So Warner Robins wants a water park (Atlanta, Macon: how much, house) - Georgia (GA) - City-Data Forum

Albania67 · 07-25-2013, 09:09 PM

like splash in the boro. I just heard the news today. Any thoughts? I heard that the two developers doesnt see eye to eye

midgeorgiaman · 07-26-2013, 05:32 AM

The city council is wary and rightfully so. The problem with water parks is that they only generate money for 3 months (sure, down here you could open in late April and run until the end of Sep. but Mem. day to Labor Day is still your bread and butter.) Another issue is that school starts up at the beginning of August so you would lose a lot of weekday business for that month as well. Personally, I think it would be a tough sell. There is a water park in Atlanta, one in Valdosta, one on Jekyll, and one in Statesboro...how many can the population support? Maybe Im wrong as WR has a huge family set, but these things have to pull from other areas too to survive.

I am all for it if a developer wants to do it and thinks they can make money...that is their area of expertise..., but if they want tax incentives, local government incentives, etc (as almost all projects of this nature do), I agree with the mayor of WR who called it stupid to even be discussing since there is no financing lined up yet. Of course, this is ultimately for the good voters of WR to decide.

Albania67 · 07-26-2013, 07:10 AM

I also areed with Mayor Shaheen on his centiments. The way the Rigby guy was talking, i thought he had financing but apparently not. Franklin sounded more reasonable in my opinion by wanting to start out smaller then build on to it instead of Rigby wanting to go Large that quickly.

TheJagMan · 07-26-2013, 07:11 AM

Automatically you have to focus on kids and the family. However, I think if they could do something such as make the tallest slides in the country (Orlando has the tallest at 120', second tallest is already in GA, in Marietta) it would attract both kidless military troops and thrill seekers from around the world. Without a "wow factor" attraction I see it being pointless.

Albania67 · 07-26-2013, 07:21 AM

You're right JagMan thats what i dont see in the Warner Robins case- ''automatically focusing on kids and family'' first. It seems to me it focused on just putting up developement just to say ''I built a Water Park''

adenuff · 07-29-2013, 06:41 AM

I see no harm in a water park as long as it's on the developer's dime with no special breaks or incentives.

What I'd really like to see in WR is an adult ENTERTAINMENT venue featuring a DIVERSE variety of musicians, comedians and plays. Many travel to Atlanta for grown-up entertainment so I'd like to think they'd support a venue that's a bit closer to home.
Prefer a place that would strive to AVOID labels such as country, urban, rock, black, white, biker, hip-hop, etc., since there's already enough polarization to go around. Wouldn't it be something to have a place in that offered, say, a play on a Thursday, comedy on Friday, band on Saturday, dinner theater on Sunday, etc? I'm visiting friends and family would enjoy being able to do something in the evenings other than dining at a chain chain restaurants or sitting around one of the town's few bar getting liquored up.

I would support it. Would you?

TheJagMan · 07-29-2013, 07:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by adenuff

I see no harm in a water park as long as it's on the developer's dime with no special breaks or incentives.

What I'd really like to see in WR is an adult ENTERTAINMENT venue featuring a DIVERSE variety of musicians, comedians and plays. Many travel to Atlanta for grown-up entertainment so I'd like to think they'd support a venue that's a bit closer to home.
Prefer a place that would strive to AVOID labels such as country, urban, rock, black, white, biker, hip-hop, etc., since there's already enough polarization to go around. Wouldn't it be something to have a place in that offered, say, a play on a Thursday, comedy on Friday, band on Saturday, dinner theater on Sunday, etc? I'm visiting friends and family would enjoy being able to do something in the evenings other than dining at a chain chain restaurants or sitting around one of the town's few bar getting liquored up.

I would support it. Would you?

There will be breaks/incentives, that's a given, the question is by how much?

Whiskey River which is very South Macon has the comedy club and that's rarely ever full. I think the problem with your venue is you'd only see a comedy show once or twice a year...Most people wouldn't be regulars. Same with a musician, it's just not something you want to see weekly. There is already a drama club and play house in WR. If I remember correctly, the closed Catfish House had an upstairs...I think if you open a place primary as a restaurant and have regular seating downstairs then have the upstairs with a stage where you could host the things you want.

adenuff · 07-29-2013, 08:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheJagMan

There will be breaks/incentives, that's a given, the question is by how much?

Yes, I know there will be incentives. I said no SPECIAL incentives. In other words, only incentives that are typically offered.

Whiskey River which is very South Macon has the comedy club and that's rarely ever full. I think the problem with your venue is you'd only see a comedy show once or twice a year...Most people wouldn't be regulars. Same with a musician, it's just not something you want to see weekly. There is already a drama club and play house in WR. If I remember correctly, the closed Catfish House had an upstairs...I think if you open a place primary as a restaurant and have regular seating downstairs then have the upstairs with a stage where you could host the things you want.

Whiskey River comedy club has been closed for years. They had a good variety of comedy acts but they had three things going against them. First, the name "Whiskey River" was and is turnoff to many many people, so they never even bothered to check to see what acts were scheduled. Secondly, the acts they had were very poorly promoted, if promoted at all. Lastly, Brad, the so-called emcee, had no sense of humor and didn't know how to pump up the small audienceshe first and second issue.

The WR Little Theater is okay. But their "season" is short. Actually, I think their location could be used year-round for the kind of entertainment I'm talking about.

I think the WR area has enough people that a place wouldn't need to rely solely on weekly regulars to be feasible. Just want to tap into what's probably a LARGE part of the population that's not content with what's already here.

LizellaJacket · 07-29-2013, 10:41 AM

The problem with Warner Robins is that you have to convince people that there are other things to do besides waiting 2 hours for a table at Cheddar's. Seems to me that this is the primary hangout spot for 90% of the population.

TheJagMan · 07-30-2013, 07:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by adenuff

Whiskey River comedy club has been closed for years.

I looked into this as I saw a show last spring a year ago; the place is still open as a sports and poker hold 'em bar, the last show it had was June '12 and it is hoping to have shows again another day in the future.