Open Thread #2
So what are we gonna talk about...
How about the "topping ceremony" for the Canad Inns? Maybe your thoughts on the 20/20 Initiative? Hey...whatever happened to that casino?
Topics covered: Canad Inns, New Horizons group, live music in Grand Forks, South Washington Dairy Queen, Jamba Juice, the Royal Fork "post Golden Corral", new South Washington Valley Dairy
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28 comments:
Go Cardinals!
How is it that you build a hotel with 13 floors? There are people out there who will never stay in the Canad simply because of this.
Yeah, and those people probably won't travel using internal combustion engines.
I personally would have liked to see them build it just a tad (few more floors) higher. I know the long range plans were (if there was a need) to build a second tower much like the first.
Since it was mentioned back in the planning stages of the Canad Inns/waterpark, whatever happened to the hockey hall of fame building that was being planned for out around that area? Something tells me that the "no news is good news" saying does not apply to this. Any info/comments?
Regarding the Canad, I'd be interested to know how the city is protected if the project fails.
The New Horizons group was involved with planning of a US College Hockey Hall of Fame and a museum complex near the Alerus. It was unrelated to the Canad.
With the closing of the US Hockey Hall of Fame in Eveleth, perhaps it could be relocated to GF. The US Hockey HOF is more desirable than a US College Hockey HOF.
It would be interesting to see where the New Horizons group is with undraising, or if the effort has been abandoned.
I had never thought of the fact that the Canad will be 13 stories and some people consider that an unlucky number. I wonder if the architect/Canad ever thought of this.
Yes, the plan is to build another 13 story hotel tower west of the first tower in the future if things go well. I wouldn't mind seeing this second tower be taller than 13 stories, but would it look dumb to have two towers next to each other that look so much the same except for the fact that one is a few stories taller? I'm not sure. It would have been best to make the first tower taller to start with. The Bismarck hotel Canad is proposing would be 16 stories (although, I've never heard of a plan to build a second tower in Bismarck). I guess we have to remember that, if they do build the second tower in GF, it would be the equivalent of a 26 story hotel and would have around 400 rooms. Wow.
I've been thinking about the whole New Horizons project lately...I wonder if it is dead. I've also wondered if whoever owns the land north of the Alerus/Canad has been saving their land for the museum complex. What would happen if a developer came in with a plan to build a major retail center on that land? What would that mean for the New Horizon project?
Grand Forks needs a juice shop like Booster Juice or Jamba Juice.
I'm a big fan of live music and miss the Westward Ho, which brought lots of music acts to GF. Any thought on how to get our town a larger stream of music acts?
I'm confused by the whole GF entertainment scene, seriously. The Alerus and Ralph can't seem to fill those places when they get pretty good acts, yet people of all ages want more live entertainment???
Doesn't anybody do research on what people want?
I'd like to whine about the owner of the Dairy Queen on South Washington who is so possesive of her parking spots (and apparently hates Starbucks) she has blockaded the street while her store is closed for the winter. Isn't that a public street??
Can we group together and protest?
The north end DQ (NEDQ) is FAR superior to the South Washington (SWDQ) location.
Example:When you order a Blizzard at the NEDQ, it comes to you heaping over the top of the cup, with your ingredient of choice sprinkled over the top in delicious profusion. At the SWDQ, however, this is not the case. A Blizzard there will come to you with your frozen mixture not even reaching the lip of the cup. SWDQ is also quite skimpy on the cookie dough, M&M's, Heath pieces, etc.
Now you say that the SWDQ is not only skimpy on their desserts, but also their parking spaces? Uff-da.
I hear you on the Wesward Ho point. If I was mayor and president of the EDC, I'd build a complex downtown with a huge lobby, sports bar, comedy club, and one banquet room. I'd give Lindgren 250K for one year to come run it and train a G.M. Then, pay him to book it. I doubt he would though. ;-(
I'd like to whine about the owner of the Dairy Queen on South Washington who is so possesive of her parking spots (and apparently hates Starbucks) she has blockaded the street while her store is closed for the winter. Isn't that a public street??
What street? Washington? The alley between the shops and the townhouses? I would suspect that the city would take down any barricade on these public streets.
If you mean the Dairy Queen parking lot, that's private, and the owner can do whatever they like with it. Given that, when the neighbouring store was a local bakery, no one seemed to care who parked where, I'd guess that either Starbucks has a problem with DQ, or vice-versa.
Amusing, though...
A locally owned business, DQ, home of the $5 8,000 calorie ice cream, feuds with Starbucks, the godless, heartless corporate home of the $5 cup of coffee, and people side with Starbucks. Puts the whole "Walmart sucks, buy local" thing in perspective.
If Starbucks has a crappy parking situation, maybe they shouldn't have put their store there, instead of expecting that people would park in the DQ lot, eh?
And if the lot is in fact privately owned, the owner is saving on plowing costs, asphalt maintenance, and the liability of somebody slipping and falling on her property in the middle of the winter.
Why do DQs still close for the winter anyway? They now have full menus. And you won't find Haagen Daz or Ben & Jerry's closing for the season. It made sense when they were drive-ins and had no indoor seating, but still...?
The DQ's with a full menu do not close for winter, only the smaller ones with an 'ice-cream only' menu do.
AND - for the record the same individual owns the DQ next to Starbucks and the newest one on the southend which is open year round.
Just curious why there's no discussion on the recent article in the Herald regarding the local economy.
I agree with the poster that requested a Jamba Juice. I lived in CA for 20 years and enjoyed them immensely when they popped up right before I left. I have to get one any time I'm in the Cities.
I emailed their VP about coming to ND. If you're interested, go to their website and do the same.
I could totally see two locations: 42nd Ave S and somewhere near campus.
I have heard that Royal Fork is closing. Anybody else heard this?
I have heard that Royal Fork is closing. Anybody else heard this?
I haven't heard this. I hope it's not true. The Royal Fork provides a very affordable restaurant choice for people and families really seem to like it.
I can see that the Royal Fork will probably be having some trouble after the new Golden Corral opens up. I've heard that Golden Corral is very affordable and has a good selection of food. If the Royal Fork does close, hopefully the Golden Corral will be a decent replacement for that niche in the dining scene.
What's the deal with Another GF Blog? Usually no new postings for weeks at a time?
I doubt that the Royal Fork is closing since they do very good business. That rumor was probably started by a former employee or something. This summer I heard from several people that Sam's Club was closing. I found out that someone that was fired started the rumor.
I doubt that the Royal Fork is closing since they do very good business. That rumor was probably started by a former employee or something. This summer I heard from several people that Sam's Club was closing. I found out that someone that was fired started the rumor.
That sounds very logical. At one time or another, I've heard that just about everything in town was going to close. Fired employees need to get a life and stop making these silly rumors.
The Royal Fork seems to have very good business...especially on Sundays and holidays. I have wondered in the past if they might sometime think of going to a new building with parking by the door. As it is, you have to go down that long hall to get from the parking lot to the restaurant. Since older people are one of the big customer bases for that restaurant, I've always thought they might be losing some business due to older people not wanting to walk so far. The Golden Corral will have parking right by the door and will be in a much newer and more modern building. Maybe the Royal Fork will get jealous and build their own building. I wouldn't mind seeing that happen because that would free up space in the mall for more stores. Then again, it isn't like every empty spot in the mall is filled up as it is...
What's the deal with Another GF Blog? Usually no new postings for weeks at a time?
At least Coffee Guy is posting every now and then. When was the last time Tom Dennis or Peder Rice posted anything on their blogs? Come on guys!
On another subject, it's official, I guess. Just saw the signs on my way home this afternoon... they're building a new Valley Dairy at 47th and Washington. Why they need one about 1/2 a mile from another one, I'll never know, and I'm unhappy that they'll be tearing down that house that always has a kicking holiday lights display, but there you go.
Dale, thanks for the info. Need I remind anyone that it was yours truly who first mentioned this project back in early May.
Canad Inns. Oh please. Thank you Grand Forks city government. You have now completly whacked out the hospitality market in Grand Forks.
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