FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Downtown Orlando Goes Viral With Enhanced, Interactive Web site

ORLANDO, FL - (Sept. 30, 2009) – Orlando’s Downtown Development Board (DDB) will unveil on Thursday a new, interactive Web site at www.DowntownOrlando.com, giving residents, visitors and businesses an array of online tools for discovering and showcasing Downtown’s diverse offerings.

Curious about a new restaurant you just heard about? Click on the map for information and location. Need to find the nearest place to park? Click again. Want to catch a movie or performance after dinner? Just click. Google-based maps pinpoint locations and proximity to other downtown attractions and amenities. And the site isn’t just about listings. Each Downtown retail business and event will have a profile so site users can get even more information.

“Creating a user-friendly Web site is critical to supporting existing Downtown businesses, encouraging new development and attracting more people eager to live, work and play in what I consider not just Orlando’s, but Central Florida’s Downtown,” said Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer.

The redesigned Web site, created by Orlando-based Web developer Purple, Rock, Scissors, also will serve as a social platform, allowing users to not only find out what’s happening Downtown and how to get there, but to share their comments, announce new events and even cast their votes on various subjects.

“Orlando has a dynamic Downtown, with a new multiplex movie theater, new places to shop and great nightspots and restaurants. Our new Web site enhances and simplifies visitors’ experience while giving businesses and organizations an efficient and effective way to reach their audiences,” said Thomas Chatmon, Executive Director of the Downtown Development Board (DDB).

In addition to information about restaurants, arts and entertainment venues, the site provides detailed listings and more on just about everything Downtown – from hotels and retailers to places of worship, schools, parks, bike trails and parking facilities. Users can stay up to date on new developments, such as construction of the new Amway Center; unique events, such as the upcoming Orlando Film Festival at the new Plaza Cinema Café; and other important Downtown news, such as Florida A&M University’s law school winning full accreditation by the American Bar Association. The new site also provides important economic data used to encourage new investments in Downtown.

A key innovation of the site is in allowing users to post comments and reviews – how much they like a restaurant, their favorite spot at Lake Eola Park, tricks to getting the best parking space or the quickest route to Amway Arena. Also, by tracking site usage patterns, integrating with social media campaigns and providing the community a real voice, the new site functions as the foundation of Downtown Orlando’s digital strategy.

“What’s more,” says Bobby Jones CEO of Purple, Rock, Scissors, “we’ve increased the accessibility of the website by offering a fully mobile version, increasing search engine findability, and ensuring compliance with web standards and basic ADA guidelines.”

About the Downtown Development Board
The mission of the Orlando Downtown Development Board (DDB) is to strengthen the role of Downtown Orlando as the economic, governmental and cultural center of Central Florida. The DDB is responsible for the planning, implementation and administration of the City's core area redevelopment and development program. For more information, visit www.downtownorlando.com.

To schedule an interview please contact:
Jill Fulford 407.834.7777 or jfulford@cbrpr.com