Alabama mayor pursues that vision thing
California has Disneyland. Florida has Disney World. Texas and numerous other states have Six Flags. Alabama has, well, um, some cows. When you’re thinking “tourism,” that’s not a big draw.
Fairfield, Ala., Mayor Larry Langford finally got tired of watching tourists stop in his town for the gas that would take them somewhere else.
“Alabama,” he laments, “is a great big service station.”
This fact has bothered Langford for going on nine years, ever since his niece whined, “Uncle Larry, when are you gonna take me to Six Flags?”
“My question was, ‘Why do we have to keep taking people somewhere else?'” Langford says. “The Birmingham News just did a poll asking questions like, ‘What is your favorite place to eat? What is your favorite thing to do?’ I couldn’t answer that poll! There’s nothing to do here!”
That, however, will not be true for much longer. On May 30, 1998, the gates will swing open on VisionLand, an enormous water/kiddie/amusement park built around the theme of “Eyeglasses Repair.” No, really.
The name comes from a Bible verse that Langford likes to quote, “Where there is no vision, the people go to Six Flags.” Or something like that.
VisionLand is a unique idea, urged on by Langford, Birmingham Mayor Richard Arrington and the mayors of nine other Jefferson County cities, who have fought to make the park a reality. The cities are underwriting the bonds to build VisionLand – at least for five years, at which time the park should be paying for itself, if you believe the voluminous studies that have been undertaken. In fact, one study indicated that the park would draw 1 million people a year, but Langford, who says, “I’m very conservative where money is concerned,” cut that figure by 20 percent. Still, the park needs just 250,000 visitors (at a bargain price of $20 a ticket) to pay its debt service of $5 million a year.
The figures looked so enticing that three of the nation’s largest buyers snapped up VisionLand’s bonds, and, as Langford says, “These people do not make stupid business decisions.”
The 69-acre park will feature a $5 million wooden roller coaster, modeled on Coney Island’s famous Cyclone, that Langford says will be built entirely out of lumber milled in Alabama. It will go about one mile in 45 seconds and drop 120 feet.
Langford, the visionary, will be on the ground watching. You see, the guy who pushed, prodded, griped at and cajoled anyone who would listen for nine years is a scare-dy cat.
