Hopefully, they help each other, but as an Ames resident, I would hate to see the LIncoln Way/Main Street area lose a $100 million project because of this.
Pollard: big announcement coming soon
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Hopefully, they help each other, but as an Ames resident, I would hate to see the LIncoln Way/Main Street area lose a $100 million project because of this.
As an Ames resident, what is good for ISU is good for Ames.
Huh? Even if it chases away a $100 million development?
P.S. Like I said in an earlier post, I'm interested in hearing from the people behind the Lincoln Way/Main Street project. Maybe they think it will help them, but I doubt it.
Huh?You think the Iowa State development is free?
It should be well north of $100 million, so what does it matter if it’s ISU that benefits rather than Hunziker, again? In fact, better ISU than Hunziker.
Further, the ISU development will generate more revenue for the city by virtue of largely monetizing on visiting fans/convention goers.
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This entertainment district development would help make Ames more attractive as a whole, especially for the 25-40ish crowd I think (good for business in Ames in general). The Lincoln Way mixed use project near downtown would have been amazing in its original form with the bridge crossing and public ramp downtown. However, it wasn't possible due to land acquisition issues. I still think it can be a great project for the area, just getting more housing in that area would do wonders for Main Street. It will be interesting to see what the current proposal might be for the area as they are close to controlling a pretty good chuck of land now. Here is the latest from the Ames Tribune that mentions talks have slowed with the original developer, but they are still in contact: https://www.amestrib.com/news/20190...n-location-down-but-what8217s-next-is-unknown
Am I the only one who thinks this might not be as massive a hit as everyone seems to think?
I'm just wondering if this place can support itself with only 25k people with disposable income (non-students)? It'll be popular on saturday games (FB & BB) but I can't help but think it'll be pretty dead the other 6 days of the week.
I love the idea, the progressive nature, and the vision, but part of me wonders about the true viability of it. I'd hate for it to turn into a bunch of cheap mall storefronts.
I'm just wondering if this place can support itself with only 25k people with disposable income (non-students)? It'll be popular on saturday games (FB & BB) but I can't help but think it'll be pretty dead the other 6 days of the week.
I love the idea, the progressive nature, and the vision, but part of me wonders about the true viability of it. I'd hate for it to turn into a bunch of cheap mall storefronts.
A university town like Ames will never run out of meetings and conferences during the week to facilitate. If the goal is to bring in more of that, or larger groups, it is certainly possible and this will help for sure.
That said, my concern would be the management. JP can provide the vision to build it, maybe even get the kinds of tenants we'd want. But who will manage it and put the work into getting events there? Ames CVB?
It's going to need professional management to be successful.
Like most places that do well?
It will undoubtedly be less busy on weeknights, but that’s not really prohibitive. There are lot of successful developments that don’t have 6 or 7 weekends of 60k people, and 15-20 more events of 10k+. Fill in the rest with mixed use and it’ll be fine.
I do think they’ll need to have a football side that caters more to the massive numbers in the fall, and a much smaller hub near Hilton/Hotel for smaller traffic
I get the concern, but think there are enough events and conferences year round outside athletics at ISU and this could potentially help attract more. Also, I know it’s probably not too significant but Ames has a population of ~68,000 with an estimated 28,000 students living in town meaning the non-student population is higher than 25,000 (probably closer to 40,000). Story county has ~100,000 so the immediate area has a pretty decent population then add in adjoining Polk, Marshall, and Boone counties which all have significant populations if this becomes a destination. The amount of ISU fans within a 50 mile radius of Ames is also huge. I think it can be successful if done correctly (right scale, mix of tenants, and entertainment/amenities).
Also, my guess is a private developer will be involved in this so if they don’t think it will be successful/profitable I don’t think it will get built. I don’t think the AD will take all the risk of taking on this project themselves, building it and seeing what happens. I’m sure they’ll have it all hashed out.
You are correct. Pollard said on KXNO that this project would be leased to a developer who would build this project to the specifications Iowa State sets. If there is no developer, I highly doubt this project happens but I'm very optimistic due to reasons I put in another post. Long story short, the market is there in Ames for something like this so I have a good feeling this will happen.
And maybe the developer only develops/builds a smaller version to start with that can easily be added on to in the future.
I really don't see this thing drawing people from Polk County by itself. Sure, maybe they will go here instead of Duff or Main Street when they are in for a game, but nobody is diving up from the metro to hit this up for dinner and drinks.
You may be right, but what if it had something that draws people because it is not in DSM?
We go to Ames just to eat at Hickory Park sometimes and we have been doing that since we graduated in 1988. (We live in suburban DSM.)
So, maybe there are shops/venues that are specific to the new center...
I'm not from the Metro, but we would drive over to eat Dinner at one of the establishments. Especially when we are coming to basketball games.
