Christopher Boyd, Jason Garcia and Scott Powers
Sentinel Staff Writers
July 16, 2007
The Jedi stage will cover a large patio area outside the Star Tours attraction at Disney-MGM. Disney officials would not say whether the construction would force removal of the Ewok forest or AT-AT Walker structures. However, project paperwork filed by Disney World with the Orange County Comptroller's Office earlier this month shows the facility covering a rectangular area approximately 140 feet long and 96 feet wide -- more ground than two NBA-size basketball courts.
During the Jedi Training Academy shows -- popular events during the park's Star Wars Weekends each June -- costumed Jedi masters select children for training with light sabers and in other Jedi skills drawn from the movie series. Other costumed characters portraying Darth Vader and storm troopers later join in.
Disney spokewsoman Zoraya Suarez said the academy should have as many as eight shows a day, each with a dozen or more children, starting this fall. "They loved it, so we'll build it," she said.
AirTran pitches merger to Midwest
Orlando-based AirTran Holdings Inc. finally gets the chance today to make its case for a merger directly to Midwest Air Group's board of directors.
AirTran has been after Midwest, a fellow discount carrier based in Milwaukee, for close to two years now, in an increasingly hostile takeover attempt that is now valued at $389 million in cash and stock. Midwest has refused the deal at every turn.
But AirTran got a big boost last month when it announced that shareholders had agreed to sell it 59.5 percent of Midwest's outstanding shares. Midwest shareholders also voted to oust three people from Midwest's nine-member board and replace them with a slate of candidates friendly to AirTran.
That's when Midwest's board agreed to allow AirTran to make a formal presentation of its offer, which will happen this morning in Milwaukee.
AirTran executives are hoping that the meeting ultimately leads to formal negotiations. Its offer for Midwest is good until Aug. 10.
If the deal does go through, Milwaukee would supplant Orlando as AirTran's No. 2 market behind Atlanta.
Cowabunga! Was that Bart Simpson?
The Simpsons already have arrived at Universal Studios, six months or more ahead of their new ride and a month ahead of their new movie.
Costumed characters of Homer, Marge, Bart and Lisa began making appearances in the park, usually near the entrance, a couple of weeks ago.
The Simpsons ride is under construction in the old Back to the Future: The Ride building in the park's "World Expo" area. It is scheduled to open next spring.
The Simpsons Movie opens June 27.
Hotel owner purchases Surfside
Ocean Waters LLC, Volusia County's single-largest hotel owner, has purchased the 190-room Surfside Hotel on South Atlantic Avenue in Daytona Beach Shores.
The hotel, which has oceanfront and ocean-view rooms, is geared to family travelers. The company said the hotel was in good condition and was reopened within hours of the acquisition.
Ocean Waters is a privately held hospitality company in Daytona Beach that owns and manages hotels on the Volusia County oceanfront.
Christopher Boyd can be reached at 407-420-5723 or cboyd@orlandosentinel.com. Scott Powers can be reached at spowers@orlandosentinel.com or 407-420-5441. Jason Garcia can be reached at jrgarcia@orlandosentinel.com or 407-420-5414.
