Group wants Theme Park Downtown

[Ocklawaha]

However, our town is a bunch of hillbillies

Yup, Lingerie Football Playoffs proved that much!

Maybe so, but a little bird told me that MARINELAND & GEORGIA AQUARIUM would likely brand, if not manage, own or even build our aquarium.

WHY?

Seems to have come to their attention that neither location is on I-95 and Jacksonville is. Think something compact, but totally unique, that serves as both attraction as well as preview and ticket center for their other adventures.

OCKLAWAHA

[Captain Zissou]

Dr Quinton White's research facility at JU is perhaps the best thing to happen to the St Johns since water was invented.

How accessible is this to the public??  This is the Riverkeeper/JU/SJWMD partnership facility right??  Do you think they'd be willing to maintain an exhibit at the Zoo? 

Or, is there a way to connect the two via the St Johns?  Something like; if you sign up for the River package at either location, you're ferried between the two while given a guided tour of both areas and the river itself.

[wsansewjs]

Just showing an example of a successful one in a similar environment and circumstance...

Yes! Thank you for showing the Chattanooga's Tennessee Aquarium. It is one of the most successful aquariums in United States in terms of its impact around its area including economy, awareness, eco-system, and partnerships.

-Josh

[CG7]

I forgot to mention that on top of an amusement park, aquarium and a naval ship downtown. I also want Sally Industries to put one of their Scooby Doo dark rides in the Landing where Fuddrucker's was going to go. whoooeeee I'm having fun now.

[PeeJayEss]

Jacksonville Aquarium would raise the awareness of our local environment and its habitations, especially the Saint Johns River.

How about let's clean up the river, then start sending people out on glass-bottomed boats. I always love those things (river might be too naturally sediment-laden, I donno).

Are those pics of Chattanooga? While the actual aquarium building with the Louvre pyramids is a bit...much (though I bet its cool from the inside...guessing thats a rainforest?), the view from the river is sweet. Granted the pic is obviously during a festival or concert or something, but it looks good (at least from this angle).

[thelakelander]

Chattanooga's aquarium does fit well into their urban environment.  Any idea on what it cost to construct it?

[hillary supporter]

Can we please get serious???....I'd like to see a water park next to the river.

I want to build an artifical surf park in Downtown. Jax has one if not the highest concentration
of surfers on the east coast. If its done correctly, it would be one, if not the only, of its kind.
Tropical lagoon in walt disneyworld offers after hour "surf" sessions, but the prices are ridiculous, $10 per wave, and the quality lacking.

[BridgeTroll]

Chattanooga's aquarium does fit well into their urban environment.  Any idea on what it cost to construct it?

Quite a bit I imagine.  I have visited it as I believe you have.  There was probably a huge controversy between those who wanted to it and those who did not.  I am not advocating for or against an aquarium... simply showing what others have done.  It looks good... seems to integrate well with the surrounding DT fabric, it certainly promotes walkability... many of the features we advocate are incorporated into the design of this facility.

[thelakelander]

No doubt.  Expensive projects can be designed to fit in with the urban context with good planning.  As for me, I'm just getting tired of people in this city believing that creating a virbant core immediately means we have to invest public money in some super expensive gimmick project.  The best thing we could do for downtown is to simply remove the restrictive public policies that limit urban creativity, encourage pedestrian oriented connectivity, get out the way and allow the natural market to take control.

[BridgeTroll]

Agree 100% Lake!

[Ocklawaha]

Might be nice to combine elements of these two venues into an aquarium. The first is Oklahoma City's Myriad Gardens - Crystal Bridge a tropical paradise entirely indoors under glass. The next is Monterrey Bay Aquarium in California which is so spaced out it even has it's own new age sound track.

I tend to agree with lakelander, that "needing" and "wanting" a gimmick attraction to draw crowds is two different things. We don't need a damn thing, however having some cool even world class attractions downtown will draw in more of those who don't live, work, or play in the urban core, then a new Publix will.  Bottom line? We don't need MOSH, we don't need Friendship Fountain, we don't need a Riverwalk, but it would be hard to argue that they don't better our quality of life, or draw people downtown.

Tie all of these together with a vintage or heritage streetcar line and you create a string of pearls that a local family or out of state visitor could easily spend a couple of days exploring. I won't come downtown to see a Lazy-Boy, Ethan Allen, or Scan Design Store, but I sure as hell would if there was an IKEA. So the way I see it
we don't need any attractions, but they sure are nice to have and give some of us the excuse to get away to the city now and then.

OCKLAWAHA

[Wacca Pilatka]

Ocklawaha,

Any idea how much more frequently visited (if at all) Crystal Bridge is since OKC experienced revitalization in Bricktown and downtown?

When my sister lived there in the 90s it seemed to me to be a very nice but relatively ignored amenity.

[thelakelander]

Ock, I think you're distorting my message.  My point is, everyone realizes we have no money and that pedestrian level connectivity and the clustering of complementing uses in a compact setting creates vibrancy.  However, instead of concentrating on the things that actual build an organic sustainable urban environment, we continue to get caught up and spend more time concentrating on big time gimmicks to lure in tourist and suburbanites.  All in all, I agree with this statement Dougskiles made a few pages back:

How about this for an idea:

We make all of downtown a theme park - and the theme is ... a thriving downtown.  Great shopping, awesome food, creative performances, efficient transportation, exciting business activity.  Just imagine how cool that would be.

Most theme parks I have visited work hard at creating a 'Main Street' feel.  We already have it.  We don't need gimmicky rides to bring people downtown.  We need a functional downtown to bring people downtown.  This is being tremendously overcomplicated.  There are a few simple elements that have been presented on this forum for several years now.  The most basic of these should be implemented first before we get into expensive complicated projects trying to jump start the area.

Follow this inexpensive pattern (as far as public investment goes) and the big ticket items will fall in line.

[dougskiles]

I am all for raising awareness about our ecology.  And I am all for providing people some way of amusing themselves.  I can think of no better way to accomplish both downtown by restoring Hogans Creek.  Spend far less money than an aquarium would cost and we could have something truly unique.  A recreational urban water way.  Provide demonstration projects along the way for clean energy and low-impact-development; and we have a living laboratory.  There is no need for people to see these things inside a building with artificial light and recycled air.

[tufsu1]

Didn't Atlanta's aquarium cost something like $200 million to construct?  Assuming the city could pony up the suggested $40 million for this theme park concept, do people really believe that this is the best way to spend $40 million in DT?  Today, between this and the HSR nonsense, I'm developing a huge headache.  Why do we make simple things so difficult?

yep...and their recent expansion plans (which include marineland in Flagler County btw) are another $120+ million.

As for your headache, today was quite possibly the worst day in my 15+ year urban planning career.