Tidbits from Pollard on Tonight's Radio Show

[JP4CY]

Scheman has year round traffic.

A LOT of weddings in Ames would utilize this.

 

[FallOf81]

look at the title town distric in Green Bay. That is what he is going for. To me, it makes a lot of sense.

Add shopping, restaurants, increase shows / concerts at hilton, create opportunities for more events and entertainment to increase exposure for ISU sports, make ames a year round destination for fans.

Green Bay is just over 100k people, ames is just under 70k.. about 40k difference - des moines, ankeny are not that far away. I think you attract people to campus year round, schedule multiple sporting events + other events over a 2-3 day period and make Ames a destination for sports fans across the state.

They need to be creative to increase exposure and revenues. NFL teams are doing this around their stadiums. I visited Title Town in the off season - it's awesome - shopping, restaurants, breweries, year round activities, huge park, full size football field anyone can play on, sledding hill, skating rink, etc. etc. etc.

OK thanks for the info. I'm on a steep learning curve with this.

 

[Frak]

Cytown needs to start small. Hotel, brewery/resteraunt. Bar and grill with a large beer garden space for game days and a place for game watches for away games, and an area for venders and corporate tailgates during football games. Add on piece by piece depending on need after that, following a master plan. A hotel an a restaraunt would not fail there. Start with the sure things.

Here's my opinion: It COULD work. But as it is right now, we have a town that has 4-5 real commercial areas scattered around town. You're not going to draw people there just by having a few different restaurants or bars than what is on Duff or Main St. Obviously the first step was to clear out the RVs and build the bridge and they successfully did that. The next step is building a hotel and expanding Scheman so that they can host conferences. Then you have a captive audience more than the 25 days a year where there is FB/MBB games. It would also help if they renovated Hilton and Stephens so they could host more concerts/events. Once you have those things in place, maybe you have something going on there 100 days a year instead of 25 and then you have something.

 

[fcclone]

I don't think many here including myself doubt his development based on history, but if this is being built to keep Campbell here then we are F'd

Athletic Department is only one part of Cytown. They are trying to generate revenue from the other attractions as well. I’m guessing they want to expand the revenue from their partnership with the arts.

 

[CyCrazy]

North Ames has grown a ton and even we cannot sustain the 5 restaurants that exist in somerset. A decent Italian place that was one of the only games in town shut down, granted partly due to COVID, but brick city who took over the location feels like it’s on the ropes.

Probably because the owner is an ahole and doesnt pay his bills. I did landscape work for him and i had to go to Brick City and watch him make me out a check.

 

[carvers4math]

The hotel would be great to stay at for the All-State Music Festival. We have had some pretty late nights going home just from ISU band concerts too.

 

[alarson]

Athletic Department is only one part of Cytown. They are trying to generate revenue from the other attractions as well. I’m guessing they want to expand the revenue from their partnership with the arts.

My guess is that people need to think less "power and light" and more "district at prairie trail". Sure, there will be some bars\restaurants. But there will be also businesses that have little to do with athletics.

 

[cyclone87]

Here's my opinion: It COULD work. But as it is right now, we have a town that has 4-5 real commercial areas scattered around town. You're not going to draw people there just by having a few different restaurants or bars than what is on Duff or Main St. Obviously the first step was to clear out the RVs and build the bridge and they successfully did that. The next step is building a hotel and expanding Scheman so that they can host conferences. Then you have a captive audience more than the 25 days a year where there is FB/MBB games. It would also help if they renovated Hilton and Stephens so they could host more concerts/events. Once you have those things in place, maybe you have something going on there 100 days a year instead of 25 and then you have something.

Those are in the works within the next two years

 

[JP4CY]

The hotel would be great to stay at for the All-State Music Festival. We have had some pretty late nights going home just from ISU band concerts too.

Iowa games, Odyssey of the Mind, FFA, weddings. Lots of uses.

 

[3TrueFans]

My guess is that people need to think less "power and light" and more "district at prairie trail". Sure, there will be some bars\restaurants. But there will be also businesses that have little to do with athletics.

3 cell phone stores minimum.

 

[BCClone]

Iowa games, Odyssey of the Mind, FFA, weddings. Lots of uses.

CY can get back to plays and mid sized conferences. Hilton was a concert hub in my college days. Find a couple things like you mentioned of the FFA state conference and such.

 

[fcclone]

My guess is that people need to think less "power and light" and more "district at prairie trail". Sure, there will be some bars\restaurants. But there will be also businesses that have little to do with athletics.

As sports fans we are not looking at the big picture.

 

[cykadelic2]

Scheman has year round traffic.

Enough to consistently sustain CyTown businesses during the spring and summer? I doubt that.

 

[06_CY]

Maybe Lumpy's could re-emerge in a Cytown location.

Please let this happen. Even at (near) 40, I want this to happen.

 

[KnappShack]

Can we crowd source People's back into existence.

I used to dig the Cyclone Burger and underage drinking.

 

[carvers4math]

Iowa games, Odyssey of the Mind, FFA, weddings. Lots of uses.

One of my nieces had reception at Alumni Center and we drove some inebriated guests down to Gateway after. This would be easy walk from Alumni Center events too. Also nice place to stay for parents going to orientation

 

[NWICY]

So it sounds like the PAC will stay together with a crappy tv deal. I wonder if the Big 12 overplayed their hand by being too aggressive?

I have a hard time believing we were overly aggressive.

 

[JP4CY]

One of my nieces had reception at Alumni Center and we drove some inebriated guests down to Gateway after. This would be easy walk from Alumni Center events too. Also nice place to stay for parents going to orientation

I've been to receptions at MU, Alumni, Schuman. They could have all used this.
I remember going to a reception at the old Hickory Hall (Hunky Dorys) and my wife was talking about how it felt like the Midieval Times with the stadium seating but also couldn't get over the fact there was giant ******* plastic palm trees.

 

[BCClone]

Enough to consistently sustain CyTown businesses during the spring and summer? I doubt that.

There are non stop different banker conferences and classes there. Continuing Ed for all kinds of teachers, ag professionals, consultants that I know of. Guessing there are other ones also.

 

[NWICY]

North Ames has grown a ton and even we cannot sustain the 5 restaurants that exist in somerset. A decent Italian place that was one of the only games in town shut down, granted partly due to COVID, but brick city who took over the location feels like it’s on the ropes.

Wait! Brick City isn't doing well? That sucks their food is pretty solid. I mean it's burgers but it's fairly priced, ok portions and decent service whenever I've been there.