"Sam, some of us remember a time, not so long ago, when GSO was the second-largest city in NC and a leader in arts, industry, and quality of life, and we see no reason to adopt a declinist attitude and embrace of mediocrity."
So to do this, Mr Cone endorses an at best, mediocre, and most likely improbable attempt at economic development when even one of GPAC's biggest supporters and Mr Cone's close friend, Professor Andrew Brod has publicly admitted that a Greensboro aquarium would have a far greater positive economic impact on the City of Greensboro and the State of North Carolina as a whole.
"An economic impact study conducted by Dr. Andrew Brod of the UNCG Center for Business Research and Development concluded that the NSC project will create $20 million dollars of positive economic impact annually and support 253 jobs." --Gary Brown
"An economic impact study indicates that the new facility could bring in $15 to 25 million per year through tourism and staffing." Construction Equipment Guide
"The Grassroots Science Museums Collaborative is partnering with Commerce to expand on the museums' estimated $100 million combined economic impact." --CDN.NCscience.org
"If there are 33 venues covered that the Collaborative says creates $100 million impact, including Greensboro's natural Science Center, the new Aquarium has been reported to have 20% of the economic impact over and above the economic impact already generated of all 33 of the other venues listed.
WOW.
In fact, according to AMS's $7 million economic impact estimate, the GPAC will have $13 million less economic impact than the new Aquarium even though they plan to have 300,000 paying patrons through the doors each year spending at least $100 for every two patrons." -George Hartzman
And remember folks, the numbers being quoted above are for the tiny Natural Science Center aquarium. Imagine if we got together and pitched a real economic development project like a world class Downtown Greensboro Aquarium?
Now why do you reckon people like Ed Cone are against a downtown Greensboro Aquarium that compliments instead of competes with the Natural Science Center Aquarium? Could it be because no one cut them in on the deal?
And Sam, Ed forgot to mention the fact that Raleigh edged out Greensboro for the #2 spot with the support gobs and gobs of tax dollars from the entire state of North Carolina. Ed forgets lots of important details like that when he's trying to get his way.
Update: The next day Ed Cone adds: "Adding to my own comment about not accepting declinism as GSO's philosophy...that doesn't mean any given project is worth doing, or that real estate promotions should not be viewed with a gimlet eye, or that GSO should not have as its goal being the best possible GSO instead of some other place."
Spineless, as usual.
