SUNRISE

Norman W. Johnson, an Iowa-based developer with ties to South Florida, was an innovative thinker who defied the laws of gravity by developing the first upside-down house and bolting a Chevy Pontiac to its carport.

After purchasing 2,650-acres of land for a mere $10 million, Johnson’s promotion lured countless visitors to see the attraction in what was then known as the Sunrise Golf Village. The novelty located north of Plantation, Fla., created such buzz with newspaper and magazine editors alike that it earned him a feature in Life magazine. The enthusiasm created was so substantial that it enticed thousands into making the small golfing village their home, ultimately becoming what today is known as the City of Sunrise.

In 1961, then-Florida Governor Farris Bryant named Johnson Sunrise Golf Village’s first Mayor. Although he was never a resident, Johnson was the City’s first innovative thinker thought to be just short of a patent.

In the early 1960’s, the City of Sunrise started with less than 350 residents spanning 1.75 square miles. The original 10,000 homes built by Johnson – then worth a mere $11,000 – were the beginning of multi-million dollar facet of developments in the region, including Sawgrass International Corporate Park, Sawgrass Mills Mall, and the BB&T Center. Today, Sunrise has a population of 95,458 residents residing on more than 5.7 square miles of land.

The city is one of the state of Florida’s top destinations for musicians, restaurant connoisseurs and sports fans. It also has a variety of parks for soccer, golf, tennis and swimming pools. Home to the Florida Panthers hockey games the BB&T Center opened in 1998 and has hosted top entertainers from Andrea Bocelli, Sade, Celine Dion, Madonna, The Who, Phil Collins, Bon Jovi, and Depeche Mode, U2 to Beyoncé, Rihanna, Dave Matthews Band, Shakira, Pink, Lady Gaga, Ariana Grande, and Katy Perry.

Although located in close proximity to Florida’s Turnpike and bordering the Sawgrass Expressway, I-75 and I-595 it has attracted large corporate employers such as AT&T, Mednax, Publix, T-Mobile, New York Life, IKEA, American Express and Air France.

Throughout the year Sunrise celebrates seasons and occasions with handcrafted goods fairs, ethnic and traditional foods, music, art and dance. On the Fourth of July the city hosts a parade and fireworks at the BB&T Center. Another annual celebration for the city features “Woodstock,” on first weekend of December which is a popular event for residents featuring local musicians and original art and crafts from local artists.

Major Landmarks:

• Sawgrass Mills Mall
• Markham Park
• BB&T Center

Accordingly, Sunrise constitutes an important center in the fields of telecommunications, insurance, as well as logistics/travel. Moreover, it is recognized as an important destination for entertainment, as well as for shopping.

As Florida IP Attorney, our team of specialized patent attorneys are dedicated to assisting the Sunrise area inventors and entrepreneurs in the protection of their ideas before the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

If you reside in Sunrise and you’ve developed a fantastic idea, the attorneys at Florida IP Attorney are here to serve you. Contact us now! Protecting the integrity of your ideas and intellectual property is our biggest priority.