments. Other improvements include a wide array of new boutiques, art galleries, and restaurants as well as upgrades to Lockhart Stadium (to attract marquee sporting events).
Several large companies are based in the Fort Lauderdale area including: AutoNation USA, Citrix Systems, DHL Express, Spirit Airlines, and National Beverage Corp. Due to its proximity to Miami, Fort Lauderdale is emerging as a location for Latin American headquarters for companies such as Microsoft.
