(04-30-2015 06:26 PM)21-17 Best Time I Ever Ha Wrote:  

(04-30-2015 08:20 AM)tiger2000 Wrote:  

(04-30-2015 07:48 AM)kabluey Wrote:  Memphis needs something like the Alamo Drafthouse, if that's what the Ridgeway 4 is like, then hopefully Central Station Malco will be similar. Wish they'd come up with a branding other than Malco (too big of an umbrella) or Ridgeway 4 (meh). Is the Overton Square Malco like Ridgeway 4? That'd be another perfect one to convert to more upscale...

Overton sells beer and is smaller

It's not nearly as nice as the R4 but is still my second favorite place to see a film in Memphis. The problem with going to the theater (I go maybe once a year) is the crowds and people talking and on their cellphone - rarely happens in smaller theaters but in larger ones there's always a group of teens in the back talking it up.

99% of the time it's not worth going and I'll wait for it to come out on streaming media.

I haven't been to the Ridgeway lately, but I really liked it. And I love the Overton Square Malco because of the different kinds of wine and beer and the small selection of food and the ambiance of the small lobby. And you can always have dinner in all of Overton Square before or after the movie, or a nice dessert afterwards.

I saw Chef & The Hundred Step Journey both at the Ridgeway last year.

Both good movies for Foodies.

(04-30-2015 08:20 AM)tiger2000 Wrote:  

(04-30-2015 07:48 AM)kabluey Wrote:  Memphis needs something like the Alamo Drafthouse, if that's what the Ridgeway 4 is like, then hopefully Central Station Malco will be similar. Wish they'd come up with a branding other than Malco (too big of an umbrella) or Ridgeway 4 (meh). Is the Overton Square Malco like Ridgeway 4? That'd be another perfect one to convert to more upscale...

Overton sells beer and is smaller

It's not nearly as nice as the R4 but is still my second favorite place to see a film in Memphis. The problem with going to the theater (I go maybe once a year) is the crowds and people talking and on their cellphone - rarely happens in smaller theaters but in larger ones there's always a group of teens in the back talking it up.

99% of the time it's not worth going and I'll wait for it to come out on streaming media.

I've never had that happen at Studio on the Square.

Cool! I think an active train service is an advantage of the Central Station over St. Louis' Union Station. Yea, I did see that eye sore of a sign for the movie theater. I would have remodeled the outside to look more classy. Right now, with just your basic brick facade just does not make it appealing. It needs an exterior facade to attract people.

Yea, Union Station was pretty cool when I went many years ago. I was there in the late 90's, and that is where I saw the first Virtual Reality Machine. That was the coolest ride for me, and it was inexpensive.

With Bass Pro in the Pyramid, and Central Station being revamped, sounds like Downtown is spreading it's renovation to a larger footprint of downtown. That is great! For the longest time, just going up and down Beale Street was about the only downtown renovation worth hanging out at.

I hope Memphis keeps getting better. And, this, also, means more jobs for the people in the urban area. It sounds like, from the last time I checked, the urban area has spread to all of the loop. I do think the Bass Pro was great for having salvage a giant mistake of letting a private scammer take control of a great idea. That scam made Memphis lose, not only the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, but the Hard Rock Cafe. Those two things would have been so cool to be downtown. Oh well, we have to move on.

(04-30-2015 06:31 PM)21-17 Best Time I Ever Ha Wrote:  

(04-30-2015 04:40 PM)rc0213 Wrote:  They really need to look at St. Louis' Union Station, that was a cool transformation to a commercial mall. I am out of touch with Memphis a lot since I have lived out of town for a long time, but is the railroad still running? I thought Amtrak used to run through there, and possibly still does. If so, having a commercial mall with a live train is actually better than St. Louis. But, St. Louis' Union Station is a lot better looking, which I hope that the developers will work on with Central Station.

Yes, Amtrak still runs through with very limited service. There are apartments above in Central Station, event spaces below, Earnestine and Hazel's across the street, a Farmers Market on Saturdays outside Central Station, a train museum, and all the restaurants and shops of South Main.

I did really enjoy my trip to St. Louis' Union Station many, many years ago. It was a bustling place. I think we had dinner on a small riverboat on a lake nearby? Am I remembering that right?

The only thing I cannot stand about the Central Station design is that modernistic glass entrance to the movie theater which still obscures the Powerhouse. Just let that cool building's facade stand on its own.

Please new downtown movie theater!

Union Station in the late 90s was D.E.A.D. Proximity to downtown corporations, sports and an in-mall hotel couldn't keep it thriving. Some trinket stores and a couple ok restaurants.

"...

The Rouse “festival marketplace” concept revitalized urban historic sites all over the country. But only a few survived—those planted in densely populated city centers, surrounded by office workers and residents as well as tourists.

Union Station thrived for several years as a novelty, but soon its only regulars were post-office workers grabbing a quick lunch at the food court and tourists charmed by the gusty singing at The Fudgery.

In 2005, Mike Kelly of Chicago bought Union Station and invested, as far as O’Loughlin can tell, about $105 million in it. The bottom fell out of his financing in 2008, and the station froze in place. Union Station’s retail mall was losing about $1 million a year, and soon its holding company owed back taxes. A broker called Bob O’Loughlin.

He waved away the silver platter that held Union Station’s mortgage; he didn’t want his company, Lodging Hospitality Management, to buy just the note. A year went by. In fall 2011, a different broker called: Union Station was officially up for sale.

“The place needs a lot of fix-up,” replied O’Loughlin, a master of understatement.
...."
http://www.stlmag.com/Can-Bob-OLoughlin-...n-Station/

So now it's on to its next (third?) incarnation:

"nextSTL has learned the highly anticipated second phase of redevelopment at Union Station will feature a $70 million amusement park along with varying retail outlets. According to documents obtained by nextSTL, Union Station owner Lodging Hospitality Management (LHM) is requesting $18.5 million in TIF money to assist the project.
...
In October 2012, LHM purchased the nearly vacant property for $20 million. The company also intends to utilize federal historic preservation and Missouri historic tax credits along with Brownfield tax credits on the second phase of the project. More than $28 million in subsidies total to revamp the National Historic Landmark downtown anchor.
...."
http://nextstl.com/2014/11/70-million-am...velopment/

So should Central Station become an amusement park? Or a failed mall?

(05-05-2015 08:03 AM)kabluey Wrote:  Union Station in the late 90s was D.E.A.D. Proximity to downtown corporations, sports and an in-mall hotel couldn't keep it thriving. Some trinket stores and a couple ok restaurants.

"...

The Rouse “festival marketplace” concept revitalized urban historic sites all over the country. But only a few survived—those planted in densely populated city centers, surrounded by office workers and residents as well as tourists.

Union Station thrived for several years as a novelty, but soon its only regulars were post-office workers grabbing a quick lunch at the food court and tourists charmed by the gusty singing at The Fudgery.

In 2005, Mike Kelly of Chicago bought Union Station and invested, as far as O’Loughlin can tell, about $105 million in it. The bottom fell out of his financing in 2008, and the station froze in place. Union Station’s retail mall was losing about $1 million a year, and soon its holding company owed back taxes. A broker called Bob O’Loughlin.

He waved away the silver platter that held Union Station’s mortgage; he didn’t want his company, Lodging Hospitality Management, to buy just the note. A year went by. In fall 2011, a different broker called: Union Station was officially up for sale.

“The place needs a lot of fix-up,” replied O’Loughlin, a master of understatement.
...."
http://www.stlmag.com/Can-Bob-OLoughlin-...n-Station/

So now it's on to its next (third?) incarnation:

"nextSTL has learned the highly anticipated second phase of redevelopment at Union Station will feature a $70 million amusement park along with varying retail outlets. According to documents obtained by nextSTL, Union Station owner Lodging Hospitality Management (LHM) is requesting $18.5 million in TIF money to assist the project.
...
In October 2012, LHM purchased the nearly vacant property for $20 million. The company also intends to utilize federal historic preservation and Missouri historic tax credits along with Brownfield tax credits on the second phase of the project. More than $28 million in subsidies total to revamp the National Historic Landmark downtown anchor.
...."
http://nextstl.com/2014/11/70-million-am...velopment/

So should Central Station become an amusement park? Or a failed mall?

I was waiting for someone to mention that the shopping mall eventually failed and that a small scale amusement park is planned. Now KC's Union Station with a larger Amtrak footprint is much more successful. It has a couple of nice restaurants, I max like movie theater, A children's science center, planatarium, small live theater and exhibit space that is currently hosting a traveling NFL Hall of Fame exhibit. Some of that is found elsewhere in Memphis but it makes it work there along withe the newer additions of nearby Crown Center that consists of Lego Discovery Center and SeaLife Aquarium.

I think a fine fit for the area is something akin to Ridgeway or something like Alamo Drafthouse. I still think Mud Island needs to reinvent.I think the River Museum needs major upgrades. I think the city needs to pursue something like Kemah Boardwalk outside of Houston or even a waterpark, maybe a combination. The Riverwalk needs updating. Think a Margaritavilla restaurant/hotel down on the Gulf end or a ride like this but only themed to ironclads and pays homage to the Battle of Memphis


I still think that the Peabody Place or a repurposed Cook Convention Center if replaced should be sought to house a an attraction like the Lego/Sealife centers, maybe a SeaWorld/Sesame Place combo. I see Peabody Place being ideal for a Dave and Buster's and an upscale adult oriented bowling alley with a music stage like the one in Vegas or King Bowl in Orlando.

Memphis needs to seek that weekend getaway market for both adult/childless folks and families.


I thought a giant ferris wheel should have been part of Beale Landing.

(05-06-2015 09:10 AM)WaywardMemphian Wrote:  I still think Mud Island needs to reinvent.

check.

http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/loc...k_64978456

(05-06-2015 12:58 PM)tigergreen Wrote:  

(05-06-2015 09:10 AM)WaywardMemphian Wrote:  I still think Mud Island needs to reinvent.

check.

http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/loc...k_64978456

Behind a paywall.

Anyhoo. The amp is still a great place to catch music but I'd rebuild the stage to allow more seating. Add a mid level suite area and add some seats on top. Add top notch video boards on each side of the stage And have a design contest to design a roof that doesn't interfere with the skyline sightlines. Get it up closer to 7,500. Memphis should never concede to some generic amp in Southhaven.

(05-06-2015 01:18 PM)WaywardMemphian Wrote:  

(05-06-2015 12:58 PM)tigergreen Wrote:  

(05-06-2015 09:10 AM)WaywardMemphian Wrote:  I still think Mud Island needs to reinvent.

check.

http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/loc...k_64978456

Behind a paywall.

Anyhoo. The amp is still a great place to catch music but I'd rebuild the stage to allow more seating. Add a mid level suite area and add some seats on top. Add top notch video boards on each side of the stage And have a design contest to design a roof that doesn't interfere with the skyline sightlines. Get it up closer to 7,500. Memphis should never concede to some generic amp in Southhaven.

Basically Andy Cates is looking at operating Mud Island. If that happens, he'll redo the whole thing.

I do agree the amphitheater needs some upgrades (along with the whole park), but I don't want it being messed with too much. How many does snowden grove seat?

(05-06-2015 01:18 PM)WaywardMemphian Wrote:  

(05-06-2015 12:58 PM)tigergreen Wrote:  

(05-06-2015 09:10 AM)WaywardMemphian Wrote:  I still think Mud Island needs to reinvent.

check.

http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/loc...k_64978456

Behind a paywall.

Anyhoo. The amp is still a great place to catch music but I'd rebuild the stage to allow more seating. Add a mid level suite area and add some seats on top. Add top notch video boards on each side of the stage And have a design contest to design a roof that doesn't interfere with the skyline sightlines. Get it up closer to 7,500. Memphis should never concede to some generic amp in Southhaven.

1. I think the recent plans for Mud Island suggested by Andy Cates are very exciting.

2. I'm not sure if it is feasible to expand the amp, but I'm all for adding two "wings" or landings midway up on both sides to provide for more adequate restrooms and concessions. There appears to be space on both sides.

(05-01-2015 11:42 AM)3601 Wrote:  

(04-30-2015 10:40 PM)downsouth Wrote:  

(04-29-2015 03:05 PM)3601 Wrote:  

(04-29-2015 02:54 PM)aTxTIGER Wrote:  I live there. We are being told that this is nowhere near being finalized.

I bet it happens eventually.

I bet it don't.

Friendly wager?

Scared?

I heard an update yesterday from one of the key players and it sounds like things are progressing nicely.

(05-06-2015 01:30 PM)tigergreen Wrote:  

(05-06-2015 01:18 PM)WaywardMemphian Wrote:  

(05-06-2015 12:58 PM)tigergreen Wrote:  

(05-06-2015 09:10 AM)WaywardMemphian Wrote:  I still think Mud Island needs to reinvent.

check.

http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/loc...k_64978456

Behind a paywall.

Anyhoo. The amp is still a great place to catch music but I'd rebuild the stage to allow more seating. Add a mid level suite area and add some seats on top. Add top notch video boards on each side of the stage And have a design contest to design a roof that doesn't interfere with the skyline sightlines. Get it up closer to 7,500. Memphis should never concede to some generic amp in Southhaven.

Basically Andy Cates is looking at operating Mud Island. If that happens, he'll redo the whole thing.

I do agree the amphitheater needs some upgrades (along with the whole park), but I don't want it being messed with too much. How many does snowden grove seat?

I think Snowden Grove tops out around 10,ooo and has no soul, much like our new AMP in NWA. The setting is not unique, it's a mound of dirt in suburbville.

Andy Cate, I fear will bring something less than game changing and much too targeted

We had this conversation the othe day while I was in town for the 4th. That Memphis is blah for families. When we were young, there were Libertyland and Adventure River to visit a couple of times each year. I vividly remember the watermelon stand at Libertyland with the watermelons floating in cold water to help beat the heat and rodeoing Revolution and Zippin Pippin. The Zoo is outstanding but it doesn't make a family stay multiple nights. We hit it up once every two years while coming home to visit. It's a day thing. Memphis is missing a couple of things that makes you park it for a Friday through Sunday for a family of for or five l. It's got some filler but no headliners.
Mud Island is a victim of being city owned. It's got gotten the reinvestment it's needed to incourage repeat local use or that certain something that gets folks off those interstates passing through, marketing is nonexistent outside of Memphis. I've been recently researching riverfront redevelopment s and two popped up. Dubuque IA and Owensboro KY. Dubuque has the National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium. It's fairly new. How Memphis let the rights for the name slip by is about as mind-boggling as the tiny sum it got for the Zippin Pippin naming and design rights. It's a small museum but modern and the aquarium features stuff mainly found in the Mississippi's ecosystem include nonfish like otters and waterfowl. Google of images via Google out there. Anyway, it was underscoring the need of a major overhaul of the museum on the Island. A idea like Soaring at Epcot came to mind that focused on a trip down Mississippi scenes with riverboats and barges high in the industrial aspects and filed of corn and cotton showing the agricultural aspects. Flyby's of notable cities like St. Louis and it's landmarks, Memphis during the cookoff and New Orleans during Carnival. Even through in the smells like the smoke from the BBQ., the Brewery for StL and vomit and pee for NO.

Owensboro's new riverfront with it's fountain and playground is well done and it features their bluegrass heritage. Makes me remember the awesome playground that the Island had once before the Memphis Belle debacle.

I'll say it over and over, after the addition of an aquarium and museum redo, a Kemah Boardwalk development would be next. It would concentrate on the area north of the monorail. I know that Kemah is a Landry's property and what is there in terms of restaurants is not in anyway a sure thing but it would be what I was after. A themed toward kids restaurant or two, their examples are Rainforest Cafe and T Rex. Something called Big Muddy's comes to mind. Rides, yelp there's amusement rides but it's not a theme park. There's no admission fee, it's per ride or unlimited wristband the key here due to space is quality and not quantity. All rides themed to something river related, nothing carny cheap. The ride I showed above that actually references a civil war era battle, no flags used. A log flume and a coaster sharing the same footprint and theming. We are talking over 15 rides here, with that would be a separate water play structure that's got a little something most, zero dept entry. This is not a full blown water park. Something like this but done in browns and bieges with river theme, a Tom and Huck vibe.



On top of that, a ropes course similarly themed like these



Anyway that wraps up my pie in the sky session, but I'd also love to see a man made whitewater facility like the one OKC is getting and a rock climbing course at Shelby farms for the eco inclined. A much better fit there.

(04-29-2015 04:19 PM)fsquid Wrote:  the Ridgeway 4 is still around? Wow

That was a great place to go back in the day. that and the Highland Quartet. When I first moved to Memphis and someone mentioned the Quartet I thought it was a singing group.

But, don't eff with the riverwalk, the riverwalk should be cherished.

(05-06-2015 09:10 AM)WaywardMemphian Wrote:  

(05-05-2015 08:03 AM)kabluey Wrote:  Union Station in the late 90s was D.E.A.D. Proximity to downtown corporations, sports and an in-mall hotel couldn't keep it thriving. Some trinket stores and a couple ok restaurants.

"...

The Rouse “festival marketplace” concept revitalized urban historic sites all over the country. But only a few survived—those planted in densely populated city centers, surrounded by office workers and residents as well as tourists.

Union Station thrived for several years as a novelty, but soon its only regulars were post-office workers grabbing a quick lunch at the food court and tourists charmed by the gusty singing at The Fudgery.

In 2005, Mike Kelly of Chicago bought Union Station and invested, as far as O’Loughlin can tell, about $105 million in it. The bottom fell out of his financing in 2008, and the station froze in place. Union Station’s retail mall was losing about $1 million a year, and soon its holding company owed back taxes. A broker called Bob O’Loughlin.

He waved away the silver platter that held Union Station’s mortgage; he didn’t want his company, Lodging Hospitality Management, to buy just the note. A year went by. In fall 2011, a different broker called: Union Station was officially up for sale.

“The place needs a lot of fix-up,” replied O’Loughlin, a master of understatement.
...."
http://www.stlmag.com/Can-Bob-OLoughlin-...n-Station/

So now it's on to its next (third?) incarnation:

"nextSTL has learned the highly anticipated second phase of redevelopment at Union Station will feature a $70 million amusement park along with varying retail outlets. According to documents obtained by nextSTL, Union Station owner Lodging Hospitality Management (LHM) is requesting $18.5 million in TIF money to assist the project.
...
In October 2012, LHM purchased the nearly vacant property for $20 million. The company also intends to utilize federal historic preservation and Missouri historic tax credits along with Brownfield tax credits on the second phase of the project. More than $28 million in subsidies total to revamp the National Historic Landmark downtown anchor.
...."
http://nextstl.com/2014/11/70-million-am...velopment/

So should Central Station become an amusement park? Or a failed mall?

I was waiting for someone to mention that the shopping mall eventually failed and that a small scale amusement park is planned. Now KC's Union Station with a larger Amtrak footprint is much more successful. It has a couple of nice restaurants, I max like movie theater, A children's science center, planatarium, small live theater and exhibit space that is currently hosting a traveling NFL Hall of Fame exhibit. Some of that is found elsewhere in Memphis but it makes it work there along withe the newer additions of nearby Crown Center that consists of Lego Discovery Center and SeaLife Aquarium.

I think a fine fit for the area is something akin to Ridgeway or something like Alamo Drafthouse. I still think Mud Island needs to reinvent.I think the River Museum needs major upgrades. I think the city needs to pursue something like Kemah Boardwalk outside of Houston or even a waterpark, maybe a combination. The Riverwalk needs updating. Think a Margaritavilla restaurant/hotel down on the Gulf end or a ride like this but only themed to ironclads and pays homage to the Battle of Memphis


I still think that the Peabody Place or a repurposed Cook Convention Center if replaced should be sought to house a an attraction like the Lego/Sealife centers, maybe a SeaWorld/Sesame Place combo. I see Peabody Place being ideal for a Dave and Buster's and an upscale adult oriented bowling alley with a music stage like the one in Vegas or King Bowl in Orlando.

Memphis needs to seek that weekend getaway market for both adult/childless folks and families.


I thought a giant ferris wheel should have been part of Beale Landing.

We had a Jillians (similar to D&B with a bowling alley) at Peabody Place and it closed. We had a really good movie theater there as well. Not sure the same stuff will make it there again.

(07-10-2015 04:32 PM)U_of_Elvis Wrote:  

(05-06-2015 09:10 AM)WaywardMemphian Wrote:  

(05-05-2015 08:03 AM)kabluey Wrote:  Union Station in the late 90s was D.E.A.D. Proximity to downtown corporations, sports and an in-mall hotel couldn't keep it thriving. Some trinket stores and a couple ok restaurants.

"...

The Rouse “festival marketplace” concept revitalized urban historic sites all over the country. But only a few survived—those planted in densely populated city centers, surrounded by office workers and residents as well as tourists.

Union Station thrived for several years as a novelty, but soon its only regulars were post-office workers grabbing a quick lunch at the food court and tourists charmed by the gusty singing at The Fudgery.
Y
In 2005, Mike Kelly of Chicago bought Union Station and invested, as far as O’Loughlin can tell, about $105 million in it. The bottom fell out of his financing in 2008, and the station froze in place. Union Station’s retail mall was losing about $1 million a year, and soon its holding company owed back taxes. A broker called Bob O’Loughlin.

He waved away the silver platter that held Union Station’s mortgage; he didn’t want his company, Lodging Hospitality Management, to buy just the note. A year went by. In fall 2011, a different broker called: Union Station was officially up for sale.

“The place needs a lot of fix-up,” replied O’Loughlin, a master of understatement.
...."
http://www.stlmag.com/Can-Bob-OLoughlin-...n-Station/

So now it's on to its next (third?) incarnation:

"nextSTL has learned the highly anticipated second phase of redevelopment at Union Station will feature a $70 million amusement park along with varying retail outlets. According to documents obtained by nextSTL, Union Station owner Lodging Hospitality Management (LHM) is requesting $18.5 million in TIF money to assist the project.
...
In October 2012, LHM purchased the nearly vacant property for $20 million. The company also intends to utilize federal historic preservation and Missouri historic tax credits along with Brownfield tax credits on the second phase of the project. More than $28 million in subsidies total to revamp the National Historic Landmark downtown anchor.
...."
http://nextstl.com/2014/11/70-million-am...velopment/

So should Central Station become an amusement park? Or a failed mall?

I was waiting for someone to mention that the shopping mall eventually failed and that a small scale amusement park is planned. Now KC's Union Station with a larger Amtrak footprint is much more successful. It has a couple of nice restaurants, I max like movie theater, A children's science center, planatarium, small live theater and exhibit space that is currently hosting a traveling NFL Hall of Fame exhibit. Some of that is found elsewhere in Memphis but it makes it work there along withe the newer additions of nearby Crown Center that consists of Lego Discovery Center and SeaLife Aquarium.

I think a fine fit for the area is something akin to Ridgeway or something like Alamo Drafthouse. I still think Mud Island needs to reinvent.I think the River Museum needs major upgrades. I think the city needs to pursue something like Kemah Boardwalk outside of Houston or even a waterpark, maybe a combination. The Riverwalk needs updating. Think a Margaritavilla restaurant/hotel down on the Gulf end or a ride like this but only themed to ironclads and pays homage to the Battle of Memphis


I still think that the Peabody Place or a repurposed Cook Convention Center if replaced should be sought to house a an attraction like the Lego/Sealife centers, maybe a SeaWorld/Sesame Place combo. I see Peabody Place being ideal for a Dave and Buster's and an upscale adult oriented bowling alley with a music stage like the one in Vegas or King Bowl in Orlando.

Memphis needs to seek that weekend getaway market for both adult/childless folks and families.


I thought a giant ferris wheel should have been part of Beale Landing.

We had a Jillians (similar to D&B with a bowling alley) at Peabody Place and it closed. We had a really good movie theater there as well. Not sure the same stuff will make it there again.

Residential growth has continued to grow, more is going in the south main district. And... there's this that makes me thing the entertainment aspects of Peabody Place may have been a bit before their time.

The Jillian's had higher sales in 2007 than in 2006, and Owen Reed, the assistant general manager, said that business was robust especially while games occurred at the FedEx Forum and while concerts occurred in Downtown Memphis.[10] Reed said "We dictate the volume at this mall. With the exception of the movie theater, we define foot traffic."[10]

The movie theater was too big from the get go, the large screen is missed. If it were to beresurrected it would need to be completely value added, Imax and the rest dinner and a movie concept. Make it a bit too pricey for teens.The main problem with catching a movie there early on was timing a trip that didn't compete with other events, closeness to the Forum and Autozone actually was a big problem in terms of finding it and the jacked up rates. The lobby was very neat. Back to the parking, this is the parking for the Malco here in Fayetteville

  1436586596450.jpg (Size: 403.7 KB / Downloads: 3)
All of it is nearly full on Fri, Sat and Sunday afternoons on major release weekends and it's half the screens Muvico was. You can see the issue it faced with ballgames and events. The Malco proposal is more proportional in size. That said, I have coworkers that trek to Tulsa for IMAX movies for the blockbusters, 2 hours to the theater, I've done it for Gardians of the Galaxy with the kids. Maybe the Muvico was a better potential fit for a location like the Pinch, downtown but away, giving it more "space." And connected via trolley.

I loved experiencing Soaring at Epcot. I could have done that all day. That is an incredible suggestion for our riverfront somewhere. Showcase our river and downtown, and the whole Mississippi flyway. What a great addition that would be to Bass Pro. Add a little blues music.

And yes, Memphis is fairly dead for family activities. My daughter is always looking for water parks for her 3 year olds, even all the way to Little Rock. There is the Zoo, and the Botanic Garden's children's area, the expensive Children's Museum, and the Kroc Center. The whole Fairgrounds area has the potential to become a great children's area, at least in part, including a big water park. I would love to see a vibrant, free children's theater there like the Lucille Ewing Theater that was in Toby Park. I would also like to see free Arts in the Park for children like we used to have at all the community parks when I was growing up in the 1950's. Our children need this, or we are going to just keep raising criminals. Pay now or pay later.

(07-11-2015 12:55 AM)21-17 Best Time I Ever Ha Wrote:  I loved experiencing Soaring at Epcot. I could have done that all day. That is an incredible suggestion for our riverfront somewhere. Showcase our river and downtown, and the whole Mississippi flyway. What a great addition that would be to Bass Pro. Add a little blues music.

And yes, Memphis is fairly dead for family activities. My daughter is always looking for water parks for her 3 year olds, even all the way to Little Rock. There is the Zoo, and the Botanic Garden's children's area, the expensive Children's Museum, and the Kroc Center. The whole Fairgrounds area has the potential to become a great children's area, at least in part, including a big water park. I would love to see a vibrant, free children's theater there like the Lucille Ewing Theater that was in Toby Park. I would also like to see free Arts in the Park for children like we used to have at all the community parks when I was growing up in the 1950's. Our children need this, or we are going to just keep raising criminals. Pay now or pay later.

A Soaring like ride system without all the Disney extra for a single screen will run 20 to 25 million. Disney had exclusivity for a while but that's gone. That's basically athe cost of a major coaster at theme parks not named Disney and Universal where they take theming to another level. The MOA is putting one in near the Nick Universe. The pluses include it being indoors, nearly all inclusive for families and it is the type of attraction that seems so popular that folks ride time and again. It would educational and entertaining and a WOW attraction to market . Add in just a couple of more head turners and you got kids telling Mom and Dad to stop. Being in eyesight of two major interstates ain't a bad thing. Right now there's nothing to make folks compelled to stop either then or later. There's reasons Six Flags and most theme parks are by major roads. Libertyland never had that.

My quality over quantity includes a Star Flyer like you find in Edinburgh Scotland, with space being most valuable on the Island going vertical is even better. Think where the old Memphis Belle pavilion is now


Here's an aerial of Kemah to give you another look at scope the Wood coaster takes up less than an acre


As you see the observation tower would replaced by a star flyer in my redo of the island. Most of the half dozen flats that you would not make my cut due to generic theme, typical carnie. Instead replaced with a water ride like I posted. There would 3 to 4 rides for little kids, 3 thats for the family. 3 fairly more intense flats a three star a traction with a couple of nooks for new additions in the long run. Make use of the banks with pier supports. Nothing over a dozen or so total. That pic has three restaurants, if you notice closely, the train this place has goes underneath them and that's where you find the dark ride elements, making use of little spaces.

The other end of Kemah is the Hotel like I pitch for the end of the Island where the Gulf is


The rest is nothing more than more Landry's restaurants and a train track extension

I figure three to four sit down eateries tops for Mud Island. You see there's an Aquarium restaurant, that's redundant on my Mud Island as it's gained full scale aquarium with a major attraction like my Soaring over the Mississippi.

My thoughs on this is summer and weekend jobs for youths, as this park would operate most of the year and some parts year round. I'd place good grade earning students of city schools in first of theline. Christmas on the Island sounds appealing with a lighting package.

Here's a train ride around Kemah, the dark ride element of the train is near the end. A similar element on Mud Island coild include historic street sceens with animatronic blues Musicians sittint on Bealex a sceen of passing by Sun with Elvis at the mic and so on. Notice the shops on the bottom of the hotel. This is my thinking for Margaritavilla Inn and restaurant down on the southern end, every room would have a view.

The boardwalk is an excellent idea. I know there was talk about having a promenade on Front St. where the fire station and library are. But I believe land issues caused the city to scrap the idea or put it on hold.

(07-11-2015 12:55 AM)21-17 Best Time I Ever Ha Wrote:  I loved experiencing Soaring at Epcot. I could have done that all day. That is an incredible suggestion for our riverfront somewhere. Showcase our river and downtown, and the whole Mississippi flyway. What a great addition that would be to Bass Pro. Add a little blues music.

And yes, Memphis is fairly dead for family activities. My daughter is always looking for water parks for her 3 year olds, even all the way to Little Rock. There is the Zoo, and the Botanic Garden's children's area, the expensive Children's Museum, and the Kroc Center. The whole Fairgrounds area has the potential to become a great children's area, at least in part, including a big water park. I would love to see a vibrant, free children's theater there like the Lucille Ewing Theater that was in Toby Park. I would also like to see free Arts in the Park for children like we used to have at all the community parks when I was growing up in the 1950's. Our children need this, or we are going to just keep raising criminals. Pay now or pay later.

That's 2hat we did last weekend, left Memphis around 1 and stopped at Wild River Country for discounted after 3 pricing. Little Rock is a stones throw away from Magic Springs as well.

NWA cities are big on nice aquatic centers, here's Rogers


Ft. Smith


Those are local gov't owned ran by outside firms. NWA puts Gtown's to shame.