Aquarium could be coming to Jacksonville?

[thelakelander]

Hmm. I consider Charleston's to be very integrated. I consider everything south of US 17 to be quite walkable and a part of the HD. I've personally walked just about all of, residential streets and all, on almost every trip. I'd also argue that Charleston has a captive and established audience. That's quite different from sticking something a mile from the core by itself and expecting it to deliver world class change. With that said, I'm not opposed to private money building an aquarium. I just think some of the tales being to to sell the idea are just that....tales.

[Cheshire Cat]

Hmm. I consider Charleston's to be very integrated. I consider everything south of US 17 to be quite walkable and a part of the HD. I've personally walked just about all of, residential streets and all, on almost every trip. I'd also argue that Charleston has a captive and established audience. That's quite different from sticking something a mile from the core by itself and expecting it to deliver world class change. With that said, I'm not opposed to private money building an aquarium. I just think some of the tales being to to sell the idea are just that....tales.

The telling of tales is part of the effort to have any idea gain traction.  We see many projects embellished in the very same manner.  I remember the tales told about the impact of a Superbowl claiming it would drive interest and growth in downtown or how a round-a-bout on Laura street would drive enterprise and activity.  Some pretty tall tales right there.  lol

[Buforddawg]

I wish the wealthy people here in Jacksonville would donate $500 million to build one downtown.  I say $500 because it cost $250 million to build Atlanta back in 2004 and the dollar doesn't go as far now. Oh and get the Baptist Church or who ever to donate the land. If Coca-Cola can donate land so can a land owner here.  Hmm, better yet tear down the Landing and build it there.  A true Jewel at the end of Laura street but you'd still need parking. (I wish there was a sarcasm font).

Seriously, with a river and ocean Jacksonville should be a destination city in Florida.  To make the city core a destination area for Jacksonville we need a renovated Jacksonville Landing, parking, a magnificent aquarium, parking, a state of the art mind blowingly large convention center, parking, and the Stadium.  That stretch along the river could be a potential gold mine if managed properly.  And you can't be rinky-dinky about any of it, otherwise it will fail. 

Develop that area and the new hotels will come, the restaurants, the shops, and most important the people.  Build it right and they will come.

[IrvAdams]

Personally I think simply the fact that it would get tourists and locals to visit the river, which by itself is an interesting attraction, is enough to make it worthwhile. I remember the crowds who visited the Southbank Riverwalk when it was new, and it was just a walkway. Our river is gorgeous.

Beyond that, if it maintains strong educational ties and works in conjunction with the zoo and the local Universities it will create a long-term following and a strong local presence. Tourist traffic will be gravy on top of that.

Sounds like a winner as long as the public monetary support is relatively small.

[fieldafm]

Actually the Chattanooga Aquarium preceded and provided a catalyst for the surrounding development. 

The conversion of the Walnut Street Bridge into one of the longest pedestrian bridges in the county preceded the aquarium. It's pretty inaccurate to claim that the Tennessee Aquarium was the one trick pony that turned Chattanooga around. The things they did were coordinated and a lot more comprehensive.

We heard from a lot of city leaders and civic advocates here in the Scenic City and it is abundantly clear they never had a conversation about an aquarium in isolation. In fact, everything they did was put into a larger context.

And Lake is right, according to leaders here.. the pedestrian bridge preceded the aquarium.

[CityLife]

I was stuck in the Toronto airport a few years ago and struck up a conversation with a guy next to me that was the project manager of Ripley's Aquarium projects. They have built them in Gatlinburg, Myrtle Beach, and recently finished the one in Toronto. He told me Ripley's knows the "Believe it or Not" aspect of their business is dated and that the internet hurts it's credibility/interest level. So they are trying to diversify into other areas. They are trying to get into the for-profit aquarium business and testing the market. We talked pretty extensively about Jax as an option and he said they are open to exploring anything.

So here is the challenge to Aqua Jax. Let's start a dialogue with Ripley's and see how strong the financial viability of creating one is. Hit me up with a private message or contact one of the mods for my email address.

[Cheshire Cat]

I was stuck in the Toronto airport a few years ago and struck up a conversation with a guy next to me that was the project manager of Ripley's Aquarium projects. They have built them in Gatlinburg, Myrtle Beach, and recently finished the one in Toronto. He told me Ripley's knows the "Believe it or Not" aspect of their business is dated and that the internet hurts it's credibility/interest level. So they are trying to diversify into other areas. They are trying to get into the for-profit aquarium business and testing the market. We talked pretty extensively about Jax as an option and he said they are open to exploring anything.

So here is the challenge to Aqua Jax. Let's start a dialogue with Ripley's and see how strong the financial viability of creating one is. Hit me up with a private message or contact one of the mods for my email address.

You may want to hit them up with a message CL.  Sounds like you have some insights they may be interested in. 

[cindy394]

Stepping back a bit my mind wonders what true intrinsic value an aquarium would bring to the city, it's built environment and everyone living here. I see a city with concentrations of wealth and amenities in pockets while many live in unsafe, dirty, ugly neighborhoods. I see a city struggling to protect its natural areas and prey to urban sprawl and constant ugly destructive development. I see a city that is full of natural beauty everywhere but with limited access to the river, and waterways especially in the urban areas.  Mayor Brown, along with others, have grandiose ideas of how to "fix" and "better" the city without actually fixing or improving these limitations. How ironic and sad in my view. Go see how many live, witness the pollution, the decaying areas of Jacksonville and then really ask yourself, will an aquarium built for tourists really help or benefit the common good? I don't think so.

[Cheshire Cat]

Stepping back a bit my mind wonders what true intrinsic value an aquarium would bring to the city, it's built environment and everyone living here. I see a city with concentrations of wealth and amenities in pockets while many live in unsafe, dirty, ugly neighborhoods. I see a city struggling to protect its natural areas and prey to urban sprawl and constant ugly destructive development. I see a city that is full of natural beauty everywhere but with limited access to the river, and waterways especially in the urban areas.  Mayor Brown, along with others, have grandiose ideas of how to "fix" and "better" the city without actually fixing or improving these limitations. How ironic and sad in my view. Go see how many live, witness the pollution, the decaying areas of Jacksonville and then really ask yourself, will an aquarium built for tourists really help or benefit the common good? I don't think so.

Your observations are those that many have shared with regard to our city.  If you check the forum out you will see most of the things you mention have been the focus of many ongoing discussions.  To the point of an aquarium, any large scale investment that brings jobs and a new entertainment venue to our city is in the end is a good thing.

[thelakelander]

IrvAdams. Are you for sure or is it a hope that tourist will flock downtown and to the river, simply to visit an isolated aquarium? Even though literally half of the South's major cities have aquariums, you'll be hard pressed to find them isolated. Like convention centers, they work best when they're a part of several complementing uses feeding each other within a compact pedestrian scale setting.

[AuditoreEnterprise]

IrvAdams. Are you for sure or is it a hope that tourist will flock downtown and to the river, simply to visit an isolated aquarium? Even though literally half of the South's major cities have aquariums, you'll be hard pressed to find them isolated. Like convention centers, they work best when they're a part of several complementing uses feeding each other within a compact pedestrian scale setting.

+1 I comletely agree with that. I don't like the hints people are making towards it possibly being put in metro park

[copperfiend]

IrvAdams. Are you for sure or is it a hope that tourist will flock downtown and to the river, simply to visit an isolated aquarium? Even though literally half of the South's major cities have aquariums, you'll be hard pressed to find them isolated. Like convention centers, they work best when they're a part of several complementing uses feeding each other within a compact pedestrian scale setting.

Could not agree more. And it seems like that connectivity (or lack thereof) has been one of this city's biggest issues for years.

I look at the Baseball Grounds and the Arena. They are isolated from downtown, so there is little to no atmosphere for major events at either venue. If you are going there and want to make a night of it, you get in your car and drive to a restaurant, then you get back in your car and drive to the arena. When the event is over, you just walk back to your car and leave.

[edjax]

Realistically where would these venues have been built more in the core?  To do so probably would have required demolishing even more of what was left of the dwindling older buildings.

[copperfiend]

I am sure, with all the empty lots we have, it could have been done.

I was in Indianapolis recently and was just impressed the way that the Pacers arena is integrated into the neighborhood. Instead of what we have here, which are facilities plopped next to a giant parking lot.

[Tacachale]

^Not really, and additionally, the city would have had to buy a bunch of property it didn't own. And then been stuck with the prospect of an old baseball park and Coliseum and nothing to do with them. The solution for the sports complex is more development in the area (not that an aquarium nearby is a good idea necessarily).