You won't find it on ebay or craig's list or the ABJ classified .. but the Rubber Bowl is most definitely for sale. Yep. It's on the block.Today's groundbreaking for Infocision Stadium and Summa Field officially kills any chance the Rubber Bowl had of remaining a viable sports venue. The cost to maintain it would far exceed the private dollars it would bring in as a rental for pick-up football games and battle of the bands.
So the Rubber Bowl is for sale .. you heard it here first.
Trust me, if you have an idea of what to do with it, then city, county and university leaders want to hear from you.
Tonight while talking on WNIR, I made the comment that I think the Rubber Bowl property would be good for a state prison. I KNOW prisons aren't popular near neighborhoods .. and I KNOW putting in a prison near the soap box derby track wouldn't be aesthetically pleasing. I KNOW all of the reasons that it wouldn't be a popular idea.
Still, prisons bring jobs .. lots of jobs .. and this area could use more jobs. Can anyone deny that?
My advice to anyone with an idea for the property is that you should pitch an idea that includes new jobs for the area.
Think it could be an auto race track or indoor shooting range? Come up with a plan and go for it. Got an idea for some kind of renovated sports complex? Get your investors and be my guest. Think Bass Pro might reconsider and build a unique shop into the side of the hill? Call em up ... and tell them I said hello.
Bottom line: All ideas are on the table. Local leaders tell me it's time to think "outside the bowl."
I'd like to think that all of the great ideas have already been shared and just aren't practical in this case ... but I'm realistic to know that the Akron area needs jobs so even non-traditional renovation ideas -- like a state prison -- shouldn't be discounted so quickly.
8 comments:
I think it's a perfect spot for Geauga Lake's big dipper
I like the prison idea. Put a dome over it and call it the Con Dome (kind of a neat twist on the whole Rubber Bowl)...
Too many prisons and prisoners in this country already. Guess it doesn't matter what kind of jobs we get as long as they are jobs.
The possibilies for this area are endless, but more than likely it will be added to the Derby Downs Complex which would still be an excellent idea!
They will probably end up just doing nothing with it.
How about an aquarium?
I think it is a good opportunity for manufacturing of some kind. With all of the land, a company could fashion a very nice complex. In addition, said company could be a permanent sponsor for the Soap Box Derby next door.
I think it is a good opportunity for manufacturing of some kind. With all of the land, a company could fashion a very nice complex. In addition, said company could be a permanent sponsor for the Soap Box Derby next door.
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