So, how about an Aquarium?

[MadVlad 1]

So, reading a story about the problems the Old State House has been having got me thinking. Oddly enough, it got me thinking about an Aquarium. The Old State House is in dire financial straights, I'm assuming from a mix of mis-management and lack of paying visitors. I'm thinking the Science Center will help with some visitors (maybe, maybe not), but what about that large, gaping lot across the street? Why not put an aquarium there? It's nice size for that type of thing. They could even be creative with the design. How about a 10 story, round building? As soon as you enter, you could take a conveyor belt that would wind you around the inside of the building. A really large tank in the middle that just rises and rises, spanning the height of the total exhibit. A nice mix of conveyor belts and escalators could move you from floor to floor. The outside of the circle could also be large tanks. Imagine dolphins, sharks, etc being able to swim in circles around the whole circumference of a building!! This type of thing, directly across the street from the Old State House would do a few things. It would create yet one more destination downtown, a destination that is close to the Convention Center drawing patrons from there. It would draw visitors across State House Square, perhaps boosting the total visitors to the Old State House too. It would fill an enormous void on Main St with a state-of-the-art building and attraction. It would also create foot traffic and patrons for all the shops along Asylum and Pratt Streets. Hey jcrc, imagine an Aquarium across the street!!

[beerbeer 6]

There is a terrific aquarium in Mystic. I don't think that we shuld build a competing aquarium in Hartford.

[uconn99 0]

Boston's aquarium has a similar design but not 10 floors.

I think the new science center should have some sort of dual admission for the center and the old state house, they need some kind of partnership. Maybe the wadsworth could join in as well. 1 day 3 building entry, 2 day, ect.....

[penetcostal_iglesia_faith 0]

I think traffic is good because it would make the downtown a bit like Manhattan

[mikel 0]

I think traffic is good because it would make the downtown a bit like Manhattan

[Luca Brasi 1]

That is a huge expense and many aquariums find it hard to be profitable. I don't know how easy it would be to sustain two entities let alone one.

Beerbeer is right. We shouldn't try to compete with Mystic Aquarium. The first design for Adriaen's Landing had an aquarium included in the design and it was removed for this reason. If I remember correctly, the aquarium was going to showcase solely the life from the Connecticut River which is kind of a cool concept, but would probably make for somewhat boring exhibitions.

[blink55184 0]

Like Manhattan? Were you high when you posted that?

Space needles...

More aquariums...

Zipcars....

I think the city should start by cleaning up a little, get some drugs and crime out. When it is cleaner, then talk about more new things like this.

Here comes the posts saying "crime is down from previous years..."

[penetcostal_iglesia_faith 0]

Like Manhattan? Were you high when you posted that?

Space needles...

More aquariums...

Zipcars....

I think the city should start by cleaning up a little, get some drugs and crime out. When it is cleaner, then talk about more new things like this.

Here comes the posts saying "crime is down from previous years..."

[MadVlad 1]

Like Manhattan? Were you high when you posted that?

Space needles...

More aquariums...

Zipcars....

I think the city should start by cleaning up a little, get some drugs and crime out. When it is cleaner, then talk about more new things like this.

Here comes the posts saying "crime is down from previous years..."

[HartfordTycoon 4]

Like Manhattan? Were you high when you posted that?

Space needles...

More aquariums...

Zipcars....

I think the city should start by cleaning up a little, get some drugs and crime out. When it is cleaner, then talk about more new things like this.

Here comes the posts saying "crime is down from previous years..."

[MadVlad 1]

I agree that priorities should be in that order, personally. Our definitions and perceptions may vary, but on this general premise I agree 100%. Clean streets and lower crime before lavish new extras. We need to finish the cake before we start icing it......

I also have misgivings about canabilizing Mystic Aquarium, however it's not like SE CT is not canabilizing us in some ways....

[Lowerdeck 0]

The city does need to address crime badly. There aren't too many parts of Hartford I'm willing to venture in to, fearing something gonna go down.

Once that happens, build an area to draw in a pro sports team. Too bad the Penguins are likely going to Kansas City.

[HartfordTycoon 4]

This thread isn't about setting up the city's priorities, it was me voicing an idea that randomly came to me, good or bad. We can all agree that the city needs to clean itself, and it's image, up a bit. I don't know about you, but in my opinion the wheels of progress can't stop because the city has had some shootings, or car break-ins. You guys have come up with some great points, which was the point of the post.

[robm324 0]

While I don't think an aquarium would be something I would add to downtown, it is this type of creative thinking that we need. To simply say, "We shouldn't focus on getting this type of development until priorities like crime are under control"...is completely stupid in my opinion. WE CAN economically develop and clean up streets at once. Not looking for and capitalizing on opportunities to develop is hurts the effort to clean up the streets, because economic development pays for clean streets.

Yes we should clean up streets, etc. No one disputes that. We can economically develop to attract more visitors downtown simultaneously.

[Lowerdeck 0]

An aquarium is something in the step in the right direction for something unique and different that some cities don't have... this state has two. No reason competing against Mystic (south and east), South Norwalk (south and west) and Boston (north and east)... especially if it's not as special and defining as those (Mystic and Boston at least).

Since ESPN is located in Connecticut, why not make Hartford something of a sports town? How exactly, I dunno. But make a bunch of sports themed attractions which would make people want to come to Hartford that normally wouldn't consider it tourist attraction.

[penetcostal_iglesia_faith 0]

Um hello! Manhattan has crime too, so stop act like you don't know that? I'm on the big thinking then the small

[blink55184 0]

WE CAN economically develop and clean up streets at once.

[HartfordTycoon 4]

An aquarium is something in the step in the right direction for something unique and different that some cities don't have... this state has two. No reason competing against Mystic (south and east), South Norwalk (south and west) and Boston (north and east)... especially if it's not as special and defining as those (Mystic and Boston at least).

Since ESPN is located in Connecticut, why not make Hartford something of a sports town? How exactly, I dunno. But make a bunch of sports themed attractions which would make people want to come to Hartford that normally wouldn't consider it tourist attraction.

[penetcostal_iglesia_faith 0]

Can we?! Then lets! If we can, why haven't we(or the city) yet?!

In alot of people's opinion, that should come before things like aquariums and other tourist attractions!

How about the safety and well being of the citizens of the city before we try to attract people from neighboring states to aquariums?!

You make no sense buddy. Write complete sentences so we can understand what you are trying to say.

[mikel 0]

Like Manhattan? Were you high when you posted that?

Space needles...

More aquariums...

Zipcars....

I think the city should start by cleaning up a little, get some drugs and crime out. When it is cleaner, then talk about more new things like this.

Here comes the posts saying "crime is down from previous years..."

[drc72 5]

You're right. Let's hold our breath and wait for things to get better first. Keep holding. Keep holding. Keep holding....

[JimSawhill 0]

So, reading a story about the problems the Old State House has been having got me thinking. Oddly enough, it got me thinking about an Aquarium. The Old State House is in dire financial straights, I'm assuming from a mix of mis-management and lack of paying visitors. I'm thinking the Science Center will help with some visitors (maybe, maybe not), but what about that large, gaping lot across the street? Why not put an aquarium there? It's nice size for that type of thing. They could even be creative with the design. How about a 10 story, round building? As soon as you enter, you could take a conveyor belt that would wind you around the inside of the building. A really large tank in the middle that just rises and rises, spanning the height of the total exhibit. A nice mix of conveyor belts and escalators could move you from floor to floor. The outside of the circle could also be large tanks. Imagine dolphins, sharks, etc being able to swim in circles around the whole circumference of a building!! This type of thing, directly across the street from the Old State House would do a few things. It would create yet one more destination downtown, a destination that is close to the Convention Center drawing patrons from there. It would draw visitors across State House Square, perhaps boosting the total visitors to the Old State House too. It would fill an enormous void on Main St with a state-of-the-art building and attraction. It would also create foot traffic and patrons for all the shops along Asylum and Pratt Streets. Hey jcrc, imagine an Aquarium across the street!!

[MadVlad 1]

MadVlad:

Great idea!! I would love to see the science center with the replica of Adrian Block's Onrust and the USS Hartford. I believe the Aqarium would be wonderful. I think the place should have sharks and whales also should have some salmon and shad tanks, too.

The Old state House is in financial trouble? I guess no one wants to see a two-headed goat anymore. I would love to see a new museum for the Edward King Museum - an unknown museum in East Hartford honoring the Tobacco and Aircraft industries. I would love to see the EKM on the riverbank.

JimS

[Lowerdeck 0]

Dee Snider had proposed putting a Heavy Metal Hall of Fame in Hartford, I guess it went the way of the Do Do Bird when he got fired from Radio 104....

[Theophrastus Bombastus 0]

How about a MUSEUM OF RISK? (Tying back to The Insurance Capital theme). Natural disasters, engineering disasters, Evel Kneivel, Lloyd's insuring J-Lo's booty, whatever. - Could be cool if done right.