Wilmington - Potential Hotspot

[blueize74]

Ok, I want to throw this out for discussion...

Wilmington is just loaded with opportunities for conventional development opportunities. But unconventional development could happen just as easily.

With the Screen Gems Studio, interstate access, the beach, and mid-atlantic location, imagine the opportunities that exist. If a Disney or Universal were to locate a theme park or studio here, you're looking at Hollywood East! It's a perfect location for either.

It's not too far fetched. A few years back, Disney was looking at building a theme park (Disney's America) with an American history theme. Possible locations were mostly in Virginia, but they considered a spot near Bentonville Battlefield around Johnston County. Last I heard, they scrapped the whole idea for now.

[RaleighHeelsfan]

Ok, I want to throw this out for discussion...

Wilmington is just loaded with opportunities for conventional development opportunities.  But unconventional development could happen just as easily. 

With the Screen Gems Studio, interstate access, the beach, and mid-atlantic location, imagine the opportunities that exist.  If a Disney or Universal were to locate a theme park or studio here, you're looking at Hollywood East!  It's a perfect location for either. 

It's not too far fetched.  A few years back, Disney was looking at building a theme park (Disney's America) with an American history theme.  Possible locations were mostly in Virginia, but they considered a spot near Bentonville Battlefield around Johnston County.  Last I heard, they scrapped the whole idea for now.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

They tried to build a disney in Craven County (New Bern nc) back in the late 1980's, it fell through though. I agree about Wilmington though.

[eastsider]

I could definately see the Wilmington area booming. New Hanover county is already among the fastest growing counties in the state.

[ironchapman]

I'm amazed it's not bigger than it is. Wilmington a lot of potential, and history too! I went through there a few years ago, it's a nice place to live, it seemed like.

[blueize74]

You would think a port city would be more built up but I guess Morehead City takes alot of the port activity.

[Rufus]

i just took a trip to Wilmington and realized its potetntial for great development downtown and in the Wrightsville or Carolina Beach area. Unfortunately i also saw the numerous ugly developments, such as the strip malls and run-down buildings near I-40. Hopefully Wilmington will develop its downtown b/c it is an ideal attraction for it.

[peaceloveunderstanding]

I like Wilmington how it is. I don't want it to turn into Myrtle Beach. I hate that filth town.

[blueize74]

I think you're missing the point. That's exactly why this was posted. Myrtle Beach is half a resort town. A few hotspots here and there. Although they have brought the place up a good bit.

Wilmington could be so much more. The glitz of "Hollywood East" would outshine any coastal city in the region. It may only be delusions of granduer, but hey, it's cyberspace!

[appatone]

I like Wilmington a lot. One big problem is that Raleigh is the only major city connected to Wilmington via Interstate right now. It takes FOREVER to get to Wilmington from Charlotte. I can get to MB, Charleston, and even Savannah faster than I can get to Wilmington. This means Charlotte uses Charleston (I believe) for port activity, and also cancels out a lot of visitors for Wilmington from NC's largest metropolitan area. The thing that does draw me to Wilmington though is that it is smaller and low key. Eventually Interstate access to Charlotte would be plausible along the 74 corridor, and that would probably be a great boost for Wilmington. I have also heard that they want to connect Wil. to Florence, SC with an Interstate. I wouldn't particularly want a theme park there however..

[Beany]

Oh and the drive on I-40 from Raleigh to Wilmington is pretty boring. But certainly once you get to Wilmington it is great!

[cinco]

wilmington is beautiful, mysterious, and has lots of potential. i think part of the reason it has avoided the trappings of myrtle beach style development (trash collecting) is that it is kinda isolated. i used to fantasize about high-speed rail from wilmington to charlotte. economically i think it would be huge....wilmington area would become one of the major ports on east coast and charlotte has always been a major distribution hub. now i am unsure of wilmington's exploitation...its old quaintness is a rare find.

[orulz]

Oh and the drive on I-40 from Raleigh to Wilmington is pretty boring.  But certainly once you get to Wilmington it is great!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Think about it, you wouldn't even have to think about the boring drive if NC got off its laurels and started running passenger trains between Raleigh and Wilmington. That and the Asheville line would both be very popular, and yet nothing's being done. I think the Asheville line is hung up by a lack of funds ($137 million or so is needed) and the Wilmington line is held back by the fact that there are two potential routes, one of which is inactive and being studied for restoration.

[cinco]

Think about it, you wouldn't even have to think about the boring drive if NC got off its laurels and started running passenger trains between Raleigh and Wilmington. That and the Asheville line would both be very popular, and yet nothing's being done. I think the Asheville line is hung up by a lack of funds ($137 million or so is needed) and the Wilmington line is held back by the fact that there are two potential routes, one of which is inactive and being studied for restoration.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

to me it would make plenty more sense to run rail (high-speed) from wilmington through southern corridor of state to charlotte. then proceed to asheville. the fat cats in raleigh gave themselves this route along time ago....I-40. it may be boring but it sure as h*ll beats taking hwy 74 all the way down to wilmington.

[orulz]

to me it would make plenty more sense to run rail (high-speed) from wilmington through southern corridor of state to charlotte.  then proceed to asheville.  the fat cats in raleigh gave themselves this route along time ago....I-40.  it may be boring but it sure as h*ll beats taking hwy 74 all the way down to wilmington.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I bet both routes will happen, eventually. The problem with service between Charlotte and Wilmington is that it serves the Charlotte<->Wilmington crowd very well, but nobody else. With the Charlotte route, in order to provide reasonable service to Raleigh and the NEC, you'd either have to reschedule the Palmetto or Silver Meteor and make it stop in Pembroke, or reschedule the Silver Star and have a meet in Hamlet. Those ain't exactly "hoppin'" places if you know what I mean, and the trains are habitually late so it's unlikely Amtrak would be willing to make the accomodation anyway.

By connecting in Raleigh, it gives people in the Northeast Corridor as well as the Triad timely access to Wilmington. Even the connection from Charlotte isn't that bad, since it's only a bit more than 3 hours from CLT to RGH (and that schedule will be improved to 2:10 with the Southeast High Speed Rail.) Conversely, it gives people in Wilmington timely access to the Northeast as well as the Triad/Triangle.

Besides, NCDOT did a survey asking Wilmington residents where they'd ride the train - and while Charlotte and Raleigh were about equal, an overwhelmingly larger number of people said they'd take the train to the Northeast Corridor. That connection just can't happen in Charlotte.

The Raleigh route is not an example of illogical Raleigh-centric politics as you are implying. If you look at the numbers it just makes more sense that way. It amounts to a decision between connecting Wilmington to Charlotte or connecting Wilmington to the rest of the world, and I think the choice is clear.

Anyway, who says that both routes can't eventually happen? It'll certainly be in the distant future, but as passenger rail becomes more and more important the market will be there.

[ralex231]

wilmington has alot to do before it can look really impressivve b/c take it from someone who goes there about 3 times a month there is very few if at all sperations between nice developments and crappy ones. Like haveing a 20 story building with a superwalmart next to it

[RiverwoodCLT]

I can drive to Wilmington from Charlotte now in less than 4 hours. When 74 is completed near Lumberton the time will be even less.

[lma1973]

Wilmington is growing very rapidly. When i lived there in the late 90's it was the second fastest growing city in the country behind Vegas at 23%. Also, it boasted one of the largest restaurant per capita of anywhere in the country. Looks like things are still progressing nicely.

[reeeems]

I can drive to Wilmington from Charlotte now in less than 4 hours. When 74 is completed near Lumberton the time will be even less.