Grayling theme park looking to purchase state land

The past two years have seen much ado about, well, nothing so far in the case of the proposed $161 million theme park near Grayling. The next hurdle needing to be crossed is the proposed $5.2 million dollar sale of 1,700 acres of state-owned land. It looks like the July 10 Michigan Natural Resources Commission meeting in Munising will decide if the sale will go through. If approved at that meeting, the final approval (don't you love how many layers government has?) could happen as early as August.

Much has been said both for and against this proposed theme park, but with the price of gas how far away will folks drive for this amusement park? Sure, in-state folks will probably check it out rather than driving all the way to Cedar Point in Sandusky, OH, but will there be enough of a draw to make this pay?

Any thoughts?

Grayling Amusement Park to have 'Main Street America' theme

I have previously posted on the possibility of an amusement park coming to Grayling in March and last July. The newest plans to come forth from the park's potential builder, Axiom Entertainment, sound rather ambitious (to put it mildly). The idea for the overall theme of the park is 'Main Street America'. Plans for the 1,800 acre site include:

• Roller Coasters (can't be an amusement park without 'em, right?)
• Water Park (not sure if this is strictly outdoor, indoor, or a combination)
• Indoor Surfing
• Snowmobile Tracks
• Race Car Tracks
• Snowboarding
• A Working Farm
• 200 Acre Campground
• Amphitheater
• Hotel
• Shopping

Construction could begin this year with a partial park opening in the summer of 2010, local officials said.

Here are the comments folks left when I first posted about this potential park last July. What a bad idea!!! If it comes, I,m leaving for good. Grayling is an old fashion, trusting kind of town. This park will bring all kinds of scum and crooks. Grayling will never be the same. - Tammie Might be the only thing to improve the job oppotunities in this part of the state, everyone else seems to be leaving. - CDM I think it’s an awsome idea!!! can’t and you wont please everyone =) that’s what makes politics so fun! - Rick

Well, last I knew, Crawford County, where Grayling is located, was the poorest county in the state. That was some time ago and over the years it doesn’t seem to have changed much. It would certainly bring much needed money into the area.

Since it is straight up the !-75 corridor, it would be an easy jaunt. It would bring more tourists to the area. Not only would Grayling benefit but so would other towns that surround it. The motels would be full. The restaurants packed. But Grayling, at this point, does not have an abundance of either. Much less gas stations and supermarkets. And Grayling offers nothing in the way of shopping so they would eventually have to deal with that aspect as well.

It will cause the town to take pause and consider hiring more law enforcement as well. There are numerous things they will have to take into consideration.

What I don’t understand is how are they going to keep that park open year round, with the winters we have in the area? It’ll be interesting to see how it all unfolds. Needless to say, there is going to be even more rif raf coming into the area and overflowing into the surrounding towns as well. Just what we all want to deal with. Yea! - Binky

It will be interesting to see how this all plays out. Will the park be built? Will it draw enough tourists to stay in business? Will it help improve the Grayling economy?

We'll just have to wait and see.

Via the Traverse City Record Eagle

Will a Grayling amusement park take the state for a ride?

Back in July of 2006 I wrote about a possible amusement park being built in Grayling. I found an interesting article written by Diane S. Katz and James M. Hohman for the Mackinaw Center for Public Policy that debates the merits of our state subsidizing such things as amusement parks. Axiom Entertainment, the force behind the proposed amusement park, is seeking $25 million in infrastructure improvements from the state. For your viewing pleasure, take a look at their breakdown of Michigan's crummy track record with subsidizing entertainment venues:

• Some $35 million in local, state and federal funds was invested in Auto World, a seven-acre theme park in downtown Flint. The park, which opened in 1984, was supposed to draw 900,000 visitors annually and revive the beleaguered city. It closed after only two years.
• Construction of Cereal City USA, in downtown Battle Creek, was made possible by a loan of $900,000 from the state that was secured by the city. The attraction, which opened in 1998, was billed as "a land of wonderful, interactive experiences and entertainment for the entire family, as they explore the birth, development and global impact of the cereal industry." Officials estimated that the park would draw 400,000 visitors annually, but it was shuttered in January 2007 after years of dismal attendance.
• The Kalamazoo Aviation History Museum secured a $3 million state grant to launch construction of an aviation theme park. The attraction was touted as "a centerpiece for economic development and tourism in southwestern Michigan," and local officials hoped that the state would finance half of the $80 million construction cost. A 25 percent hike in the local hotel tax also was considered. Ultimately, the grant money was returned to the state after the project was scaled back for lack of support.
• The city of Pontiac invested $55.7 million to build the Silverdome in 1975. The Detroit Lions relocated to Detroit’s Ford Field in 2002. Although the team paid the city $26 million for breaking its contract, Pontiac continues to incur a hefty deficit in maintaining the 127-acre site.

Our state doesn't have the funds to be throwing money around subsidizing entertainment venues that in reality produce very few actual jobs. If state lawmakers are truly looking for areas in the state budget to make cuts - this should be one of them.

Read the very interesting article in it's entirety at Mackinac.org.