Overview

Sunrise is a city in southwestern Broward County, Florida

Broward County, Florida

-2000 Census:As of the census of 2000, there were 1,623,018 people, 654,445 households, and 411,645 families residing in the county. The population density was 1,346 people per square mile . There were 741,043 housing units at an average density of 615 per square mile...

, United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

. It was incorporated in 1961 by Norman Johnson – a developer whose World Famous Upside-Down House attracted buyers to what was then a remote area. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 84,439.

Sunrise is home to Sawgrass Mills

Sawgrass Mills

Sawgrass Mills is a shopping mall operated by the Simon Property Group, in Sunrise, Florida, a city in Broward County. With of retail selling space, it is the sixth largest mall in the United States, and the second largest in Florida...

, currently the fourth largest outlet shopping mall

Shopping mall

A shopping mall, shopping centre, shopping arcade, shopping precinct or simply mall is one or more buildings forming a complex of shops representing merchandisers, with interconnecting walkways enabling visitors to easily walk from unit to unit, along with a parking area — a modern, indoor version...

 in the United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

. The Florida Panthers

Florida Panthers

The Florida Panthers are a professional ice hockey team based in Sunrise, Florida, in the Miami metropolitan area. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . They play their games at the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise and are the...

 of the NHL

National Hockey League

The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...

 play in Sunrise at BankAtlantic Center

BankAtlantic Center

The BankAtlantic Center is an indoor arena located in Sunrise, Florida, a suburb of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and adjacent to the popular Sawgrass Mills Mall.The arena features 70 suites & 2,623 club seats.The arena is directly accessible from the Sawgrass Expressway...

.

Originally known as Sunrise Golf Village, the City had a population of 4,300 and comprised just 1.75 square miles by 1967. Then, during the 1970s – as Broward County began to push west – the City experienced its first real growth.

In 1971, the City, by referendum, changed its name to the City of Sunrise. Through annexation, Sunrise eventually expanded to its current boundaries – encompassing more than 18 square miles, reaching the Everglades and dropping south of I-595/State Road 84. The City is situated approximately six miles west of Fort Lauderdale, and is adjoined by the communities of Weston, Davie, Tamarac, Lauderhill and Plantation.

By October 1984, the City had reached an estimated population of 50,000. In the mid 1980s, growth gave way to challenges, as the City was faced with financial difficulties, limited economic opportunities and a lack of adequate civic amenities. In the early '90s, Sunrise worked to put its financial house in order, rebuild its infrastructure and establish itself as a center for business headquarters. It is the site of Sawgrass International Corporate Park – at 612 acres, the largest corporate park in south Florida.

In 1990, the first phase of Sawgrass Mills opened in Sunrise. Due to its continued popularity and expansion, the shopping and entertainment center has grown to almost 2.3 million square feet. It features 350 outlet and value retailers; food courts and full-service restaurants; and family entertainment venues.

The National Car Rental Center – now the BankAtlantic Center – opened its doors in 1998. The arena is the home of the National Hockey League's Florida Panthers, and hosts top entertainers and events. In 2010, performers included John Mayer, Jay-Z, Jimmy Buffet, Taylor Swift, Eric Clapton, Michael Bublé, Carole King & James Taylor, and Aerosmith.

Thanks in large part to these shopping and entertainment destinations, Sunrise has become one of Florida’s top tourist draws. Its location at the center of Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties – in close proximity to the Florida Turnpike and I-95, and bordered by the Sawgrass Expressway, I-75 and I-595 – makes Sunrise accessible to area residents and visitors alike.

Sunrise operates its own utility services (water, wastewater and natural gas), as well as municipal fire-rescue and police departments. The City also maintains its own system of parks, as well as a soccer club, golf course, tennis club, playgrounds and swimming pools. The Sunrise Civic Center includes a 300-seat theater, an art gallery, an athletic club, and banquet facilities. Sunrise is also home to eleven public schools.

Early History

In 1960, Iowa-born developer Norman Johnson paid $9 million for 2,650 acres of land in southwestern Broward County. By 1961, this community of 1.75 square miles – which Johnson named Sunrise Golf Village – had less than 350 residents.

It has been reported that the community was to be named Sunset Village – but this did not occur because of objections from residents who felt that "sunset" was too final. (Originally called "Sunset", the name did not sit well with the retirees whom developers wanted to attract, so a change was made to "Sunrise".)

Johnson and F. E. Dykstra developed and built an “upside-down house” to lure prospective property buyers. The home was completely furnished, and the carport featured an upside-down automobile. Public interest was aroused through numerous news stories – including a feature in Life magazine. The structure became a national attraction that drew thousands to the Village. People came to stand on the ceiling – and many stayed to make their home in the community.

In 1961, Norman Johnson was appointed by Governor Farris Bryant as the first mayor of Sunrise Golf Village.

According to "City of Sunrise Golf Village," a booklet produced by the City in 1969: "On January 10, 1967, (a date called for by City Charter) Sunrise Golf Village emerged from a developer's operation into a free city under complete control of its residents. Also, on this auspicious date, the City elected a Mayor and seven Councilmen to four year terms of office. The City of Sunrise Golf Village which comprises 3 1/2 square miles, has no air pollution or drainage problems, all paved streets, and street lighting throughout the entire City.”

That first elected mayor was John Lomelo, Jr. – a former Miami nightclub owner who was drawn to Sunrise Golf Village by the Upside-Down House.

Demographics

The following information is taken from the first published data series from Census 2010. These data were obtained by a survey of all households in the City of Sunrise, conducted in March 2010 by the U.S. Census Bureau. Additional data from Census 2010 will be published in 2011 and 2012.

Population.
In 2010, the City of Sunrise had a total population of 84,439.
Sunrise ranked as the ninth-largest City in Broward County.
Census 2010 showed a slight population decline of 1.6% - or 1,340 residents - since Census 2000.

Ethnicity.
In 2010, the City had a minority-majority population: 37% of residents (31,016) are white non-Hispanic.
31% of residents (25,950) are black non-Hispanic, including African-Americans and persons of Caribbean descent.
25% of residents (21,621) are Hispanic.

Age.
22% of residents (18,879) are under 18 years of age. The remainder of residents (65,560) are 18 or older.

Housing.
In 2010, there were 33,438 households (including families and persons living alone) in Sunrise, and 37,609 single- and multi-family housing units.
The number of occupied units increased slightly between 2000 and 2010, suggesting a decrease in average household size.

As of the census

Census

A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...

of 2000, there were 85,779 people, 33,308 households, and 22,249 families residing in the city. The population density

Population density

Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...

 was 4,712.5 inhabitants per square mile (1,819.8/km²). There were 35,661 housing units at an average density of 1,959.1 per square mile (756.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 69.48% White (57% were Non-Hispanic White,) 20.47% African American, 0.18% Native American, 3.08% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 3.46% from other races

Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

, and 3.26% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 17.08% of the population.

There were 33,308 households out of which 33.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.6% were married couples

Marriage

Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...

 living together, 13.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.2% were non-families. 27.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.54 and the average family size was 3.12.

In the city the population was spread out with 24.9% under the age of 18, 7.3% from 18 to 24, 31.7% from 25 to 44, 18.4% from 45 to 64, and 17.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 87.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.5 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $40,998, and the median income for a family was $47,908. Males had a median income of $35,706 versus $28,147 for females. The per capita income

Per capita income

Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...

 for the city was $18,713. About 7.3% of families and 9.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.3% of those under age 18 and 12.5% of those age 65 or over.

As of 2000, speakers of English

English language

English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...

 as a first language

First language

A first language is the language a person has learned from birth or within the critical period, or that a person speaks the best and so is often the basis for sociolinguistic identity...

 accounted for 71.92%, while Spanish

Spanish language

Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...

 was 16.75%, French Creole was at 2.53%, Yiddish

Yiddish language

Yiddish is a High German language of Ashkenazi Jewish origin, spoken throughout the world. It developed as a fusion of German dialects with Hebrew, Aramaic, Slavic languages and traces of Romance languages...

 at 1.14%, Portuguese

Portuguese language

Portuguese is a Romance language that arose in the medieval Kingdom of Galicia, nowadays Galicia and Northern Portugal. The southern part of the Kingdom of Galicia became independent as the County of Portugal in 1095...

 at 1.01%, Italian

Italian language

Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...

 at 0.84%, French

French language

French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...

 at 0.83%, Hebrew

Hebrew language

Hebrew is a Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Culturally, is it considered by Jews and other religious groups as the language of the Jewish people, though other Jewish languages had originated among diaspora Jews, and the Hebrew language is also used by non-Jewish groups, such...

 at 0.61%, and Chinese

Chinese language

The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...

 at 0.59% of the population.

As of 2000, Sunrise had the 107th highest percentage of Cuba

Cuba

The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...

n residents in the US, at 2.29% of the city's population, and the sixtieth highest percentage of Colombia

Colombia

Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...

n residents in the US, at 2.44% of the city's population (tied with Weehawken, New Jersey

Weehawken, New Jersey

Weehawken is a township in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 12,554.-Geography:Weehawken is part of the New York metropolitan area...

.) It also had the fourteenth most Jamaica

Jamaica

Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...

n-populated area in the US, with 7.6% of all residents, and the fifty-third highest concentration of Haiti

Haiti

Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...

ans (tied with Lake Alfred

Lake Alfred, Florida

Lake Alfred is a city in Polk County, Florida, United States. The population was 3,890 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 3,944 . It is part of the Lakeland–Winter Haven Metropolitan Statistical Area....

 and Miami Gardens'

Miami Gardens, Florida

Miami Gardens is a Miami suburban city located in Miami-Dade County, Florida. The city name comes from one of the major roadways through the area, Miami Gardens Drive. According to the 2010 U.S...

 Bunche Park

Bunche Park, Florida

Bunche Park was a census-designated place in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. The population was 3,972 at the 2000 census. The community is named after Ralph Bunche, a very prominent leader in civil rights...

 neighborhood) at 2.8% of the population.

Government and Infrastructure

The City of Sunrise operates under a Commission/Manager form of government, led by a Mayor and four City Commissioners who are elected to four-year terms on a non-partisan basis. The Deputy Mayor and Assistant Deputy Mayor are selected on a rotating basis in March of each year.

It is the Commission's responsibility to set policy, establish laws and adopt the City's budget. The Commission-appointed City Manager oversees the day-to-day operations of Sunrise.

Commission meetings are typically conducted on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month in City Hall. Live and archived video of public meetings is available on www.sunrisefl.gov. Meetings are also rebroadcast on local Comcast Cable Channel 78.

Sunrise is a full-service City with a comprehensive array of departments, including: Central Services, City Attorney, City Clerk, City Manager, Community Development, Finance, Leisure Services, MIS, Personnel, and Public Works.

The Sunrise Utilities Department operates a water and wastewater system that spans approximately 70 miles and serves more than 200,000 residential and commercial customers. The system consists of over 500 miles of water distribution mains; over 600 miles of sewer piping and mains; 200 wastewater and pump stations; three water treatment facilities; four water re-pump facilities and three wastewater treatment plans.

The Utilities Department also oversees the sixth largest municipal gas system in Florida, serving nearly 10,000 homes and businesses.

Economy

Sunrise’s strong tax base includes Sawgrass Mills, Sawgrass International Corporate Park, IKEA and other commercial development. Quality job creation through corporate attraction has long been a priority in the City.

Sunrise’s roster of corporate citizens includes: Coventry Healthcare; AT&T - Regional HQ; United Healthcare; Pediatrix - HQ; Research in Motion; General Dynamics; Broadspire - HQ; Publix; Interim Services; FoxConn; Andrx; BHA Engineering - HQ; HG Holdings - HQ; MDR Fitness - HQ; S&B Industry - HQ; Grant Thornton - Regional HQ; Cigna Healthcare; Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL); Marsh Insurance - Regional HQ; First American Real Estate Solutions - HQ; New York Life; Pet Supermarket - HQ; T-Mobile; Sunshine State Health Plan - HQ; International Bullion Brokers - HQ; Bolton Medical - U.S. HQ; Synergistix - HQ; HBO - Latin America HQ; GL Homes - HQ; Prudential Florida Realty - HQ; Federal Mogal - South America HQ; Martin Professional - U.S. HQ; E. & J. Gallo Winery - South America HQ; Chubb Insurance - Latin America HQ; Wendy's - Latin America HQ; IKEA.

Air France

Air France

Air France , stylised as AIRFRANCE, is the French flag carrier headquartered in Tremblay-en-France, , and is one of the world's largest airlines. It is a subsidiary of the Air France-KLM Group and a founding member of the SkyTeam global airline alliance...

's United States reservations call center is located in the Sawgrass Technology Park in Sunrise.

CIGNA Healthcare has a large service and operations center in Sunrise.

Emerson Electric Company

Emerson Electric Company

Emerson Electric Company is a major multinational corporation headquartered in Ferguson, Missouri, United States. This Fortune 500 company manufactures products and provides engineering services for a wide range of industrial, commercial, and consumer markets.Emerson is one of the largest...

 announced on July 26th, 2011 that it would locate its Latin America headquarters at Sawgrass International Corporate Park.

Education

Sunrise is home to 11 public schools – eight elementary schools, two middle schools and one high school – operated by Broward County Public Schools. Higher education is offered by nearby public and private institutions, including Broward College, Barry University and Nova Southeastern University.

Sports

Sunrise’s BankAtlantic Center – opened in 1998, with a capacity of 22,000 – is the home of the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League. The arena also hosts concerts, circuses, ice shows and other events. The venue’s 2011 first-quarter, non-hockey attendance numbers ranked No. 4 in the United States and No. 17 in the world based on calculations by entertainment trade publication Pollstar.

In 2010, Sunrise finished the complete renovation and rebranding of its executive course, Seven Bridges at Springtree Golf Club. The 67-acre facility first opened in 1972. It now features a 7,000-square-foot clubhouse with a pro shop, locker rooms and a 120-seat dining area available for breakfast, lunch and catered events.

The City also operates the 15-court Sunrise Tennis Club, three pools, and more than 250 acres of park land.

Culture and Special Events

Sunrise hosts events throughout the year in celebration of holidays, seasons and other occasions. Highlights include:

Earth Day Festival. This celebration of green living sponsored by the City’s Utilities Department. The Earth Day Festival features live music; children's rides and activities; a farmer's market; unique, handcrafted goods, ethnic and traditional foods, and eco-conscious organizations. Giveaways include BPA-free water bottles that can be filled throughout the day at the City's complimentary water station.

Cultural Festival. Designed to celebrate, highlight and unify the diverse cultures represented in the City, the festival showcases multi-ethnic foods, music, art, and dance. This event is held each November in City Park.

Harvest Festival. Held each October, this festival includes costume contests, horse-drawn hayrides and an old fashioned pumpkin patch.

Fourth of July Parade & Fireworks. This regional celebration begins with a patriotic parade, followed by a family-friendly party with free food, rides and live entertainment. The evening’s events – made possible by a public/private partnership with the BankAtlantic Center - include fireworks and live music.

Sunrise "lost" by Google Maps

In September 2010, Sunrise was lost by Google Maps. If websurfers used Google Maps to get driving directions or locate a business in Sunrise they were redirected to Sarasota, Florida

Sarasota, Florida

Sarasota is a city located in Sarasota County on the southwestern coast of the U.S. state of Florida. It is south of the Tampa Bay Area and north of Fort Myers...

. This was the third time Sunrise was "lost".

External links

• City of Sunrise official site