Plans have been submitted for a $250-million entertainment complex on Long Beach bayfront.
If approved, they will place the struggling historic cruise liner attraction, the Queen Mary, at the heart of a hotel, leisure, retail and dining destination.
Among the proposed attractions are around 20 experiential activities such as ice climbing in one 150,000-square-foot facility.
Other activities on the table include a trampoline park, zip-lining, surfing, kayaking and simulated skydiving.
Operator, Urban Commons, is convinced that the ship’s long term survival depends on it becoming part of a much broader offering. The rusting liner urgently needs quick-fix repairs costing $5.7 million. Total repairs required over the next five years will total $289 million.
Once the flagship of the Cunard Line, the Queen Mary was built in Scotland in the 1930s. In her heydey, she was a favourite of royalty and Hollywood stars alike. Urban Commons and architects, Gensler, intend to evoke the era when she sailed the Atlantic.
Taylor Woods, a principal at Urban Commons, described the ship as ‘an icon’. But he warned that, in its current form, the attraction would be hard-pressed to generate enough revenue to fund the much-needed repairs.
The company believes that turning the 65 acres of waterfront land flanking the ship into a large-scale attraction will significantly increase the revenue stream.
Queen Mary Island, set to occupy land which is currently used for parking, is intended to appeal to local visitors as well as tourists.
https://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-queen-mary-island-20170322-story.html
