What to do with "prime" riverfront property in Augusta (Atlanta: amusement park, theater)

[outsideperspective]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m19l7A3QFBE

400-pound alligator caught in river | chronicle.augusta.com

Alligator blocks traffic on River Watch Parkway | chronicle.augusta.com

DNR removes alligator from Riverwalk | chronicle.augusta.com

North Augusta park's gators create fear in officials | The Augusta Chronicle

Being that I grew up in Underwood Holmes as a child and would often go fishing the Savannah river i can tell you that you would not want a beach below the city especially below the boathouse where the drag races are held.

[tckr83]

I think the water quality of the Savannah would be brought into question too... the Savannah has long since received a reputation as not exactly being the cleanest river around and it may take a while for people to get their head around this one. I know most people say the water quality plummets below Augusta because of all the plants around and is much cleaner around the area in question. But I can count the number of people on one hand in my lifetime that I've heard say "I'd swim in the river" and I have a hard time remember those...

To me, I've been saying this a while on here:

casino > beach... year round use.

Like someone else said on another thread or this one, cant remember w/o backing out... I dunno how the levee will play into the beach and how costly that would be. All I gotta say to that is: leave me a dozer, excavator, loader and truck down on the river and I'd do it free of charge, when the government gets involved as in everything else... $ turns into $$$$$

Good ideas guys.

[River_Dawg]

Originally Posted by outsideperspective

Idont think a beach on the river would be a really good idea / you do no that Augusta lies on the edge of gator terrotory. They can be commonly found in the Savannah mainly below the locks at the dam but occasionally above it.

Do you have any articles of gator attacks? Its Georgia, there will be gator sightings. When we find them, throw them in the Phinzy or on the grill.

Originally Posted by outsideperspective

Maybe if some private investor were to invest in something like this
SeaGaia – Ocean Dome (or if you’d like, Japan’s Indoor Man-Made Beach) « Techno-Science
with a little of this
Largest Indoor Water Park - Ultimate Amusement Is Sure..! | vhxn.com
it may have a big appeal locally, other than that i dont think Augusta can pull of the riverbeach attraction to anyone other than those of us that live here.

Indoor beach or water park in Augusta by a private investor? Really? Why would anyone develope that in Augusta? Why indoor? Isnt Augusta hot and sunny enough? Japan gets pretty cold and snowy so its prefectly logical to do something like. Just like Dubai with the indoor ski resort, get it?

Originally Posted by outsideperspective

If i were from outside the region, I probally would not come to Augusta for that. There are miles and miles of inland beaches in the south (ex. Thurmond, Murray, Lanier, and Oconee lakes and of course the big pond called the Atlantic )

Thats not the point, the city need the locals coming to downtown. We should target the metro of 500,000 plus first. Im pretty sure the if there was a local beach to hang at downtown it would change the downtown perception. It adds to the things to do list of the visitor and locals. Why would drive all the way to Savannah if I could get a similar experience without burning gas? Most guys want to see bikinis, play volley balls, take dip in the water and have a drink. Right? Once bars start popingThe kids could hang out at the beaches over the summer and they will bring their parents too. The city could hold a HS/College beach volley ball tourney which plays right into Augusta sporting niche. A one mile stretch of beach would also attract beach running which is intense but awesome. The biggest point of all is that its CHEAP to build compared to all the failed projects of Augusta's past. $1 million would be a good start.

[River_Dawg]

There's an artificial beach next to the Brisbane River in Brisbane, Australia. It includes a water park with all sorts of crazy sprinklers, and there's an adjacent market with all sorts of artist booths and food vendors. Really cool. The river is visible in a couple of the photos.

[River_Dawg]

I could Imagine first fridays being packed in the summer time if we a beach park along the river.

[outsideperspective]

There is a perception of the river by a lot of locals, maybe something similar to the photos would probally work but they seem as though th river's not connected to the beach it looks like a sand box filed with shallow water. I was just stating that gators have been spotted in the river on several occasions and yes there was an attack not on a human but on someones pet a golden retriever at lock and dam though it was years ago it was highlighted on WAGTv once but i could not find the footage or a link. I would be all for the city giving everyone something along the river to do and have fun with but i would find it hard to believe that someone in Grovetown, Evans, Martinez, Columbia County would choose a river beach over lake Thurmond even some West Augusta residents would choose the lake over the river. Once the wow factor wears off of the riverbeach it would be greatly underused. Also I know posting links to the Ocean Dome would be a little overdoing it for Augusta but how would you know it would not work. Augusta needs a big draw year round attraction other than the Masters. Something that no other city in the southeast or possibly the east coast has or can duplicate.

[EastsideDave]

That thing in Brisbane isn't actually part of the river, but is rather a man-made beach/lagoon adjacent to it. It is a cool idea though.

South Bank Parklands - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[outsideperspective]

thanks for the link Eastside

[River_Dawg]

Im not saying copy exactly what they have in Brisbane Eastside, but draw inspiration from it. I dont find it hard to believe that Grovetown, Evans, Martinez, Columbia County would choose a river beach over lake Thurmond. Why? That like saying if Columbia County gets a mall no one from there would shop in Augusta Mall. Plus thats just one county from the metro you are talking about, lets not for get Aiken, North Augusta, South Augusta etc. The Savannah is the center peice of the CSRA, I believe that gives a man-made river beach the advantage with proximity to I-520, I-20 and the urban setting of downtown Augusta.

Also I know posting links to the Ocean Dome would be a little overdoing it for Augusta but how would you know it would not work. Augusta needs a big draw year round attraction other than the Masters. Something that no other city in the southeast or possibly the east coast has or can duplicate.

How do you know a man-made river beach wont work? Name me one man-made beach in the southeast? A man-made beach could be that big draw if the right people are over it.

[outsideperspective]

Originally Posted by River_Dawg

That like saying if Columbia County gets a mall no one from there would shop in Augusta Mall.

To say that would be like opening a whole new can of worms.

Originally Posted by River_Dawg

How do you know a man-made river beach wont work?

I don't. Just looking at it from both an optimistic and a pessimistic point of view.

Originally Posted by River_Dawg

Name me one man-made beach in the southeast?

None that I could find.