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I bet if Rochester got a big tourist boat...maybe a ferry of some sort, that made trips to Canada..I think alot of people would enjoy that...they could even build a ferry terminal with shops and stores and restaurants
Lawl...
There were a few problems with that situation.
1. Too expensive. Tickets were something like $50/person just to ride it (I think it ended up being about $75 round trip), and not even bring your car on. I could drive to Toronto and back for significantly less than it'd cost me to take the ferry for myself, a friend and my car.
2. Not fast enough. Corollary to the first point. The trip still took 2.25 hours to get there, when I could drive there in 3 hours.
3. Limited hours. If I'm traveling to Toronto, I want to be able to stay relatively late, get boozed up and sober up on my way back home. Leaving Toronto at 7pm does not let me do this.
4. Publicly funded/run. The whole thing was run by Bill Johnson, who couldn't manage his own credit/finances (yes... I have inside information, his credit was in the toilet) let alone the finances of the city.
5. No accountability. CATS ran their company into the ground with poor planning, leading the city to purchase it in foreclosure since we were already so heavily invested in it.
6. Poor access. There are no major highways or fast transportation that connect Charlotte with the rest of Rochester, which turns into few visitors to Charlotte, or in return, few visitors to Rochester (from Toronto). I don't want to spend half an hour traveling up just to get to the dumb thing.
Edit: On a side note, Duffy is doing a great job helping the city to recover from the disaster that Johnson left behind.
ask any marketing person...they will tell you the name of something (city, product, person, etc.) can and does have a huge psychological effect on people. Millions are spent on finding the right names for products, retirement communities, automobiles, etc etc. Some names just sound and feel better than others.
ask any marketing person...they will tell you the name of something (city, product, person, etc.) can and does have a huge psychological effect on people. Millions are spent on finding the right names for products, retirement communities, automobiles, etc etc. Some names just sound and feel better than others.
I am sure all NYers would love to pay higher taxes so the marketing folks for Rochester could spend "millions" to come up with a cool new name for the city.
In my short history on this website I have witnessed lots of complaining about Rochester on this board, but the actual name of the city being an issue is new for me.
Location: Was in Western New York but now in Hilo Hawaii
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Quote:
Originally Posted by nyctorochester
I am sure all NYers would love to pay higher taxes so the marketing folks for Rochester could spend "millions" to come up with a cool new name for the city.
In my short history on this website I have witnessed lots of complaining about Rochester on this board, but the actual name of the city being an issue is new for me.
"The New Rochester" just like the "new coke" Ok Ok back to the Classic Rochester after spending 13 million in research.......
I've gotta say loveautumn unless you were joking around, that is one of the most ridiculous things I've ever read on this forum. Changing the name? Have there ever been any other cities that have changed there names to increase tourism? Have said (most likely non-existant) places benefited from this? Rochester is a fine name and i'm pretty sure the "menu costs" that would be associated with changing it would far outweigh any benefit.
I still have a number of problems with all of these proposals. In general I like Rochester, so I am not trying to bash anyone here. Why won't this work:
1. We have FIVE great lakes, out of all the major cities on the lakes, I would say Chicago has the greatest waterfront advantage given the size of the city.
2. It is fresh water in the northeast, who is going to goto the lakes in the winter, or anytime of the year, when you can take a cruise dirt cheap nowadays. This would most likely be a day drive to go on a camping trip or spend the afternoon.
3. The local population will most likely support something like this, but we already have things like Ontario beach, Olcott, the Buffalo waterfront with LaSalle Park, the 1000 Islands, Hamlin Beach. With some exception, these are probably already underutilized.
4. Will all of this be a tourist destination, YES, compare it to Florida, NO.
In my opinion, if we really wanted to make a tourist destination upstate, don't make it on lake Ontario. Make it on one of the finger lakes. There is already an ever increasing wine country, if you mixed the wine experience with boat tours, hotels, manufacturing etc. Then maybe you will have something substantial. But again, I cannot see this being a huge draw across the country. Wine is very profitable and the increasing tax revenue would help to support something like this. The parks on Lake Ontario are mostly supported by taxes and camping revenue.
Im from the south but I vacation up in Western New York every year. Most of my friends and the majority of people I talk to don't want or really need the growth. I seen one town somewhere up there that Population sign read "Just Right".
The short Summer season is a big factor in why Rochester will not be a major tourist destination anytime in the near future. The lake water near the port of Rochester is oftentimes full of algae and closed off for swimming in the Summer months as well. I'll take the white sand beaches of Myrtle Beach or Florida over Ontario beach any day. But what Rochester really should promote and be known for is its food. This is a Pizza and Wings town. Sorry Buffalo, but you just don't make the pies like we do. Try to find better Pizza and Wings outside of Rochesterland I dare you (and don't say NYC). When in Rochester you must try the local pizza chains, Carbone's, Pontillo's, and geez I'll even mention Salvatore's. Couple your Pizza Pilgrimage with a Wine Exodus in the Finger Lakes, I like route 14 between Geneva and Watkins Glen, and you'll be all set. Deal only valid May 31st-Sept15th. Any year.
guess one thing we'll never hear....CSI Rochester think about it, if Las Vegas had been named Rochester instead...do you think that city would be what it is today? I know you laugh, but the names of places can hold alot of appeal, like when I say I am visiting Rochester, I always gets a negative reaction but if I say I'm visiting Fairport or Pittsford I always get a much more interested reaction. Even though these people have no clue about either place. Guess I've just never liked that name...hey, how about High Falls, New York...that sounds good!
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think about it, if Las Vegas had been named Rochester instead...do you think that city would be what it is today? I know you laugh, but the names of places can hold alot of appeal, like when I say I am visiting Rochester, I always gets a negative reaction but if I say I'm visiting Fairport or Pittsford I always get a much more interested reaction. Even though these people have no clue about either place. Guess I've just never liked that name...hey, how about High Falls, New York...that sounds good!
