tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3244123422713926575.post3418305664143930583..comments2024-03-28T23:02:24.234-07:00Comments on Flint Expatriates: AutoWorld and Penguin Parks: Tourism at Home and AbroadFlint Expatriateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08352270564340149006noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3244123422713926575.post-80231782918018433382010-05-12T14:11:26.884-07:002010-05-12T14:11:26.884-07:00Easy to say now, but I've long thought that a ...Easy to say now, but I've long thought that a sliver of the money could have created a Sloan Museum on steroids that would have succeeded on a smaller scale. All that money could have purchased an amazing classic car collection that could have tied into a Back to the Bricks type event every year. But at the time everyone was looking for something huge that would replace G.M.Gordon Younghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17911010126952753812noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3244123422713926575.post-8648716948136548402010-05-12T14:03:39.392-07:002010-05-12T14:03:39.392-07:00Successes have many parents, failures are orphans....Successes have many parents, failures are orphans.<br /><br />Would that it had been either a museum and car collection venue, or a regional exhibition center.JWillyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03243354011523248499noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3244123422713926575.post-84882083892522002172010-05-10T17:01:07.946-07:002010-05-10T17:01:07.946-07:00I was sure it would fail and kept the full special...I was sure it would fail and kept the full special edition of the journal announcing the grand opening,thinking it might be worth something later.Well it's later and I doubt if it has any value to anyone.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3244123422713926575.post-77399036398391579892010-05-10T06:25:52.009-07:002010-05-10T06:25:52.009-07:00There were many mistakes, and, yeah, there always ...There were many mistakes, and, yeah, there always are mistakes when trying something new. But I think the killer was featuring "Six Flags" before the AutoWorld. Six Flags led to the realistic expectation among my friends that there would be rides. Fun rides. Roller coaster rides. When it became obvious that there was no such thing at AutoWorld, that was that. What's the expression? People stayed away in droves.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04237496538962191349noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3244123422713926575.post-13023111516518116792010-05-09T12:23:34.516-07:002010-05-09T12:23:34.516-07:00The scale of its dumbness was so vast, so breathta...The scale of its dumbness was so vast, so breathtakingly condescending, that to tour Autoworld was to come out depressed and wounded. To me it was hurtful that the designers actually imagined that someone would want to see a 2-D engine block 20 feet tall, with a piston that went up and down. The implication was that the designers thought people were so stupid they would somehow be entertained by this. Not to mention the brilliant mind who conceived of the mascot, a "carriageless horse." Apparently they sought to prove Barnum wrong, and succeeded.Joe Cunninghamhttp://www.joethequilter.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3244123422713926575.post-8333450674742791852010-05-09T11:01:34.092-07:002010-05-09T11:01:34.092-07:00Yeah, we all know the news slants the way they wan...Yeah, we all know the news slants the way they want it. I learned that in high school when my choir was interviewed when coming home from London after the Hyde Park bombings. I had said in my interview that we were calm and it wasn't a big deal. My friend said, we were scared and panicky... and only she got on the air. :)<br /><br />So am glad you wrote about that, Anonymous. Because I was thinking that same thing... how many people did they have to interview to get all those positive reviews. :)grumkinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13834121792263687217noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3244123422713926575.post-23231099248622646422010-05-09T04:47:34.936-07:002010-05-09T04:47:34.936-07:00I did exit interviews for the Flint Journal at Aut...I did exit interviews for the Flint Journal at Autoworld on opening day and it was devastating ... one person after another emerged and told us that the experience was either lousy, disappointing or so-so.<br /><br />One little fat kid said, "No rides, no fun. Write that down, mister."Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3244123422713926575.post-71065265833834643082010-05-08T11:18:37.822-07:002010-05-08T11:18:37.822-07:00I don't think there was any rational person in...I don't think there was any rational person in the Flint Area who thought that Autoworld was going to be a big success. Besides, the number of jobs created was miniscule compared with automobile manufacturing, even back then. <br /><br />Perhaps it would have worked if it had other types of transportation, or if it had been along the I-80 corridor for tourist convenience.<br /><br />Most of the people I knew just shook their heads when this was announced.Stay Positivenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3244123422713926575.post-84862647425126498012010-05-08T09:00:40.944-07:002010-05-08T09:00:40.944-07:00wow... that's all I can say... just wow.wow... that's all I can say... just wow.grumkinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13834121792263687217noreply@blogger.com