Storyville Gardens

[lmc123]

9 minutes ago, Nashville Cliff said:

I'm very skeptical.

I agree. And if they are looking for 120-150 acres in Lebanon with I40 frontage then I don't see why Hendersonville will be in the running. I don't know of a parcel that large that faces 386.

[smeagolsfree]

I still think it is much more important to have interstate visibility and access than to be off the beaten path. I am still 50/50 right now. There has to be an investment draw of some big hitters to draw the interest of Pat Emory otherwise he would not have put his name out there this early in the game.

[Luvemtall]

Pat Emery said he’s personally invested! So there has to be some teeth to this. Of course I’m partial to the Lebanon site, and I’m hoping that’s the spot. I think that’s ideal to have not only a mile of interstate 40 frontage, but easy access from 1-840 and most likely a train station in the works. I’m still 50/50 also .

[jjbradleyBrooklyn]

I think the concept and idea surrounding "books" and "stories" that focus in on getting kids to embrace books in general, is phenomenal. 

Turning that concept into a theme park is very cool--and I think that's why such big name heavy - hitters are involved at the start. 

But, are they going after the pre-school, elementary age demographic with parents alone? Or are they also going after teens with thrill rides? I think to capture the latter, they'll have to add 2 or 3 "extreme thrill" rides. 

Because this park is starting from scratch, with no attached brand like Disney, Harry Potter, Six Flags, Warner Bros, Lego, etc., they'll have to spark passion and strong interest to get folks to pay to attend.

This can be super tough and the main challenge to be profitable.

The concepts I've seen though do look super high end and high quality, reminiscent of Disney or similar brands. 

The location looks good in terms of visibility--I totally agree there. But it is so hedged in on all sides--which is a bit head-scratching. Let's see how this plays out-so interesting to follow it progress.

 

 

[Pdt2f]

As a current renter in Hendersonville who is waiting on a home purchase to be finalized in White House, I hope this ends up in Wilson County lol. I think it’s a cool idea and all, I just don’t want to deal with theme park traffic in my commute. Especially since the southern and eastern edge of Sumner are blocked by bridgeless rivers, all traffic basically has to pass through the I-65 and Gallatin Pike bottlenecks in Madison/Rivergate. Add a few bridges to Old Hickory and Hermitage and we’ll talk. 

[Baronakim]

On 3/30/2022 at 1:32 PM, markhollin said:

Some renderings of Storyville Gardens Hendersonville concept. No word on the locale, but it looks like it might be along the Cumberland River/Old Hickory Lake.
 

Sorry, but these renderings just make me think this is going to be big disappointment.  The site scale is just too small no matter where it  lands.  The jumble of the oriental zone is jam up against the African in the first render and allows no opportunity for the tranqility of traditional oriental sites.  The "European" is a hodgepodge of dubious psudomedieval designs all packed together.  I think the elevated "junglewalk"  is a bit of a stretch and the small ferris wheel area  seems odd and confused .  The old "Fair Park" at the state fairgrounds seems to me would be more appealing to kids than this.   I really don't see any connection with any classic literature here.  I think young kids today are too wound up in media tech to be interested in this kind of concept at any age.  I could be wrong, but I am very underwhelmed with this proposal and I live in a home with THOUSANDS of books of every genre.

Edited March 31, 2022 by Baronakim

[MLBrumby]

Here's something NBJ posted today. Medici XD (animatronics engineers) is moving its HQ to Nashville.  So is there a connection with Storyville Gardens?  Regardless, it's a nice catch and addition to the local tech scene. BTW: I know someone through my work who is from Nashville. He attended University of Notre Dame (engineer) and was the lead designer on the Universal Harry Potter portion of the park. He did that back in the early 2000s and I just heard he is moving his family back to Nashville. Hmmmmm! 

https://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/news/2022/04/03/medici-xd-hq.html

[VSRJ]

Interestingly enough, there's already an animatronics company headquartered in Nashville: https://www.animaxdesigns.com/

[smeagolsfree]

I may have heard a rumor as to the third possible location they are looking at. I was talking to a friend yesterday about a friend we have in common, that owns land off of exit 19 off of I 24. He is about to put his property up for sale and was going to ask 900K for it and was told not to ask anything under 2 million because of the "big park" that was about to go in the area around that exit. The person that told him said they were looking at buying a lot of land and there would be a lot of development. Exit 19 is the Maxey Rd., Adams exit FYI and straddles the Cheatham/ Robertson County line. The land would be cheaper more than likely. This is fairly flat land with lots of farms that could be easily developed.

With this in mind, the area could be well suited for Storyville Gardens.  The only drawbacks are lack of sewer, but they could build their own treatment plant. The other is, I 24 gets really backed up in the Pleasant View area and for that matter all the way between Clarksville & Nashville. There will have to be major road improvements done to that interstate sooner rather than later even if there is only nothing but rumors to this.

[Luvemtall]

I guess at this point  it’s anyones game. I was just reading over the minutes of  latest  Lebanon City Council  meeting, and  the Mayor himself mentioned this park , of course he couldn’t say anything more then a reference to the article in the NBJ and that they are “talking to” the developers and that the city would definitely be giving some incentives. So I’m taking a wait and see attitude about this. I’m definitely hoping for Lebanon to be chosen, but not getting my hopes up.

[smeagolsfree]

I am thinking that all locations are still in play. The thing I do not like about the Lebanon location is that seemingly are land locked there with very little room to grow. If the Exit 19 location is legit, then all locations have their own good and bad points. There is not a perfect location I have seen yet that has been mentioned by them including the one at exit 19 that has not, which really fits the needs perfectly.

I remain skeptical until there is more news and dirt is moving. Still no investors have been named, no site, no contractor, and they are supposed to break ground by the end of the year by their clock. This will require a TDOT traffic study more than likely, so has that been done or started???  It will require County approval from whatever county it goes to, and that will take time and we have heard nothing?  Clock is ticking!!!!!!!!

I always like to throw questions out there as food for thought. Not to be a Donnie Downer, but just to keep everyone thinking in terms of reality.

[Luvemtall]

I’m with you on this, they actually have said a Q2 2022 start. I don’t see that happening, if they haven’t chosen a site yet, unless they have and are just playing to whatever reason. We do know that Pat Emery is a investor and his company will be involved, but to what capacity? Also here’s some food for thought, Lebanon’s Mayor recently mentioned that because of the State Fair now having its home in Lebanon, the State in cooperation with TDOT is going to redesign and rebuild the I-40  exit for US70 /Sparta Pike and widen Sparta Pike with other improvements , which is also the exit that can serve this project. Also all of a sudden there is  no less then five Hotels seeking out parcels within walking distance to the property that is in play. One being Townplace Suites, and rumor of a Hilton Branded Hotel. Also reading though the City Council agenda there’s a good number of restaurants that seem to be lurking. It’s just some interesting happenings , don’t know if there is any connection, but just throwing it out there.

[Natti_amusements]

I was watching a video on YouTube that was posted 2 weeks ago about the founder of storyville gardens, that was mainly about the theme park, and she said they have 165 acres that they will announce once they sign the incentive package. So sounding like they have the land!!! I don’t live anywhere near Nashville so I’m not sure what area that land could be in but I will link the video below:

 They briefly talk about the land at 8.32

[markhollin]

5 hours ago, Natti_amusements said:

 

Thanks, and welcome to the forum, Natti-amusements!  : )

[titanhog]

So…does the 165 acres rule out the Lebanon site?  Doesn’t seem like it’s that big.

[Luvemtall]

1 hour ago, titanhog said:

So…does the 165 acres rule out the Lebanon site?  Doesn’t seem like it’s that big.

Yeah, I’m thinking that might be the case. I believe the Lebanon property was 132 acres, unless there was a additional adjoining parcel that they could have included. Sounds more like the property that Smeags was talking about, but to me that would seem more like a Clarksville area attraction then a  Nashville one. 

[smeagolsfree]

Thanks for posting  Natti_amusements!  Welcome to the forum. I do think you are our first poster from Australia!!!

[grilled_cheese]

Quote

We have aloooooooot of parking

Riveting speech.  Up there with some of the greats.

[smeagolsfree]

This video was from November. I can confirm the exit 19 location is NOT one of the sites. Right now, there is no new news.

From what I understand there are 2 sites, now there could be 3, but I think only 2. 

[Natti_amusements]

Found an article from the Nashville Business Journal about a plan for townhouses to built in Lebanon, and it says that the proposed site for them boarders Storyville Gardens?! I wonder if developers or even Nashville Business Journal know something we don’t ?

Edited May 3, 2022 by Natti_amusements

[Luvemtall]

Thanks Natti_amusements, and a warm welcome. I to have seen this article, and wonder the same thoughts. I even heard the Mayor of Lebanon himself, say they are in negotiations and are planning on a incentives package. I just wish that they would come out and make a official statement about location, regardless of where it’s going . Of course I’m pushing for Lebanon, not only because it’s my community, but I do believe it’s a prime spot for visibility and access.

[donNdonelson2]

Just read news of a new theme park type attraction (from a company based in France) coming to the Sevier County area.

For some reason I’m unable to paste a link to the story, so I’ve attached a screenshot of the most basic elements of the story. I’m sure more details will be coming in the months ahead.

I wonder if this announcement will have any impact on the potential for Storyville Gardens chances of moving forward?

 

[Luvemtall]

Thanks donNdonelson, this project is right at the exit 407 , and will feature a massive Buc-cee’s gas station/ convenience store. The Puy du fou part will be a immersion feature telling the story of the Cherokee tribe. It will be a few larger buildings, but not really a “park” . Maybe will have a go cart track and similar as the rest of that area. I don’t think Storyville Gardens or Dollywood have anything to worry about.

[smeagolsfree]

Let's put it this way, when it comes to theme parks 75 million can be the price of a state-of-the-art coaster. So, it is a drop in the bucket as theme parks go.

[jjbradleyBrooklyn]

This is a much-needed development for that long-vacant land with premiere frontage, along I-40 and the exit to the Great Smoky Mountains Park and Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge.

This development will be a nice addition to the area. But I see it as a small attraction in the resort area of Sevierville/Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg, on the grand scale of tourism that the area sees overall each year.

Sort of looks like a  development similar to "The Island" in Pigeon Forge, off the parkway. A mini theme park with a few rides and shows and attractions. But not an attraction on the level of Dollywood--or Storyville Gardens either, or so it seems based off the initial plans.