Weirs Beach Waterslide to be Torn Down

[pcmc]

Originally Posted by TiltonBB

So, don't complain, offer your solution!

Sorry if some are a repost.....a few thoughts that may bring interest back. Most are kid and adult oriented.

1.New updated drive in. (I think it should stay)
2.A long pier into the lake with attractions and access from a boat.
3.A large/ huge Farris wheel facing the lake.
4.Mini submarine tours(?).
5.Huge water slide into the lake.
6.Annual boat/ jet ski races of sorts.
7.Annual or multiple remote control boat races.
8.Annual or multiple remote control R/C car races.
9.Parasailing ( I wouldn't )
10.Car cruise nights at the weirs.
11.Boat ??? Cruise nights or mornings. (so to speak), never heard of one myself, such as a gathering of boaters like the car guys have C&C events ( cars and coffee). It seems it's always a free for all to get where your going by boat. Not an organized gathering to get a morning cup of joe and talk boats and such. I suppose docking is the #1 reason this doesn't happen.
12.Kids boat track...go-cart track on the water.
13.Surfing pool. Water is pumped up hill fast enough it keeps you stationary until you loose your balance, then it's bye bye swim trunks.
14.Wave pool
15.Six Flags Park near by.
16.Huge floating raft with water slides, and trampoline.
17.Bumper boats
18.Under water glass tunnel for walking with man made sunken artifacts placed around on the bottom that divers can investigate while observers in the tunnel can look on and watch the divers.
19.A replica Washington Monument for view seekers.
20.A dance hall for large get togethers.

Ok I'm rambling and pecking every thought that has bounced around in my head. These can get the ball rolling and everyone can feed off this.
PS. I would love to do some of these ideas if anyone would be interested in talking about them.

[TiltonBB]

Originally Posted by pcmc

Sorry if some are a repost.....a few thoughts that may bring interest back. Most are kid and adult oriented.

1.New updated drive in. (I think it should stay)
2.A long pier into the lake with attractions and access from a boat.
3.A large/ huge Farris wheel facing the lake.
4.Mini submarine tours(?).
5.Huge water slide into the lake.
6.Annual boat/ jet ski races of sorts.
7.Annual or multiple remote control boat races.
8.Annual or multiple remote control R/C car races.
9.Parasailing ( I wouldn't )
10.Car cruise nights at the weirs.
11.Boat ??? Cruise nights or mornings. (so to speak), never heard of one myself, such as a gathering of boaters like the car guys have C&C events ( cars and coffee). It seems it's always a free for all to get where your going by boat. Not an organized gathering to get a morning cup of joe and talk boats and such. I suppose docking is the #1 reason this doesn't happen.
12.Kids boat track...go-cart track on the water.
13.Surfing pool. Water is pumped up hill fast enough it keeps you stationary until you loose your balance, then it's bye bye swim trunks.
14.Wave pool
15.Six Flags Park near by.
16.Huge floating raft with water slides, and trampoline.
17.Bumper boats
18.Under water glass tunnel for walking with man made sunken artifacts placed around on the bottom that divers can investigate while observers in the tunnel can look on and watch the divers.
19.A replica Washington Monument for view seekers.
20.A dance hall for large get togethers.

Ok I'm rambling and pecking every thought that has bounced around in my head. These can get the ball rolling and everyone can feed off this.
PS. I would love to do some of these ideas if anyone would be interested in talking about them.

You have a lot of good summer ideas but I didn't see a solution to make the area, and the investment required, viable the other 9 months of the year. It is very difficult to support 12 months of debt on 3 months of income.

Since most families have children in school for 9 months of the year your target consumer is limited to people within about a 50 mile radius of Laconia who will only come on weekends. Many of them do not have the disposable income to support these ideas. As you reach farther south the income levels rise but so does the travel time which will again restrict the number of people willing and able to travel that far.

The area needs a 12 month solution in order to generate the income necessary to support the investment required for a substantial change.

[Happy Gourmand]

How about a casino within a hotel that could include some other attractions? I think the casino bill is coming up for another vote in NH. We were the 1st State in the country to approve a lottery, I believe. A casino seems like it could be a year round attraction that would bring in a lot of money into the area.

[pcmc]

Originally Posted by TiltonBB

You have a lot of good summer ideas but I didn't see a solution to make the area, and the investment required, viable the other 9 months of the year. It is very difficult to support 12 months of debt on 3 months of income.

Since most families have children in school for 9 months of the year your target consumer is limited to people within about a 50 mile radius of Laconia who will only come on weekends. Many of them do not have the disposable income to support these ideas. As you reach farther south the income levels rise but so does the travel time which will again restrict the number of people willing and able to travel that far.

The area needs a 12 month solution in order to generate the income necessary to support the investment required for a substantial change.

That's the million dollar question....The Solution with the game plan. I'm sorry I don't have it. That is responsibility of the state officials, imo. It won't be an over night repair. The first attraction will need to be built, draw some interest and drive the second attraction and so on and so on. I think the Fun Spot , the zip line place (can't remember the name, monkey something?) ect...are solid starts . The next improvement can't be 5-6 years from now, they need to keep upgrading and get people talking.

[RailroadJoe]

Thanks PCMC You are the first with a few solid ideas into solving some of the problems. Most complain, you provide answers. We use to say at work "don't give me problems, give me solutions".

[fatlazyless]

http://www.weirsbeach.com/Largejpgs/nhvahistory.html has been there since sometime like 1924, and will probably still be there in 2124. In 1924 the large Weirs Hotel on-site burnt to the ground.

They have a number of seasonal, un-heated historic buildings, plus a campground, and I could never figure out exactly what purpose these serve, what is their use and whether these civil war ear buildings are a plus or a minus for the Weirs area?

According to an article in the LaDaSun a couple years ago, the NH Veteran's Assoc pays no property taxes to Laconia and makes most of its yearly income during bike week, from rental income from the vender tents placed on the grassy embankment above the sidewalk, and the rental income gets used for building and property maintenance and repairs.

Are these old historic un-heated and presumably un-used buildings a historic benefit to the area, or are they an eyesore .......I dunno .....what do you think?? Whatever they may be ........they will most likely be there for many many years to come. Is the NH Veteran's Assoc historic buildings and campground a plus or a minus for the area?

Maybe the NH Veterans Assoc would be interested in removing all these old historic structures to a new location and replacing them with a brand new casino designed along a Civil War style design similar to these old buildings, and the casino employees could dress up like the soldiers who fought the Civil War in blue and grey uniforms. It could be an historical replica Civil War era waterfront casino .... and power-up the local economy....with a year round casino business.

[tis]

Very interesting that you brought that up, fll. I always wondered about those buildings too.

[jrc]

You also have to consider that some people don't want to change the Weirs. People may hate the traffic that bike week brings and think more attractions will just make more traffic.

Laconia has other issues beyond just The Weirs. Just like a lot of NH towns, they don't have a substantial industrial base to fuel the middle class. The lake brings money into the area which filters down from lake businesses to the rest of the town. There are few other business that actual bring money into the area.

Do this thought experiment, everyone living in Laconia is sending money out of town, very little food, electricity, gasoline or manufactured goods are made there. Where does that money come from? Lake tourists, and government payments, where else?

[Crusty]

Originally Posted by fatlazyless

...replacing them with a brand new casino designed along a Civil War style ... and power-up the local economy....with a year round casino business.

We got a similar line in Ohio and we now have 3 casinos draining money from the local economies.

To get the job done required amending the state constitution. This amendment included the number of casinos, the precise locations, exactly how and what would be taxed, and who got to own them (out of state "investors").

In Columbus, ours is located on an old manufacturing site in a somewhat blighted area. There was great excitement about how the casino would revitalize the area. --Not to mention the tax windfall.

Well, it's been a few years now and the roads and infrastructure have been updated (at taxpayer expense). Let's see how we did... First, the predicted tax revenue was quite a bit lower than anticipated. There was no "revitalization" of the area. In fact, casinos go to great lengths to ensure that, once you're on the property, you don't leave. Lot's of complementary food, hotel rooms, you name it. Why would you even think of walking several blocks to some local establishment. Most of the jobs created are lower-paying "hospitality" workers. Dealers get more, but there aren't that many of them.

And all the money taken in? Why, that goes to the out-of-state owners.

So, unless you think the local government is capable of building and operating (successfully) a casino, I'd fight like all heck to keep them out of the area.

[Buoy #67]

Originally Posted by fatlazyless

http://www.weirsbeach.com/Largejpgs/nhvahistory.html has been there since sometime like 1924, and will probably still be there in 2124. In 1924 the large Weirs Hotel on-site burnt to the ground.

They have a number of seasonal, un-heated historic buildings, plus a campground, and I could never figure out exactly what purpose these serve, what is their use and whether these civil war ear buildings are a plus or a minus for the Weirs area?

According to an article in the LaDaSun a couple years ago, the NH Veteran's Assoc pays no property taxes to Laconia and makes most of its yearly income during bike week, from rental income from the vender tents placed on the grassy embankment above the sidewalk, and the rental income gets used for building and property maintenance and repairs.

Are these old historic un-heated and presumably un-used buildings a historic benefit to the area, or are they an eyesore .......I dunno .....what do you think?? Whatever they may be ........they will most likely be there for many many years to come. Is the NH Veteran's Assoc historic buildings and campground a plus or a minus for the area?

Maybe the NH Veterans Assoc would be interested in removing all these old historic structures to a new location and replacing them with a brand new casino designed along a Civil War style design similar to these old buildings, and the casino employees could dress up like the soldiers who fought the Civil War in blue and grey uniforms. It could be an historical replica Civil War era waterfront casino .... and power-up the local economy....with a year round casino business.

Great site, (Weirs beach), with great pictures... thank you !! Quite the history piece...