HalcyonEra
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PALMER – A development duo is proposing a $650 million water park and resort complex on 250 acres of forested hilltop that was once considered for a Mohegan Sun casino.
Winthrop Knox and Michael J. D’Amato are announcing Wednesday that their planned development south of the Massachusetts Turnpike would draw visitors from as far as 300 miles and include a hotel, two indoor water parks and other indoor-outdoor sports and recreation facilities.
Paul Robbins, a spokesman for what has been informally named the Palmer Sports Group, said the timing of construction and opening has not been determined.
“We’re hoping by the end of this calendar year to have all the infrastructure needs identified,” Mr. Robbins said. “There’s been some initial outreach to the commonwealth. The initial reaction has been very positive.”
Mr. Knox, who goes by the nickname Trip, is a consultant who has helped design and build water parks and recreation facilities. Mr. D’Amato is a construction and development manager who has worked on casinos, resorts, office towers and other building projects.
Mr. Robbins declined to say how the project in Palmer would be funded, but he said Mr. Knox and Mr. D’Amato would seek investors.
The land targeted for the development sits off Thorndike Street (Route 32), not far from a Mass. Turnpike interchange. At the core is a 152-acre parcel owned by Northeast Realty Associates LLC.
State corporation filings list Leon H. Dragone of East Longmeadow as a manager of the company.
The Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority, which operates a Connecticut casino, leased the 152-acre parcel in 2008 and proposed building a casino. Town voters narrowly rejected the plan in 2013.
The new proposal includes the Northeast Realty parcel and land surrounding it, describing the additional parcels as available for development.
Town Manager Charles T. Blanchard said municipal officials have not yet received plans for the development but are enthusiastic about the proposal.
“We’re very anxious to see what they move forward with, and when they move forward with it,” Mr. Blanchard said.
It’s possible the developers could ask the state to fund infrastructure improvements in the area, according to Mr. Robbins. He said he did not know if developers would also seek property tax relief from the town of Palmer.
http://www.telegram.com/news/20180905/650m-water-park-and-resort-proposed-in-palmer
I've been to similar complexes as I have a child who did the national club sports circuit and I've always wished we had something similar in NE. That said, is this thing really viable here? The estimated costs seem quite high for something literally in the middle of nowhere with the ROI pretty distant. I suspect that what gets built will be a severely scaled back version with just some playing fields, ala Progin Park in Lancaster.
Any thoughts?
Winthrop Knox and Michael J. D’Amato are announcing Wednesday that their planned development south of the Massachusetts Turnpike would draw visitors from as far as 300 miles and include a hotel, two indoor water parks and other indoor-outdoor sports and recreation facilities.
Paul Robbins, a spokesman for what has been informally named the Palmer Sports Group, said the timing of construction and opening has not been determined.
“We’re hoping by the end of this calendar year to have all the infrastructure needs identified,” Mr. Robbins said. “There’s been some initial outreach to the commonwealth. The initial reaction has been very positive.”
Mr. Knox, who goes by the nickname Trip, is a consultant who has helped design and build water parks and recreation facilities. Mr. D’Amato is a construction and development manager who has worked on casinos, resorts, office towers and other building projects.
Mr. Robbins declined to say how the project in Palmer would be funded, but he said Mr. Knox and Mr. D’Amato would seek investors.
The land targeted for the development sits off Thorndike Street (Route 32), not far from a Mass. Turnpike interchange. At the core is a 152-acre parcel owned by Northeast Realty Associates LLC.
State corporation filings list Leon H. Dragone of East Longmeadow as a manager of the company.
The Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority, which operates a Connecticut casino, leased the 152-acre parcel in 2008 and proposed building a casino. Town voters narrowly rejected the plan in 2013.
The new proposal includes the Northeast Realty parcel and land surrounding it, describing the additional parcels as available for development.
Town Manager Charles T. Blanchard said municipal officials have not yet received plans for the development but are enthusiastic about the proposal.
“We’re very anxious to see what they move forward with, and when they move forward with it,” Mr. Blanchard said.
It’s possible the developers could ask the state to fund infrastructure improvements in the area, according to Mr. Robbins. He said he did not know if developers would also seek property tax relief from the town of Palmer.
http://www.telegram.com/news/20180905/650m-water-park-and-resort-proposed-in-palmer
I've been to similar complexes as I have a child who did the national club sports circuit and I've always wished we had something similar in NE. That said, is this thing really viable here? The estimated costs seem quite high for something literally in the middle of nowhere with the ROI pretty distant. I suspect that what gets built will be a severely scaled back version with just some playing fields, ala Progin Park in Lancaster.
Any thoughts?