My dream for SEAS in Williamsburg

[tursiops]

I really hope the rumored Sesame Place Williamsburg comes to pass. Also the potential resort hotel between the parking lots. In the past I've written about my desire to retheme water country and how I'd love to see a Discovery Cove Williamsburg. Now it's time for the final piece of the puzzle. Seaworld Williamsburg.

I know this is NOT going to happen, but it's fun to dream. What if the current Williamsburg Country Club property became available? Private golf courses across the country are struggling, i have no idea how they are doing. This property, if it ever became available would be perfect for a Seaworld. It's the right size, it's mostly cleared, but has some hills. It's super convenient to 64. I'd love to see this become a SeaWorld. I would love to see this become a new seaworld. This could be the first new SeaWorld park that is built to fit the new ideology. Conservation would still be a focus, but so would rides. Also i would envision this as the first seaworld park without killer whales. I know this is an impossible dream, but if the course is ever in a bad financial way, this could be an ideal scenario! The idea of a Busch Gardens, Seaworld, Sesame Place, Discovery Cove and Aquatica (WCUSA) all in one place, plus a resort hotel (or several) is just my dream come true!

 

[warfelg]

As a golf pro I can tell you this with 100% certainty:
Williamsburg Country Club is not in a position to sell. They are one of the few and one of the best private clubs between Richmond and Virginia Beach.

WCC, all 3 Kingsmill courses, and all the Golden Horseshoe courses are not going anywhere.

Edit:
Plus, not to rain on your parade here, but having a SWW would be overkill and canabalize their own park.

 

[VonDerrick]

the only reason BGT and SWO work well in the same state is because they are hours apart. they seek the same demographics. even looking at the disney world parks, they each target a different demographic which is the key to success

 

[warfelg]

I really think the next two to three 'expansions' to BGW and just SEAS Williamsburg in general are about the extent of the additions they can make:
~ Sesame Place Williamsburg. This is going to require build out of a small park, change to the parking structure of the parks, change of infrastructure from Water management, to electrical grid, plumbing. It won't big 'visual improvement' to BGW itself, but in the long run expanding that will payoff far better.

~ Self owned resort. Or even if they partnered with someone to build an on property resort owned by someone else but leased to run from BGW (This is what it sounds like Cedar Fair is doing with Hyatt and their on property hotels. CF Builds the hotel and customizes it, Hyatt leases the right to run it and make profits off of it). I think this is going to be the best route for BGW.

~ An entertainment complex. Something akin to City Walk or Downtown Disney. I think if BGW and SEAS did this they would make a KILLING. Build the area, lease it out for movie theaters, restaurants, clubs, and shops. Kingsmill goes dead after 7 pm and people staying there would come over to an area like that. Williamsburg doesn't have a night life, so people there would come out. If you did the other two first, BGW itself is now a 3 day destination.

I really hope they explore the last two, because from SEAS standpoint there's an upfront cost of building, but then they barely have to worry about management past then if they are just leasing out space to renters.

 

[ce23693]

I know the topic of SEAS/BG operating hotels has been discussed before, but with the downward trend in the number of hotels in the Williamsburg area and decrease in number of visitors to the Williamsburg area decreasing, I don’t see a hotel/resort run by SEAS/BG becoming a reality.

I’ve always wanted to see a hotel or two themed after BG and/or WC USA. Only way I can see this happening (which I doubt ever will) is that SEAS purchases all the undeveloped land owned by the various entities of Marquis – the land adjacent to WC USA and I-64. I don’t think it would not be beneficial to build a hotel on BG property mainly because of availability of land. Granted there is some free land available to develop on BG property (for example, the area where the boneyard is located), but that would be limiting the amount of land available for any future park growth at BG.

If SEAS wanted to build a hotel (or two) for BG/WC USA, then I think they would need to partner with a strong, experienced developer, purchase the undeveloped land owned by the Marquis (or the various units of the Marquis) that sits adjacent to Water Country USA as well as the and buy the land that Walmart/Sam’s Club owns (for the long proposed Sam’s Club). The land owned by Target, Kohl's and Dick’s sporting goods will remain. Tear the closed JC Penny store down (sold in 2016 to a holdings company, which is now Marquis Investments). Marquis owns lands all the way down to the I-64 off ramp for Busch Gardens.

By partnering with a strong developer, they can develop the undeveloped the land into a few hotels of various sizes. The main/larger hotel would be a conference center and marketed towards the business/conference market. The other hotels or two would be smaller (like the size of a Hampton Inn) but have a BG, WC USA, and maybe a history theme (after Colonial Williamsburg, Jamestown, and Yorktown). Create an open-air area like the Tech Center in Newport News for retail and restaurants using the existing Target, Kohl's, and Dicks as the retail anchors and a store specializing in SEAS/BG/ WC USA products and souvenirs. The buildings for the retail shops will be 2 story buildings with the 2nd floor used for apartments/housing for the international employees at BG or college employees that are working at the parks for the summer and need housing during the summer. In short, it would be like a ‘mini-Disney Springs’.

Taking advantage of the land Marquis owns adjacent to the I-64 off ramp for BG, the road could be realigned to allow traffic into this new area and Water Country USA (which will have a new entrance). In similar fashion to Disney, SEAS could operate buses transporting visitors staying at the hotels back and forth to Water County, Busch Gardens, and Colonial Williamsburg.

I really don’t see this happening, more and less wishful thinking, but since Marquis is having difficulties moving their projects forward, Sam’s Club constantly delaying the building of their store there, I would figure if SEAS could purchase the land and have a developer develop the land to benefit SEAS and the Williamsburg area, it might be a success. I personally think this could be beneficial for SEAS in the long run, especially if they build the Seasme Place at BG. But this would have to be developed and marketed just right.

Just my 2 cents worth...

 

[acrossdapark]

Williamsburg/James City County are very restrictive when it comes to large scale build outs. CW still rules the day in many places and with them struggling they would scream. Not to mention the height and water set back waivers that would be required for this.

Some very cool ideas, just not feasible in Wmbg/JCC, at least not with the way their planning and codes are at this time.

 

[Jesy]

Marquis Center is in York County.