A zoo and acquarium to be built here? (Huntsville, Madison: home, living in)

[RocketDawg]

Originally Posted by bfmx1

Opinion dropping here... While I love HSV and think it's an incredibly great city for the money, I don't think they can support an aquarium or world class zoo. Very high median income, but it's all in Engineering and they don't throw money around.

Trust me, I've closed stores there that were guaranteed to be a hit due to demographics. They just don't spend money like similar demographics that are NOT Engineering based.

I'm afraid it would end up being kinda like the McWane Center in Birmingham. Nice to have, but kinda run down and meh.

There's too much neighboring competition. A small petting zoo? Sure sound good.

According to Forbes, there are 60.771 engineers per 1000 employees in the area. That's a lot, and apparently enough to make it the number one per capita, but it's not like everybody you see is an engineer. Engineer thriftiness is more of a stereotype than factual.

https://www.forbes.com/pictures/fjle.../#2d4043b239cc

[David1502]

It won't be the engineers who will make this project happen in the beginning. Instead, the question is whether the most wealthy residing in Twickenham, The Ledges, Blossomwood, Jones Valley (and some parts of Madison) decide to back it. I look at the Zoo in the same way that I see the Huntsville Botanical Gardens and the Huntsville Museum of Art. Both of those came into being because the wealthiest people in Huntsville put their money behind it. Other examples are the Propst Arena, the Mark Smith Concert Hall (at the Von Braun Center) and the Davidson Center for Space Exploration. All three were financed by the generosity of Huntsville's wealthiest families.


I looked at the website for the North Alabama Zoo and Aquarium and the Contact address is a P.O. Box in Ryland, AL. The wealthy in Huntsville probably have no idea that Ryland is in Madison County! So, it's obvious the folks who are promoting this are not in a wealthy neighborhood.


The longer term viability of a Zoo/Aquarium would be if they were located near the Space and Rocket Center and Botanical Gardens. Then, it would be attractive for families to include a visit to the Zoo and possibly the Botanical Gardens along with their visit to the Space Center. The Margaritaville Hotel would also be appealing to families, too, with its lazy river pool. As it is right now, the Space Center stands by itself as the only major tourist draw for the Huntsville area.


While the Early Works Museums are another possibility, when I visited it was setup more for school groups where they had a guide. Most people prefer to go at their own pace.


The Space and Rocket Center is the number one attraction in Alabama. It would make sense to leverage that to other local attractions like a zoo/aquarium.

[Rick In Madison]

You keep hearing the city say that Ditto Landing is an undeveloped gem for the city. Locating an aquarium within its vicinity would make sense from a theme aspect and potentially draw people to the Ditto area. There is plenty of land that way and on the other side of the river to put in a free roam style zoo which visitors drive through. Smaller animal exhibits are could be visited in more of a traditional walk through zoo.

For example:
https://www.lioncountrysafari.com

[Rick In Madison]

Originally Posted by Rick In Madison

You keep hearing the city say that Ditto Landing is an undeveloped gem for the city. Locating an aquarium within its vicinity would make sense from a theme aspect and potentially draw people to the Ditto area. There is plenty of land that way and on the other side of the river to put in a free roam style zoo which visitors drive through. Smaller animal exhibits are could be visited in more of a traditional walk through zoo.

For example:
https://www.lioncountrysafari.com

Have a heard of of elephants in one area; dye them crimson and have one named Saban and another Bear. It will draw in half the state.

In another area have wild cats; name one Dye, one Jackson, one Newton, and one Malzahn. Okay, maybe not Malzah; maybe Perl. Draw in the other half of the state.

[RocketDawg]

Originally Posted by Rick In Madison

You keep hearing the city say that Ditto Landing is an undeveloped gem for the city. Locating an aquarium within its vicinity would make sense from a theme aspect and potentially draw people to the Ditto area. There is plenty of land that way and on the other side of the river to put in a free roam style zoo which visitors drive through. Smaller animal exhibits are could be visited in more of a traditional walk through zoo.

For example:
https://www.lioncountrysafari.com

I'm guessing there's a good reason the Ditto Landing area is largely undeveloped - it's pretty much out of the mainstream. If the Parkway was an Interstate, it might work. But it's not.

[Mississippi Alabama Line]

Originally Posted by Rick In Madison

You keep hearing the city say that Ditto Landing is an undeveloped gem for the city.

I met my wife at Ditto Landing. I kinda like it the way it is!

Originally Posted by Rick In Madison

Have a heard of of elephants in one area; dye them crimson and have one named Saban and another Bear. It will draw in half the state.

In another area have wild cats; name one Dye, one Jackson, one Newton, and one Malzahn. Okay, maybe not Malzah; maybe Perl. Draw in the other half of the state.

This is a personal opinion of mine, and I know you're joking, but this resonates with me. I really think Alabama would benefit from growing beyond the Bammer/Barn stuff. I often hear comments like, "This/That is nice, but it's still Alabama". It makes a lot of sense to me. It's a sophistication level, or something. If there's anywhere that it truly can be done, it's Huntsville, MAYBE Baldwin County. The first time I heard this was when they put in that theater at Bridge Street.

I'm talking about the sort of thing that changes when you hit the Tennessee or Georgia state line. I can't explain it. Same way where I am in Mississippi, except it changes at the Gulf Coast and Desoto area. It's like new money or something, thus new ideas. While I recognize these other states have old money too, they also have new money moving around.

[Rick In Madison]

Originally Posted by RocketDawg

According to Forbes, there are 60.771 engineers per 1000 employees in the area. That's a lot, and apparently enough to make it the number one per capita, but it's not like everybody you see is an engineer. Engineer thriftiness is more of a stereotype than factual.

https://www.forbes.com/pictures/fjle.../#2d4043b239cc

Sorry Dawg, I would have to agree with the stereotype AND I'm guilty too.

This area not only has a high degree of engineers and computer scientists but they work for companies that don't gloat over them like the some other states left of here. Hence, they/we are more blue collar in mindset. Consequently, you don't see a ton of high dollar European cars being driven by them/us; you don't see them/us living in 5000 ft^2 homes; and you don't see them/us going up and down the TN river in mansions mounted on hull.

They/we are well paid and they/we are smart with their/our money. Vendors/merchants beware; they/we are NOT the Kardashians.

[denofhc]

A zoo by the Space and Rocket Center/Botanical garden makes sense.

Also, Ditto Landing is a possibility. I could see a tourist train running on existing tracks from downtown. That would be cool.

[Humblebrag]

I am still awaiting the amusement park at Bridge Street.

[RocketDawg]

Originally Posted by Humblebrag

I am still awaiting the amusement park at Bridge Street.

I didn't know they ever had plans for one at Bridge Street. At one time, they had a lake with gondolas but as I recall the lake leaked and they had to close it.