Anyone else think that its weird to have the Northpark carnival in the one area of the mall where the parking lot is usually pretty full?
If that (crappy) carnival can make money, I really think that a regional destination amusement park built on the former Case plant property on the East Moline riverfront could succeed. I'm sure I'd end up buying a season pass every year.
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Big difference between what can make it for a week and what can make it for a whole season. That carnival has very low overhead, too. I'm certain that if you compared the costs of each and the number of paying customers needed to make it profitable you'd see a huge disparity.
That said, it might still be a good idea. As a kid I would have given my left arm for something like that, and even now I hate the 3 hour trip to 6 Flags GA or 2.5 to (yawn) Adventure Land. Coming back is even worse. If the Des Moines metro area can support Adventure land, maybe the QC could do it.
What's the next closest amusement park to Adventure Land? Something in Omaha? The Twin Cities?
Blogger has been crap lately. It published when I previewed...
Fixed the double post. I saw 3 posts and I was thinking "finally an active thread..."
Are you still working on the story of the mansion being rehabbed at 830 Gaines with before and after pics? Today there were quite a few carpenters working when i went by. Also, if you are looking for picture ideas, how about of the Channel Cat, and even better, pics taken FROM the Channel Cat.
Any type of amusement park has to have year round appeal, both for employment and potential profit. Too bad the casinos cannot be strong armed into creating something. Larger regional attractions are overbuilt, so here you would have to really involve the rivers for a little national appeal.
I noticed the Mississippi Belle is changing hands and expanding, but no mention of the coty of Clinton bending over backwards to help.
Another carvinal is going on at the same time at Southpark Mall. Its being held at that empty lot next to Office Max. Thank God Simon is selling both malls and the Lindale Mall in Cedar Rapids.(read it in the dispatch) Southpark Mall really needs to be updated.
I'd like to see some work done on the exterior of Northpark, especially the Von Maur entrance by the soon to be former Sam Goody. It screams 1970's architecture.
Also, I wonder if anyone has pictures of the old water fountain that was in front of Younkers, and the "stream" that meandered down the mall. Actually I can't even remember which mall that used to be in. We're talking something that was torn out when I was probably 6 or 7...
That was Northpark and I was very sad when it was taken out. What were they thinking?
Well.... I don't know if I wish it was still there. It was pretty 70's/80's style, but they could have renovated the water features to keep them current. A lot of malls still have fountains and stuff like that.
A commitment to maintaining those fountains is the hurdle for owners. You learn how hard the water is in this area, plus the cleaning. If malls and hotels have fountains they are lucky to have found the right people to keep maintained.
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