the great wolf lodge is too close.

Damn, forgot about the Great Wolf in Canada....I still think it could work but I am no business major

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buffalo needs a niche product. something that isn't around that would be hit and hit hard. then expand from that.

this is why i think a bass pro or cabelas is best. they employ hundreds of people each, millions of people go every year, the outdoor resources are available, and they are a safe bet. once that store gets going, add on shops, hotels, maybe a resort, restaurants, etc.

they need a cornerstone on the waterfront first.

The indoor waterpark at Niagara Falls closed down, I don't think one would survive here with less tourism.

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mechaphil

That model worked perfectly for Oklahoma City with Bass Pro. The revenue that store created along with upped taxes for five years generated the money needed for them to kick start Bricktown and their entire downtown area, and it's beautiful and full of people after being a wasteland for years.

I still think there should be communication between Buffalo and OKC leaders. Buffalo's present and OKC's recent past are the same.

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Miles to go before I sleep

‎"Love knows not its own depth until the hour of separation."
-Khalil Gibran

When did they close because they're still accepting reservations and have an active website for the resort
http://www.greatwolf.com/niagara/waterpark

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Hmm I remember reading a news article (don't know where, but it was a WNY paper or Southern Ontario paper) about how the park is closed and the former owner of the land is suing First Nation people because they siezed the property as eminent domain even though it isn't. It could very well be a different park, though.

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mechaphil

So much for the whole, too close stuff. Here is another indoor water park in Niagara Falls http://www.fallsviewwaterpark.com/index.php.....Well my idea has just been shot to shit by Canada.....Bastards!!!

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I've been a proponent for the indoor waterpark for awhile. It would have worked better before the one in Erie was built, but it can still work.

Great Wolf is in Niagara Falls, Canada. Crossing the border can be a hassle for a lot of people, plus Buffalo is closer than Niagara Falls for almost everyone in the US.

But it would have to be done right. If it wasn't better, it wouldn't work.

Splash Lagoon in Erie is also fairly close. That would be the main concern for me. But I don't think there's a reason two indoor waterparks within 90 minutes of each other cannot be successful. We would have to do it right though - and offer more than just a waterpark. Something that brings people here instead of there.

It's got great potential, if done correctly. If not done correctly, it could very easily fail.

i think it is. we also have darien lake, so take away their summer business.

Yea I think the indoor waterpark wouldn't do well except in the winter. But in the winter, oh how it'd do well.

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mechaphil

Like I said, there is a second indoor water park in Niagara Falls, CA. I also think the hassle for crossing the border would make it viable, even with Darien Lake. The winter business alone would keep things rolling

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Darien Lake's waterpark is crap. OK, it's better this year. They are making an effort to make it enjoyable and have added considerable attractions. But it's still nothing like a dedicated waterpark could be.

Plus, Darien Lake's waterpark gets heavy use for what, three months of the year?

People are going to Darien Lake not for the waterpark, but for the rest of the attractions. They'll go there anyway. People looking for a waterpark will look elsewhere.

i think a waterpark would fail miserably. it costs too much to run and maintain and buffalo is poorer than shit

There used to be this nice waterpark in the area called Niagara Splash...I'm pretty sure it's a casino parking lot now.

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Hold my beer and watch this...

It's not even that. It's just an empty lot.

Awesome.
I remember when it opened...it was a pretty nice place.

If I were a businessman, I'd avoid anything seasonal.
There is a year round tourist draw to the region, Canada knows how to exploit that fact.

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Hold my beer and watch this...

But you're trying to attract not just people from the area but your trying to draw people in from OUT of the area. You want to make the area a tourist destination, not just a local hangout.....

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i know, but i don't think buffalo has enough support to draw people in from anywhere.

The only support that is lacking is from the area leaders....Everyone else wants to see this area thrive as tourist draw.

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