Theme Park in Md Tn?

[smeagolsfree]

From Channel 5 this evening.

There is talk of a new mountain-themed amusement park in Middle Tennessee. A developer is looking in White, Van Buren , and Bledsoe County for a site to memorialize the Trails of Tear. The article also said it could employ up 2500 people. I think an amusement park would be great, but in reality I dont think this is the area for a park. I may be wrong, but you need a good infrastructure for such a park and I dont think it exists in those counties. They would need to rely a lot on tourist traffic from Nashville to make this happen and I think that may be to far out for a tourist to go to.

Not to knock the counties there, because it would be a great economic boost, but I have my doubts about it being a viable location. When Dollywood opened or rather Silver Dollar City, there was already a huge tourist base there because of Gatlinburg.

What do you all think?

[cheeriokid61]

Well, I honestly have no idea where those counties are. So, that can't be good.

[Hankster]

I would consider it extremely risky, considering that many amusement parks are having financial troubles. The best place in Middle Tennessee for an amusement park is clearly in the Nashville area.

[tombarnes]

Memorializing the Trail of Tears with an amusement park? I'm not sure I understand...

[Lexy]

Memorializing the Trail of Tears with an amusement park? I'm not sure I understand...

My thoughts exactly. The question is, why?

[jice]

It looks like the counties they're talking about are south of Cookeville, and north of Chattanooga. Kinda right in the middle of the triagle from Nashville to Chattanooga to Knoxville. But maybe that's the idea? Closer to Chattanooga than anybody i'd say... and it looks like at least 2 hours from Nash.

[satalac]

is it going to have a lot of long, slow and painful rides? an amusement park (think of the word amusement) memorializing (think of the word memorial) the trail of tears (think of a lot of native americans dying and heart broken). this sounds like a hoooooooooorible idea. i'm all for an amusement park, but something that will be close to nashville. oh and something that will actually be tasteful. if you want to memorialize something, build a museum. you don't see any roller coaster rides at pearl harbor do you? whoever thought up this idea is a jerk.

[it's just dave]

Probably just another in a long list of "what ifs."

I don't know where these counties are either. Might never.

[Rural King]

I have not idea if this is a good idea, the park idea is good, but I don't really understand the "Trail of Tears" part. I don't think those two items mesh well.

As for location it seems rather remote (is it bad or good I know these off the top of my head lol), but sitting between 3 of the 4 big cities of the state maybe is an idea that has legs. It would be a big boon for that region, and I'd be all for it if they went forward with the project.

[tombarnes]

They can't be serious about the Trail of Tears part....I hope. That would be beyond the pale.

[HABANERO7]

Here

[crabbj]

There was a rumor that Dollywood purchased a huge portion of land somewhere near Columbia or Mt. Pleasant about six months ago but not much has been discussed since. There's so much development going on in Spring Hill now it's keeping the amusement park buzz quiet.

[The Tot Pack]

Wow, thats sad that none of you know where those counties are. I live in Macon County, so I hear about them every now and then. But I agree, those counties wouldn't be able to withstand having a amusement park in their counties. Not just because they are small...but the fact they are in the middle of no where with little connection to the outside world. But thats my two cents.

[it's just dave]

Okay, now that the town names are added, I know exactly where these are...and absolutely love them. Not a bad drive from Nashville at all, but I'd hate to see that beautiful countryside all messed up with traffic and souvenir kiosks. Either put a park in an area already doomed for progress (like Spring Hill) or don't put one at all. We've sacrificed enough of this beautiful state already.

A park would be better anyway closer to Nashville. Visitors would need to stay 3-4 days to make sure they've spent ALL their money before going home. A rural park would promote mostly day trips fro surrounding areas and interest would be lost pretty soon.

[Rural King]

Hey welcome to the forum! Glad to have a new forumer from your neck of the woods!! Looking forward to seeing what all you have to say about whats going on in your part of the state and elsewhere.

Wow, thats sad that none of you know where those counties are. I live in Macon County, so I hear about them every now and then. But I agree, those counties wouldn't be able to withstand having a amusement park in their counties. Not just because they are small...but the fact they are in the middle of no where with little connection to the outside world. But thats my two cents.

Hey, a few of us knew!

[Justiceham]

They should put it in Murfreesboro off 840, plenty of land for that there and hell, ever since Opryland left I get tired of driving 4 hours to Sevier county for the same, if not better fun I could have right here in Middle TN.

[GoldRiver]

OK guys, I live in White County, so let me just say that a theme park here would do horrible. Sparta is growing, but not fast. It's a dinky little town full of rednecks. VanBuren county is trying to become a retirement area. It's beautiful up there, but there is nothing more in Spencer than a gas station, a small family restaurant, and a dollar store....literally that's all there is. Pikeville is in Bledsoe county, and it's not much better than Spencer. I could maybe see a theme park doing ok in Cookeville because it's growing so fast, but not in Sparta or Spencer....that's just crazy.

Also, a Trail of Tears theme park????? That's crazy!

I know someone on the Tribal Council in Cherokee, NC that told me firsthand that Disney had been talking with them about building a Native American themed Disney park in Cherokee, but after Sept. 11th, they backed off because of poor tourism.

[Hankster]

They should put it in Murfreesboro off 840, plenty of land for that there and hell, ever since Opryland left I get tired of driving 4 hours to Sevier county for the same, if not better fun I could have right here in Middle TN.

Rutherford County would be an excellent alternative to Nashville for a theme park, especially if it could be located near (within a few miles) the 840, I-24 Interchange.

[satalac]

they should think about putting it out there towards gladeville close to the superspeedway.

[L'burgnative]

They should put it in Murfreesboro off 840, plenty of land for that there and hell, ever since Opryland left I get tired of driving 4 hours to Sevier county for the same, if not better fun I could have right here in Middle TN.

That's what I was thinking; if they wanted to centrally locate between Nashville, Chattanooga and Knoxville even though it would favor to Nashville, but because of I-24 and

[flith]

I know that Rocky Mount, North Carolina is supposed to be getting a Native American Themed Amusement Park. It's kind of in the middle of nowhere also, except that I-95 runs through it and that Raleigh, NC is relatively close. To me a Native American Themed Park seems weird let alone a Trial of Tears Park.

[smeagolsfree]

I think the political correctness crowd will chime and and be outraged over it. They are the same ones that want to take all the Native American mascots from school teams. The reality is that the Native Americans don't mind when they are polled that schools use names such as the Indians or the Warriors. For this reason I wonder if that park or even this one would ever get off the ground.