All aboard the HOT Express! Visitors staying on Hollywood Beach will be able to catch a scenic ride to and from the Historic Downtown District and the Hollywood Beach Broadwalk aboard a state-of-the-art circulator trolley service scheduled to launch on Thursday, December 13, 2007 and operate through April 27, 2008.

The HOT Express Beach & Downtown Circulator Trolley, which is being offered by the Beach and Downtown Districts of the Hollywood Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) and the Hollywood Office of Tourism (HOT), is designed to provide convenient and inexpensive transportation for hotel guests and residents eager to explore the Central Beach Business District and the Historic Downtown. The HOT Express will run four days a week: Thursday and Friday, 5 p.m. to 1 a.m.; Saturday, 12 noon to 1 a.m.; and Sunday, 12 noon to 9 p.m. The roundtrip fare is $1 for adults and accompanied children under 12 ride free.

The service features air-conditioned trolleys that comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to accommodate all riders, including those in wheelchairs. The 28-passenger trolleys also are equipped with DVD players and feature a “hospitality greeter” who informs riders about dining, entertainment, attractions, special events and historical points of interest in Hollywood.

Two trolleys will depart along the same route approximately every half-hour. Beach locations are the Crowne Plaza Hollywood Resort, the Westin Diplomat Resort & Spa, the Hollywood Beach Culture & Community Center, the Ramada Hollywood Beach Resort, the Broadwalk at Johnson and Michigan streets, Cleveland Street at State Road A1A, the Hollywood Beach Marriott, and Villas of Positano. Downtown locations are Anniversary Park, Harrison Street near Dixie Highway and the southeastern quadrant of the ArtsPark. Shuttle schedules and maps will be available at hotels and A1A.

CRA Beach District Executive Director Gil Martinez said the scenic trolley service is designed to enhance the visitor experience, foster redevelopment interest in Hollywood Beach, and direct new business to the Central Beach Business District and Historic Downtown District. In addition to stimulating economic development in Hollywood, the trolley adds an element of fun to the visitor experience.

“We know our visitors will enjoy the experience, and that will help us showcase all that Hollywood Beach and Downtown Hollywood have to offer,” Martinez said.