It’s counter to nearly every other similar college town you’ll find. Hopefully that generation of thinking in Ames is over. But I’m guessing there is still a powerful bloc that will continue to protect their exploitation.
Pollard: big announcement coming soon
- Thread starter JP4CY
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To me this just adds to the merging of the DSM metro and Ames that is inevitably going to happen (and is already occurring). ISU is going to be a huge school soon (I’m thinking like a MSU level population). If the athletics programs expansion continues and the population explosion continues around DSM this just helps to cement ISU as the metro’s school going forward. I envision an OKC/Norman type relationship.
The hotel and expanded Schemen has been a goal for a long time. Back in 2012 the plan was to locate it in the space just west of Fisher and Stephens. Also, I believe the new RV area will be just east of the intramural fields. It will be interesting to see the concepts that come out of this study. I will hold any critiques until I actually see a plan. It will be interesting to see how they deal with flooding and displaced parking.
Pretty sure the restaurants exist because of the university... not because the restaurant chooses to serve the university. If they don't like it pack up and set up shop in Boone instead.
There will be plenty of business to go around.
Bumping since people keep thinking this project will take away all of the parking. It will take away 1 lot, maybe 2 at the very most.I mean, even if you built something as large as power and light, if you actually look at the scale of our parking lots it would take away a single lot.
"Tail wagging the dog" suggests some kind of outsized influence relative to their size or importance. It isn't the restaurants and bars voting down convention center space and wellness centers for Ames. Those are citizens expressing their preferences. It's not hard to imagine they might resist something like this too, and put pressure on political leadership to resist it as well. (Obviously ISU anticipates that as city leaders are included on this working group.)
To be clear, I'm not opposed to this at all. I barley know anything about it. I'm just trying to analyze the lay of the land politically.
Weddings, Iowa games, fundraising, graduation events, concerts, class reunions, corporate events.
I think most people would be surprised at the number summertime events at the Union, Alumni Center, Reiman, Scheman, etc and this could really supplement that.
They mention relocating the commuter lot and if you look at a map I'm wondering if they're just talking about using the area where the A and B lots are and leaving the C lots for parking. There's plenty of room to develop using just the A and B lots.
You are aware there are many commercial businesses in Ames year-round? This just has to be better than others, none of which would have game days and other events to anchor them.
It’s relative. Ames has less people, but also less competition. Like the Packers, it also has a residential customer base and out-of-town pull that few startup restaurant/bars have. I agree, if you add a smaller P/L entertainment area at ISC, not all current Ames businesses will make it. That no doubt it is concerning those with current investments on places like Duff.
What’s a good location changes is cities. Several similar projects dispute the claim no chain will move off the beaten path. That’s largely the thing with these projects, when you do these things you create a beaten path at the expense of an existing one. Like I said before, to do this would take investment and coordination between the AD, university, and city that exists in college towns like Ames, but rarely in Ames.
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Honestly this sounds like a great idea and I’m excited for it.
In any event, it's going to take some time, maybe 5-10 years. In the meantime, they could start WW3 and the whole place gets leveled. Then we could start over and really make it perfect!
Except as the one who posted that, the ISU release seems grander in scale than what I posted.
Siding with anything other than what ISU deems beneficial is an outsized influence relative to their size and importance.
Are you new to small town politics, particularly Ames? A small minority of citizens, often with special interests, generally shapes “preference”. It’s not hard to imagine those facing competition in exploiting the fact ISU is what brings money to Ames would resist this.
Yeah I see what you mean. Let's hope we see some designs soon because I would think JP of all people would know you do not want to cannibalize what created the Iowa State Football fan culture, ISU tailgating.
Agree....the core of the PL district (open area with teh businesses facing in) isn't that big...you could essentially take one of the lots that runs on the East side and convert (or do it to a center based one)......tons of parking still for events and for this district. LOVE the way JP thinks...this is one of those "next level" opportunities....(as we all know our campus town lacks flare now)
If I'm reading correctly, there are fans that want a bigger pressbox instead of an entertainment district? Woof.
Make Stephens Great Again!
Used to have interest in 5+ shows a year. Now I’m lucky if there is 1
Used to have interest in 5+ shows a year. Now I’m lucky if there is 1
Clyde's was a sports-bar type place (though without alcohol) when it first opened.
