Did covid kill the plans for the new entertainment district?

[CloneLawman]

I am starting to think you are Wintersteen's alt on here.

You post here like Henry V and Paul Muad'Dib did walking in disguise to take the pulse of the common folk around the campfire and on the street, respectively.

I knew the Kwisatz Haderach. He was a good friend of mine. You, sir, are no Kwisatz Haderach. Maybe a mentat, though.

 

[Psyclone]

Hopefully. It was a waste of money to begin with.

Waste of money for who? Certainly not for Iowa State as it will require outside investors to get it built. A big reason for the vision is to create a new revenue stream for Iowa State athletics. Our revenue from tickets and donors is pretty much maxed out and doesn't have much more room for growth. The rapid growth of TV revenue may be slowing. To get where we want to be, we need to do something.

 

[ribsnwhiskey]

Hopefully. It was a waste of money to begin with.

Whose money?

 

[Sigmapolis]

I applaud the Dune reference.

Mood...? What has mood got to do with it?

You fight when the necessity arises -- no matter the mood.

Mood's a thing for cattle or making love or playing the baliset.

I knew the Kwisatz Haderach. He was a good friend of mine. You, sir, are no Kwisatz Haderach. Maybe a mentat, though.

The Baron Harkonnen has become a big hero on Arrakis with an all-time high popularity. Duke Leto, on the other hand, has fallen to his lowest-ever numbers.

SAD!

 

[cmjh10]

It will be interesting to see how the theater industry returns, and if it's changed at all. Theaters are effectively a middle man that is sort of antiquated in many regards. I don't think they're going away by any means, but streaming is definitely a legitimate alternate way to get a film out to an audience, and social distancing has shown that.

AMC theaters and some big movie company (Universal?) are in a big fight because of streaming new releases. Its already happening.

 

[WhoISthis]

With everything in the economy slowing down, i imagine it delayed it.

However, i think Pollard recognized a true opportunity with this commercial district. There really isnt much great open space for commercial development in Ames outside of somewhere on the fringes, and this chunk of land at the ISC is a great opportunity

Delay for sure. Unprecedented times for nearly anyone, on top of the existing uncertainties, but commercial real estate could be a bloodbath. People that would have at one time invested may not survive, or they could pickup existing developments at big discounts.

Imo one positive is that for projects of this scale to succeed, traffic disruption is needed. It needed people to stop going to their old places or routines. A reset of consumer spending habits may make this project more likely to succeed.

If this event does act as an accelerant to online learning decreasing those willing to attend college, the value of integrating P5 athletics into the college community is even greater imo. It’s one of the biggest means of product differentiation that ISU has. That’s big for ISU and Ames.

 

[mitchforcy]

It likely wasn't happening even if COVID didn't happen.

 

[Psyclone]

mo one positive is that for projects of this scale to succeed, traffic disruption is needed. It needed people to stop going to their old places or routines. A reset of consumer spending habits may make this project more likely to succeed.

The key to making this area go is the convention center. I assume the "district" won't happen without first having a hotel & convention center committment. That should be the traffic disrupter you are looking for.

 

[Cypow]

If this event does act as an accelerant to online learning decreasing those willing to attend college, the value of integrating P5 athletics into the college community is even greater imo. It’s one of the biggest means of product differentiation that ISU has. That’s big for ISU and Ames.

Interesting. Any thoughts on whether this project will be economically dilutive?

Something I find strange/unique about Ames is that, for a small city/large town, it is quite spread out, with multiple significant commercial districts. Would Ames be better off by investing more heavily in downtown, or could the new district really add value? I'm all for it, to be clear. Though I get the feeling it will be a ghost town in the winter months.

 

[CySmurf]

And you can't Cinema 5 and chill.

Some have tried I'm sure.

 

[WhoISthis]

The key to making this area go is the convention center. I assume the "district" won't happen without first having a hotel & convention center committment. That should be the traffic disrupter you are looking for.

That was the seed anyways. Just my opinion, but for this thing to work it needed scale of the size in which more than just convention and hotel would bring. It needs to be a pseudo planned community, imo, which are complex urban planning endeavors.

Interesting. Any thoughts on whether this project will be economically dilutive?

Something I find strange/unique about Ames is that, for a small city/large town, it is quite spread out, with multiple significant commercial districts. Would Ames be better off by investing more heavily in downtown, or could the new district really add value? I'm all for it, to be clear. Though I get the feeling it will be a ghost town in the winter months.

It most definitely would, although I do think it would also pull in new revenue to Ames and ISU.

Ames is better off investing in whatever benefits ISU growing it’s P5, major university offerings.

 

[ISUAgronomist]

It certainly killed the Hilton renovations.

 

[RonBurgundy]

It was likely five years out, no? Theatre is a tiny component. Hotel and convention center would be the anchor, along with bars and restaurants. Too early to tell, but possibly no impact.

 

[jdcyclone19]

It certainly killed the Hilton renovations.

Killed no. That project has already been approved. Delayed, probably but not killed yet.

 

[ISUAgronomist]

Killed no. That project has already been approved. Delayed, probably but not killed yet.

Good point. Hopefully it come with a new coach.

 

[awd4cy]

There’s a certain coaching contract that needs bought out first.

 

[Cycsk]

I also wonder about what will happen with the Lincoln Way project near downtown.

 

[Cycsk]

I am starting to think you are Wintersteen's alt on here.

You post here like Henry V and Paul Muad'Dib did walking in disguise to take the pulse of the common folk around the campfire and on the street, respectively.

You may be on to something. Cypow is not an ordinary poster. Came on very strong with high level university-related topics, particularly ones that will generate lots of local controversy.

Or maybe "Cypow" stands for Cyclone Prisoner of War! I think it may be a Hokeye grad who is stuck in Ames but wants to be in Iowa City.

 

[Cypow]

I also wonder about what will happen with the Lincoln Way project near downtown.

Good shout. I'd like to hear more about the hotel/apartment development. Did all the buildings get torn down to start building? Haven't heard an update on that project in ages.

 

[Dr.bannedman]

hopefully it was killed when they googled ames flood 2010