Could closing Ford plant become a water park?

From March 3rd, and I have not heard anything else. Anyone?? If you are not familiar, Walton Hills is about 12 miles southeast of Cleveland....

http://www.wkyc.com/story/news/local/2014/03/03/water-park-ford/5995317/

Ummm...March 3rd was 5 days ago. I figure these things take a little longer than that to plan.

Well, yeah, just what I was thinking. The tone of the article is hopeful at best.

Community needs aside, I'm not so sure it's the best idea, anyway. Our Hollywood Casino was built on the huge site of the former GM plant on the west side of Columbus. It was a total tear down, even that huge brick basement they had was filled in. The casino was built on top and I'm a little suspicious. I'm just waiting for the news of remnants of hazardous industrial waste seeping up through the shoes of the gamblers and employees.

To simplify- is anyone aware of any companies in particular examining the Ford plant for the possibility of a water park?

Was gonna happen in the Chicago area too, 11 years ago.

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2003-07-19/news/0307190163_1_wat...nt-huntley

News reporters in Cleveland have a way of talking very optimistically when it comes to pipe dreams. Because, really, that's all that Cleveland has left.

They'd be better off turning the airport into a waterpark...

Wow, I was anxious to move, but that's a pretty low blow to Cleveland. It's a pretty solid place to live, and there's no shortage of things to do there. I left because I was tired of winter.

If I could travel back in time I'd travel back to the early 1950s and visit Puratas Spring, Euclid Beach, Chippewa Lake and a boatload of other parks to see if their coasters were everything I've heard about them.

Regulus, I imagine you'd be very happy living back in the 50's.

There's a lot of pride in Cleveland and the people there stand by their city in spite of jokes to the contrary and outsiders' misplaced opinions. I wish our residents of Columbus, which is a really great place to be, had even half of it.

Now, I will say the article seemed like an eye-roller, or one of those non-news news articles where no one's willing to comfirm or deny, that is optimistic at best. To be fair, I know nothing of that mayor, the area, or how the plant closing has affected the needs of its residents. But as Tommy points out, we've all seen rumors of projects of this type appear in many places. My sincere hope is that it's not dangling false hope and it actually comes along to give the area the boost they seem to need.

The attitude about Cleveland comes from multiple generations of "born and raised" people. Columbus has too many transplants (many of whom came for Ohio State and stayed)/first generation people. That will change over time. I think Columbus has a lot to offer (especially for famlies).

I really like northeast Ohio (including the winters) except for the economy (which unfortunately is a huge "except"). Southern and western states have won the battle of climate (at least at this point). I blame air conditioning. LOL

I've lived in CLE for almost 15 years now. And you're right, Jeff... There is a ton of stuff to do. (more than just Cedar Point even.) I will defend CLE as a great place to raise a family, with great outdoor activities from one of the best Metroparks systems in the country. My family is never at a loss for things to do. That being said, we want the hell out! We want to move out west because that's where we truly want to be.

However, the fact of the matter is, this is a dying city, and has been since before I moved here. Time and again, I see so much false optimism thrown around every time something bad happens. Just watch the way the news reporter delivers this story. It's downright pathetic. And frankly, a bit pandering and insulting to those affected, if you ask me. (However, I'm not affected so I can't really say for sure.)

The joke about the airport (while a low blow) was just another commentary on the city dying. United leaving CLE is just as big a blow to the area as an auto or steel plant closing. But mostly it was to amuse myself, since that's the industry I work in.

Cleveland is not a dying city. It's a city that's definitely in transition, in a state that can't govern itself to save its life, but it sure as hell isn't dying. Some of the best medical care in the world is in Cleveland. CCF and UH employ tens of thousands of people. The foodies and culinary types have turned it into a restaurant destination (something even I scratch my head over). It's something like third or fourth in the country in the volume of professional theater production (behind New York and Seattle, I think). Those economically minor impacts (food and theater) are typically indicative of a broader economic state, because they don't succeed in a failing economy.

What Cleveland needs is a secondary industry after medicine that can support a significant employee base. I'm not sure what it is, but there are the usual contenders around technology and media.

That said, there are a lot of unrealistic people among the community of business leaders who insist that Cleveland is already "back" and that it was never "gone" in the first place, and those people aren't helping. Leading the transition is key, and the city desperately needs better leaders that go beyond simple cheerleading. I think they'll figure it out in the long-term.

We attended Ohio's Celebrity Chef dinner here in Columbus. While there was no Bobby, Emeril, or Giada on the menu we were extremely impressed with the guys who came from Cleveland restaurants to cook for us. The food from the chefs at The Greenhouse Tavern and Noodle Cat blew our minds. Throw Cleveland native Michael Symon in there with three über successful rooms and you have to agree, the food scene in Cleveland is exploding. To think it used to be only known for good pierogies...

Well, that and Big Chuck and Little John.

And Ghoulardi. And Mr. Jingeling.

If you aren't from Cleveland, you don't know Dick

Goddard

And you aren't a friend of Dorothy.

Fuldheim.