Sunrise is a city in western-central Broward County, Florida, United States, in the Miami metropolitan area. 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.
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.
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; movie theater and family entertainment venues.
The National Car Rental Center – now the BB&T 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.
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.
Nearby Amenities
Sunrise’s BB&T Center Arena
Sawgrass Mill Mall
Ikea Furniture and houseware store
Seven Bridges at Springtree Golf Club
Operates the 15-court Sunrise Tennis Club
Links to three international airports and three seaports, as well as direct connections to every major highway in South Florida
There are 13 hotels either within or nearby the City, including the luxurious Crowne Plaza at Sawgrass
Public and private schools in the City of Sunrise provide excellent education opportunities for children
Sunrise offers a broad range of housing options, from private, gated golf course communities to rental properties. Nearby cities, including Weston, Plantation and Coral Springs, also contribute to the area’s attractive housing market
