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Ski Slope Coming to Sunrise, Maybe

Pelion Sunrise, a South Florida group led by tennis center owner Norman Canter, is pitching a giant winter-themed entertainment complex complete with skiing, snowboarding, sledding, snowmobiling, ice skating, and other assorted things that most people in South Florida aren't in any way into. See Also:Ski Slopes and Mayoral Sleaze in...
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Pelion Sunrise, a South Florida group led by tennis center owner Norman Canter, is pitching a giant winter-themed entertainment complex complete with skiing, snowboarding, sledding, snowmobiling, ice skating, and other assorted things that most people in South Florida aren't in any way into.

See Also:
Ski Slopes and Mayoral Sleaze in North Miami

The group hopes to have the complex built near Sawgrass Mills mall in Sunrise.

But before this complex gets built and people can go swooshing up and down fake mountains, it needs to get past local officials.

Said Commissioner Sheila Alu on the proposal: "I don't even know if this thing is for real or not. I'm not even paying attention to this until I know it's a viable project."

Sheila ain't care.

"How can you say no to that?" Commissioner Larry Sofield responded. "People have visions. And sometimes it seems crazy, but those visions can turn out great sometimes. I really hope it's not just another idea that's not possible."

You dream killers, shut your face.

According to their spokesperson, the Pelion group estimates that the complex would create at least 2,000 jobs. The group has a contract to buy land in Sunrise between Sawgrass Mills mall and the newly renamed BB&T Center. Pelion is not seeking tax money for the venture and could qualify for incentives based on job creation and economic impact.

In an email about the project, Sunrise Mayor Mike Ryan said:

"Sunrise continues to attract big dreams and big innovative projects. We will have to see if this is the type of innovative dream that can come to fruition, be a destination attraction, fit within the community and be successful."

It would likely be advertised as a sort of theme park, but this winter wonder escape being built and ultimately becoming a thing will depend on a few factors, including cost of land, electricity, how much tickets will ultimately cost, and overall good old-fashioned South Florida apathy.

C'mon! This is South Florida! We make every logistically improbable money-sucking dream come true and then watch it implode before our very eyes, wasting millions of dollars in the process... It's practically our state motto! WHAT COULD POSSIBLY GO WRONG?



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