Comments on: jungle island http://diymiami.wordpress.com/2008/03/26/jungle-island/ Just another WordPress.com weblog Thu, 04 Dec 2008 18:56:42 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: kmclean http://diymiami.wordpress.com/2008/03/26/jungle-island/#comment-64 kmclean Mon, 07 Apr 2008 15:28:34 +0000 http://diymiami.wordpress.com/?p=68#comment-64 Yeah, I can't help but feel that these guys really messed this whole thing up. They squandered local support, mis-marketed, and generally let their delusions of grandeur get in the way of some meaningful market research. Any good institutional marketer will tell you that tourists aren't enough to support a venue if you don't have local support. Since writing this post, I've heard two more items of interest. The first is that the current owner bought the Parrot Jungle from it's original family owners not that long ago. This makes sense, as they completely mis-understood the legacy that made the park so great for so many years. Secondly, I've heard from a source close to the park that they may be having trouble holding up their end of the municipal bond. Given the depth of local antipathy, I'm not surprised. I bet they wish they could have a do-over. I'm not sure they every would have left Pinecrest. Yeah, I can’t help but feel that these guys really messed this whole thing up. They squandered local support, mis-marketed, and generally let their delusions of grandeur get in the way of some meaningful market research. Any good institutional marketer will tell you that tourists aren’t enough to support a venue if you don’t have local support.

Since writing this post, I’ve heard two more items of interest.

The first is that the current owner bought the Parrot Jungle from it’s original family owners not that long ago. This makes sense, as they completely mis-understood the legacy that made the park so great for so many years. Secondly, I’ve heard from a source close to the park that they may be having trouble holding up their end of the municipal bond.

Given the depth of local antipathy, I’m not surprised. I bet they wish they could have a do-over. I’m not sure they every would have left Pinecrest.

]]> By: Miamian http://diymiami.wordpress.com/2008/03/26/jungle-island/#comment-49 Miamian Thu, 27 Mar 2008 20:23:57 +0000 http://diymiami.wordpress.com/?p=68#comment-49 Man, if there's a single place that embodies everything stupid, wasteful, stupid, hokey, crooked, stupid and stupid in Miami it's Jungle Island. For the money they've squandered trying to help bail out this (for-profit. at least in theory) place, the city might actually have tried to provide some culture - did I say that? - to its residents. But hey, why use taxes for the people when you can spend it on the private sector instead? Man, if there’s a single place that embodies everything stupid, wasteful, stupid, hokey, crooked, stupid and stupid in Miami it’s Jungle Island. For the money they’ve squandered trying to help bail out this (for-profit. at least in theory) place, the city might actually have tried to provide some culture – did I say that? – to its residents. But hey, why use taxes for the people when you can spend it on the private sector instead?

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