I agree with Chuck and was going to make the following comment before Chuck
beat me to the punch. Yesterday, in Tim Nelson's article in the P.P., Kelly
refers to the Submarine at Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry and the USS
Constellation in Baltimore's Inner Harbor. If Kelly was actually there, he must
have been walking around with his eyes closed, for he appears to have missed
the forest for the trees..
First, the captured German submarine in Chicago, is but one of dozens, if not
hundreds of exhibits at the Museum of Science and Industry.
http://www.msichicago.org/
It does not stand alone. In addition to the Museum of Science and Industry,
there is also the Art Institute http://www.artic.edu/, the FIELD MUSEUM OF
NATURAL HISTORY, the SHEDD AQUARIUM and a dozen other attractions in downtown
Chicago.
In Baltimore's Inner Harbor, http://www.baltimore.to/baltimore.html there is
not only the USS Constellation
http://www.baltimore.to/Constellation/index.html, but an aquarium, a civil war
museum, 4 other ships and many other attractions, including more restaurants
than one can count.
Like so much else Kelly appears to have a one dimensional view and appears to
be floating the idea as another election year gambit.
Dann Dobson
Summit Hill - Saint Paul
[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
In a message dated 2/4/2005 8:48:19 AM Eastern Standard Time, "Mike Fratto"
writes:
>In many communities, the revival of the downtown area was driven bythe
>strategic placement of public attractions.
>
Name one. I spent eight years as the aide to the City Council Member
representing downtown St Paul and I can tell you one truth. Every successful
downtown in the nation if not the planet is successful when it has established
a minimum number of people who LIVE downtown. It is then and only then that
night life becomes successful. You may be able to bring people in to see an
attraction but the bars and restaurants that you want them to go to will only
be successful if there is a stable customer group who frequents them when your
attraction is dark.
So, current example and learning experience. Which restaurants near the civic
center are still doing OK (not gang busters but holding their own) with the
Wild dark and while other restaurants are about ready to go belly up?
If you answered the Downtowner, Cossetta's and McGovern's as businesses who
bring in return customers you'd be correct. These businesses grew with the
Irvine Park neighborhood and established themselves as a part of Downtown/West
Seventh community. Whereas the Eagle Street Grill has been on TV crying about
how bad business is. You remember them they were one of the bars that prided
themselves on smelling like an ash tray and catering to clients who were trying
to throw down a sandwich and as many beers as possible before the puck dropped.
"I have to have smoking or I'll lose all my business," looks like he lost it
all anyway...
So, attractions are nice, and we should pick and chose which one's we want to
invest in, but always remember we have to figure out how to get people to live
there if we want any place fun to go after we visit the attraction.
Just My Opinion Not Those Of My Employer Past Present Or Future
Chuck Repke
W. 7th
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