An alert reader emails an unsourced and unverified rumor about the shadowy potential megaproject for downtown GSO, saying there are three possible versions, each of a different size: I was told that the logic for this Florida development company looking at Greensboro has to do with the city's history and its location between Charlotte and Raleigh. I was also told the the largest version of this project would make Greensboro a 'destination city' and one of the versions could dramatically alter Greensboro's skyline. The source said that even if Greensboro got the scaled down version, its still HUGE for Greensboro. The small version would be about the size of the EpiCentre in uptown Charlotte...I understand it's not a done deal and is in discussion not planning phase. My source says that there is an element in Greensboro that doesnt want this project here because its so huge and would have such a huge effect on the city...

Meanwhile, Hoggard urges the City to go slow on the old Canada Dry property by the Coliseum, which makes sense -- but given the iron law of location location location, that property is important and will have to be dealt with sooner or later.

Comments

[watcher]

based on the description..."Florida Development Company" "Destination City" and Ray Gibb's desciption of the this project having entertainment for families, children and singles, it almost sounds like Disney is in involved. I know its sounds far fetched but it is odd that the company is looking at several states for this project which sound to me like some kind of tourist/entetainment development.

[Kim]

Disney? DISNEY! Well, you got my attention. I know, I know...a lot of people don't like anything Disney, and they really don't like that idea of turning an area into a Disneyish environment, but....I LOVE Disney! My 5 year old son loves Disney! We were at Disney for 10 days in April, and every day since then my son has asked me if we could MOVE to Disney! Hmmmm. If Disney builds something here we can live at Disney without leaving NC! ;-)

[watcher]

a Disney entertainment project downtown may actually compliment the center-city. I doubt it would be an amusement park and would likely blend in with Downown Greensboro and look less like a theme park.

I think this project will include a multiplex or maybe even an IMAX theater. Most major entertainment complexes seem to have bowling alleys, so that a possibilty. the project is rumored to have office space in it...could that mean some kind of corporate headquarters? I would love for this development to have a House of Blues or something like that.

[Sue]

Disney? C'mon. There's WAY too much speculating-sans-facts going on. But I'll admit, they all sound cool.

[watcher]

I know its VERY FAR FETCH but here is a link that talks about Disney building hotels and night life districts in the downtowns of cities across the country. The article states major cities but you never know look at the date of the article. This is something they are getting ready to do.

http://www.topix.net/content/trb/1116238269327808190530730829633186064765

[watcher]

another interesting fact is that Ray Gibbs said "We're competing with a lot of other (cities) for it" and this Florida development company is looking between Greensboro and sites in Virginia, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida. Ive heard rumors that Greensboro is the "frontrunner" for this project. The question is what could this be where we would have to compete with other states for it? Its a BIG deal what ever it is.

[Jim Rosenberg]

Two words: all-modular.

[Don Moore]

I agree that there is NO rush.
As for Disney, we already have TWO free comedy shows - City Council and County Commissioners meetings. Everybody is already getting taken for a ride.

[watcher]

very funy Don...LOL

[Tingting]

At one time Disney was looking at DC and Fredericksburg, VA for land to make a theme park based on American History. I welcome it. That's a lot of jobs, cronstruction, hotel visits, airport trips, excitement, etc.

[Bubba]

Actually, it's probably just International Speedway Corporation (NASCAR), who will propose building the first 100 stories tall elevated speedway on the face of the earth, above the Murrow Boulevard-Fisher Avenue/Benjamin Parkway-Aycock St-Lee St.St-Benjamin Parkway. The pit lane will be above Smith St.

That would certainly change the city skyline, wouldn't it?

[Sandy Carmany]

Ed,

I've been trying all day to comment on Hogg's Blog but keep getting rejected as "spam." Here's what I have been trying to add to the conversation there:

There are indeed concrete plans for use of the building now -- by the Convention and Visitors Bureau, Sports Commission, and the Coliseum itself. If the ACC Hall of Champions ever materializes, it will be done on someone on someone else's dime, not the city's. The supposed asking price for the building being quoted out there sounds to be inflated. Significant progress has been made in addressing the contamination issues. Details of all to be made pubic tomorrow -- stay tuned!

[downtownboy]

Sandy, I agree. The ACC Hall of Fame should be funded privately. It seems like that could be the case should this hall of fame be built in a "secret and massive downtown project". the ACC hall of fame belongs downtown anyway.

[Sandy Carmany]

downtownboy,

For what it's worth, the committee that prepared the ACC proposal paid for a marketing study to determine the best location for the Hall of Champions. This research identified the Coliseum site as the most preferable.

Personally, I would view the placement in the Coliseum/High Point Road area as a "shot in the arm" to reverse the gradual decline of that area. I totally support downtown revitalization, but we absolutely cannot ignore other vital parts of the city and place everything downtown -- "spread the joy!"

[benholder]

Significant progress has been made in addressing the contamination issues. Details of all to be made pubic tomorrow......

still waiting?

[Tingting]

Move the coliseum and Hall of Fame downtown. The current coliseum area is always going to be carcentric blight. Anyone who says otherwise is blowing smoke up your pants. And don't use taxpayer money for any of it.

[Roch101]

Move the colisuem downtown? That would be one hell of a truck.

[watcher]

from what I understand...when the coliseum was first proposed, the idea was to have it downtown. However neighbors complained and it ended up 2 miles west of downtown on Lee Street.

BTW

here are clues that hint that it could be Disney.

1) anonymous Florida Development company is behind the project (Disney Development Company?)

2) several southern states are competeing for this development (Greensboro is the front runner)

3) Disney announced 3 months ago that it was thinking about building themed hotel/entertainment complexes in downtowns. (Greensboro's rumored project has a highrise hotel /entertainment complex......btw what is in this project that makes it feasible to build a highrise hotel downtown? just a few years ago hotels werent doing good downtown)

4) hudreds of thousands of dollars were spent to do feasibilty studies. (Why on earth would it take that much money for a project in downtown Greensboro?)

5) The Florida development company is pondering wether Greensboro can support this project

6) The company is looking at Greensboro because of its central location between Charlotte and Raleigh. (indicating this project is expected to draw people from around the Piedmont)

7) The company's decision to look at Greensboro also has to do with the city's history which indicates a theme development. (American Revolution theme? ACC?)

8) Project appears to be a tourist destination (the developer wants to include the ACC Hall of Champions and Museum with this project)

9) The project has been descibed as HUGE and MASSIVE for Greensboro

10) an Orlando news reporter said in reference to the Disney/Greensboro speculation "I wouldn't be surprised"

11) This project is secret as hell!

I also noticed that city leaders that post here havent commented on this ;)

[mick]

Dont use taxpayers money for any of it! Again, the building itself isnt credited with any of the millions it generates in tax revenues. Makes it tough to make a bottom line look good to those who choose to bitch w/o understanding the entire situation. The same company owns the tax revenue and the building .... me and you. Get it! We spend money at the CVM to make money on restaraunts, hotels, etc. Really is pretty simple concept.

People always say "Run it like a business"... What business wouldnt lose $500,000 on Company A in order to make a couple million at Company B? Am I that far off base with this?

[Ed Cone]

Are you the same Mick who was a big supporter of the taxpayer-funded swim center?

[mick]

Of course. That one I will admit is more of a stretch but is the same basic idea. The taxpayers have soundly stated their collective lack of interest in that deal (mildly put). Obviously I disagree and think it short sighted but the public has spoken and Im cool with that.

I would thinj that the CVM really does bring in a lot of people to the city and money to the coffers. How many and how much I dont know. But Id bet its way more moola than the building loses.

Some things just work this way and that is why some things (the list is long) are pretty much always municipally owned. They dont work as a private enterprise because the REAL money goes to the municipality through taxes. Right? Wrong? What say you?

[Tingting]

I'm just saying but perhaps a little birdy whispered something about a $900 million "Disney America" theme park across from Replacements. Greensboro will be the canvas in which Disney creates the city of the future Walt wanted to see come to fruition. Disney America will connect to downtown via a solar/hydrogen powered hybrid Monorail. It will encircle Greensboro along the path of the urban loop, and also connect to Wilmington, Durham, Raleigh, Charlotte, and Asheville in which it will approach 700mph. G'boro will change its motto to "30 minutes to the beach or mountains, your choice, 50¢" It is not coincidental that Disney/HondaJet/FedEx are secretly pooling the cream of the crop geniuses of their engineering and research departments in Greensboro where they are developing not only hydrogen powered affordable Personal Flying Transportation, but also Disney Spaceport which will be the blast-off point for all of Earth to Disney Moon.(It's also not a coincidentce that George Clooney visited recently...they wanted to run it by him). Mensa reports that in the last year Greensboro has become the densest concentration of its highest-level members. Future theorists have already concluded that Greensboro will take over London, New York, etc.. as the World's Capital. Disney/HondaJet/FedEx Cos' new costless and clean hydrogen-creating process from thin air will shift the human paradigm beyond that which anyone can currently fathom. Oil will by used but for display at the sprawling downtown Greensboro Energy History Museum. Degussa will utilize the free energy to create and run large atmosphere scrubbers removing all lingering pollutants from the old oil-economy. And finally VF Corp will freely clothe all Greensboroans with its wares.

[jerrold]

everyone rememeber that disney tried to buy land in ruffin, north of reidsville, a few years ago. They know where Greensboro is and we have been on their radar before.