Proposed $40M western theme park could energize Deadwood and Black Hills economy

[TexasTowelie]

DEADWOOD | Labeled a potential “game-changer” for this Northern Hills tourist town, a proposed $40 million western-style theme park could attract thousands of new visitors to the Black Hills and give them a reason to stay even longer, project backers say.

According to preliminary plans, put forward by a group investors with possible guidance from industry experts, the proposed “Gold Nugget Theme Park” attraction would be a multi-use theme park and historical venue that could open in 2019 and be located off U.S. Highway 85 near The Lodge at Deadwood, or at a tract of open land in Whitewood Canyon.

Deadwood Mayor Chuck Turbiville said Friday he was excited to learn more about the project at an upcoming public meeting set for July 18 in Deadwood.

“This could be a major game-changer for not only Deadwood, but for the entire Northern Hills,” Turbiville said.

Read more: http://rapidcityjournal.com/news/local/proposed-m-western-theme-park-could-energize-deadwood-and-black/article_20cc848e-ff11-509c-b223-70264f160196.html

[raven mad]

1. I kind of hope so -

my bestest (BFF) ever lives at Wounded Knee and is an incredible beader, using natural stone (yep, makes her own beads), quills, shed bird feathers, etc. The economy really needs a good kick in the pants.

Oh, I've been through your state - on a motorcycle - and I have NEVER met better people, and the scenery is just incredible. Most Alaskans (and I do NOT count Sarah Palin as one) think we've got "scenery" down pat - but probably have never had an antelope and small bull playing butt heads in the Black Hills at 7:30 a.m. with a great cup of coffee from a local diner there!

[TexasTowelie]

2. A project of that nature would certainly help

the local economy with construction jobs and the showing of arts and crafts. People in the city do not understand the impact that the projects have locally including convenience stores, restaurants and hotels. The locals such as your BFF will likely benefit also.

[raven mad]

3. I'm sending her the link.

She isn't a DUer yet (note the qualifier!) but if you find a post by Valery Amber Brown Eyes - and see some incredible bead work - that's my gal!

[TexasTowelie]

4. I'll keep my eyes open.

I'm going to be retiring from MIRT soon, so I hope that if any new members see this post they will take in consideration that you brought her here instead of considering her as a spammer.

[exboyfil]

5. So is this any better than

Disney Williamsburg. Isn't it a "commercial blitzkrieg".

Opposition & Project Abandonment
Public support, especially from the historian community, was mixed. Historian David McCullough described it as a "commercial blitzkrieg"[7] while some 3,000 protestors staged a march against the park in mid-September 1994.[8] By the time Disney withdrew the project in 1994, the New York Times could report that Disney "made it clear in a statement that the company had bowed to a torrent of criticism, in part out of a fear that opposition could delay the project."[3] Ironically, the land slated for the proposed park has instead become tens of thousands of single and multi-family homesites in the Dominion Valley and Piedmont housing developments.

[TexasTowelie]

6. Well, considering that one of the other options was for a golf course.

Rensch said the partnership had explored purchase of two possible sites for the theme park, including a parcel his company owns off U.S. Highway 85 near The Lodge at Deadwood, and a tract in Whitewood Canyon where actor Kevin Costner had intended to build a championship golf course linked to his ill-fated Dunbar Resort.

I suspect that first piece of property was already zoned as commercial property since it is on highway frontage. The second idea didn't pan out so if the residents want it there and the partnership can come up with the capital and marketing strategy to promote it let them. There will always be other developers there to construct residential property if the project succeeds. I doubt that many of the people there will consider it to be a commercial blitzkrieg except for the people that never want anything to change.

Trying to compare two projects a thousand miles away and more than likely of a different scale of development probably isn't a worthwhile endeavor. There are already plenty of historical attractions in the area around Williamsburg while there is nothing similar in that area of South Dakota.