On 8/18/05 10:22 PM, "jerseyjohn99" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> A conversation in 2040: > "Grandpa, why is the NJ Music Hall of Fame on Exit 116 of the > Parkway?" > > "Well, Exit 116 is only 16 miles away from the Parkway Exit to > Asbury Park, where Bruce Springsteen had his big break. And as a > matter of fact, there are plenty of things to do on Exit 116. Why, > you can visit the Vietnam Veteran Memorial, where your great grandpa > gave his life for a meaningless war in the '60s. Holmdel is actually a great example. I bet there are a TON of people who hate the fact that the Arts Center is located there; thereby giving their town an identity different from an "upscale, quiet residential town". However, it produces revenue for the area. There are no plans to try setting up the Hall of Fame outside of Asbury Park, but you've gotta question the future if everybody seems so keen on having Asbury abandon its international outlook. I understand that the original plans were skewed towards residential, but it looked like they were also begrudgingly offering tourism for the area as well. Maybe I was dead wrong on that account. It sure seems like tourism has no place in Asbury's future plans right now. The funny thing is that there are plenty of people in City Hall who fight tooth and nail every week in an effort to bring Asbury back to its former prominence. I just can't understand why a town that has the chance to be something big would rather blend in with its neighbors as just another town. Maybe I'm missing something, but if I was Bradley Beach and I knew that there was an angle which would make tourism skyrocket in the town - I'd do it in a heartbeat. The town would gain revenues that just don't exist in residential areas - ESPECIALLY residential areas along the shore where at least half of the people abandon the town during the offseason, which just happens to be most of the year. People talk about the shopping mall aspect. We have a nice mall in Monmouth Mall just down the road, upscale shopping villages in Red Bank, Shrewsbury, Sea Girt; and another big mall in nearby Freehold. Why would a new shopping mall stand a chance when a place like the Seaview Square Mall couldn't handle the competition? > Lighty, don't give up the good fight. I'm actually involved with an > organization looking to relocate the College Football Hall of Fame > to New Brunswick from South Bend, IN. (Did you know, the first > college football game was held in New Brunswick, between Rutgers & > Princeton?) The State wants to put it on a Turnpike Rest Stop. The > committee has agreed that the CFHOF is better off starving in South > Bend than thriving on Exit 8A. But, then again, some people are more > concerned about how they can get ahead than what their grandkids > would want when their grandparents are worm food. As a die-hard RU football fan (yes, there are some of us here in Monmouth County who support the team) I would love to see it happen. I doubt the Fighting Irish alumni will make the process any easier for you. But maybe that's my problem - I'm an optimist. I believe RU will win another meaningful football game in my lifetime. And I believe Asbury Park can become the greatest tourist attraction in New Jersey and possibly the northeast. These things may seem far-fetched, but I'm also a die-hard NY Rangers fan... And we did win it all in '94. So dreams can come true. ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Get fast access to your favorite Yahoo! Groups. Make Yahoo! your home page http://us.click.yahoo.com/dpRU5A/wUILAA/yQLSAA/Y2tolB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AsburyPark/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
