 |
|||||
|
A zoo 1984: The genesis for Explore comes when Mill Mountain Zoo looks to expand and eyes the site of the regional landfill in eastern Roanoke County. There's talk of rhinos and elephants. A really big zoo 1985: The zoo idea evolves. Sensing an opportunity to creat a new exonomic development engine, a private foundation forms to promote the idea and hires Roanoke City Manager Bern Ewert to lead it. The new idea: the nation's premier zoo focusing solely on North American animals. In time, a state authority is set up to own the land. A Disney-sized theme park 1987: The master plan shows Explore as a Disney-scale entertainment park that depicts America's exploration of the frontier. The zoo remains, but now with a living-history theme park, plus 55,000 square feet of retail space, more than 300 hotel rooms, an IMAX theater, an amphitheater, a steam train and a log flume ride. Total cost: $185 million. Estimated draw: 1 million visitors per year. The state provides $5 million to buy 1,100 acres along the Roanoke River. Roanoke's own little Smithsonian 1990: As fund raising lags and controversy mounts, Explore emphasizes its environmental focus. An environmental research and conference center that would be "Roanoke's own little Smithsonian" and a world center for meetings on environmental policy is proposed. A frontier farm 1991: Amid fund-raising problems, the foundation declines to renew Ewert's contract and scales back its plans to focus on a frontier farm. More emphasis is put on recreational use such as biking, hiking and fishing. 1994: Explore Park opens with a re-created 18th century frontier farm and other buildings. Through the 1990s, other buildings are added, but tourism lags well below projections. Also, in 1994, when Disney's America project in Northern Virginia falls apart, there is a short-lived effort to get Disney to move to Explore. 2001: Roanoke County effectively takes over operation of Explore Park, though land remains owned by the state authority. A new deal 2005: The state board that oversees Explore considers a proposal from a Missouri businessman to lease Explore park for 50 years and conduct a marketing survy for possible development, including a water park, hotels, restaurants and retail development. |
|
