The Mouse, Lego, Haymarket & Prince William Co. - Retrospective On Disney's America Theme Park & Legoland In NOVA (Manassas: theater, school)

[CNI]

The Disney's America theme park plan for Haymarket, VA was withdrawn Sept 1994.
A decision was made to build Legoland in California instead of VA around a similar time as when Disney withdrew its theme park plans.
In retrospect, did VA benefit or loose out as a result of these two planned investments not materializing?

[deckardc]

That depends on what you consider a benefit. If you base it solely on local revenue, then the area probably lost out somewhat.
If you base it on not turning our charming countryside in to the hideous concrete and neon wasteland that is Kissimmee, FL, then no, VA did not lose out.

[goldenmom7500]

Wasn't it going to impede on the Manassas Battlefield? That would have been a great loss.

[5stones]

^ yes and bull run etc....lots of battlefield land would have been bulldozed.

[Rhett_Butler]

Originally Posted by goldenmom7500

Wasn't it going to impede on the Manassas Battlefield? That would have been a great loss.

That was always my issue with it...

[goldenmom7500]

I wasn't even in the DC area just then (gone temporariy to graduate school), but thank goodness those who were spoke up. Thank you people who helped the Battlefield.

[CNI]

For some perspective, please see Forbes Traveler 50 Most Visited Attractions List
(see also, 50 most visited tourist attractions in the world - Destinations - MSNBC.com and note "...Wherever Mickey Mouse goes, he conquers...")

Top 20:

1. Times Square, New York City, NY: 35 million
2. National Mall & Memorial Parks, Washington, D.C. (Washington Monument, Lincoln and Jefferson Memorials, the war memorials): 25 million
3. Disney World’s Magic Kingdom, Lake Buena Vista, Fla.: 16.6 million
4. Trafalgar Square, London, England: 15 million
5. Disneyland Park, Anaheim, Calif.: 14.7 million
6. Niagara Falls, Ontario and New York: 14 million
7. Fisherman’s Wharf/Golden Gate National Recreation Area, San Francisco, Calif.: 13 million
8. Tokyo Disneyland/DisneySea, Tokyo, Japan: 12.9 million
9. Notre Dame de Paris, Paris, France: 12 million
10. Disneyland Paris, Marne-La-Vallee, France: 10.6 million
11. The Great Wall of China, Badaling area, China: 10 million
12. The Great Smoky Mountain National Park, Tennessee/North Carolina: 9.2 million
13. Universal Studios Japan, Osaka, Japan: 8.5 million
14. Basilique du Sacré-Coeur de Montmartre, Paris, France: 8 million
15. Musée du Louvre, Paris, France: 7.5 million
16. Everland, Kyonggi-Do, South Korea: 7.5 million
17. The Forbidden City/Tiananmen Square, Beijing, China: 7 million
18. Eiffel Tower, Paris, France: 6.7 million
19. Universal Studios/Islands of Adventure at Universal Orlando, Fla: 6 million
20. SeaWorld Florida, Orlando, Fla: 5.7 million

21 - 30

• Pleasure Beach, Blackpool, England
• Lotte World, Seoul, South Korea
• Yokohama Hakkeijima Sea Paradise, Japan
• Hong Kong Disneyland, China
• Centre Pompidou, Paris, France
• Tate Modern, London, England
• British Museum, London, England
• Universal Studios Los Angeles, Calif.
• National Gallery, London, England
• Metropolitan Museum, New York, NY

31 - 40

• Grand Canyon, Ariz.
• Tivoli Gardens, Copenhagen, Denmark
• Ocean Park, Hong Kong, China
• Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, Fla.
• SeaWorld California, San Diego, Calif.
• Statue of Liberty, New York, NY
• The Vatican and its museums, Rome, Italy
• Sydney Opera House, Sydney, Australia
• The Coliseum, Rome, Italy
• American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY

41 - 50

• Grauman’s Chinese Theater, Hollywood, Calif.
• Empire State Building, New York, NY
• Natural History Museum, London, England
• The London Eye, London, England
• Palace of Versailles, France
• Yosemite National Park, Calif.
• Pyramids of Giza, Egypt
• Pompeii, Italy
• Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg, Russia
• Taj Mahal, Agra, India

Not that this is the final word on things or represents all that is important (many considerations beyond economics) but there sure are a good number of DISNEY properties [BOLD] (& theme parks [italicized]) being visited by many people worldwide. Maybe Virginians just know something the rest of the world doesn't? I think this would have been a nice list for VA to be on (&, had the park been built, I'm certain it would have been on this list).
Also, not any Civil War battlefields on this list either.
Just some perspective. It doesn't invalidate anyone's personal feelings.

[Rhett_Butler]

Well, and by listing where Disney IS doesn't necessarily tell us what locales said 'No' to Disney.... I don't think anyone misunderstands the economic impact of Disney. If it were "All about the almighty buck" then it's a no-brainer... Why look at it as "Maybe Virginia knows something the rest of the world doesn't"??? Look at it as, "Virginia saw what everyone else did and didn't WANT it."??? (at least many didn't).

Beyond the implications of defacing a pretty major Civil War battlefield it's also a matter of people having to live there..... As someone who is just returning from 12 years of living in Orlando: Disney, as it always was, is nice to visit. It ain't so cool living by it.

Virginia, of course, would have adjusted to having it and would have gotten used to it, BUT..... Doesn't mean it was what is right for Virginia....

Like you said, it's a matter of perspective and what's important to you.

[goldenmom7500]

I'm kind of unclear about what is so great about making one of those tourism lists. Do we really need the revenue? Do we really not get enough tourists? Is there really not enough of a boom in Northern Virginia?

[CNI]

Originally Posted by goldenmom7500

I'm kind of unclear about what is so great about making one of those tourism lists. Do we really need the revenue? Do we really not get enough tourists? Is there really not enough of a boom in Northern Virginia?

MY answers to your questions:
YES...who doesn't need additional revenue? VDOT could use the revenue (the state's claim...not mine). Colleges could use the revenue (then possibly they'd halt or reduce tuition hikes). People trying to afford housing in this state could use the revenue (industry would help lower localities' tax rates).
NO...See answer to 1st question. Maybe some of those tourists would bleed over to increase visitation & revenue @ the Civil War themed tourists sites.
YES/NO/DEBATABLE...I don't view growth as an enemy. Growth & development provide opportunities for people to live & support themselves & their families. Growth does not always equal uncontrolled/out-of-control growth. That's a misleading argument of people opposed to growth.

If it is not desirable or "great" to be rated as a top tourist destination then please inform me of a nationally or internationally recognized list the current undeveloped Haymarket property is rated highly on and how that rating has enhanced opportunities for VA residents (even acceptable to say that it allows 1st-hand view of history).