Special: Profound Words on Inspiration Landing

 

From our friend Mark Daily:

Usually, I'd ask who's ready to dig into the tough questions about Inspiration Landing. But the problem here is that many folks are asking, and all we're getting is silence. We're way past the point of reviving that old Wendy's commercial asking, "Where's the beef?"

The one good thing I've heard lately, and it might be the only one, is the news we found on this forum: Sheffield might be trying to bring in some new industry. Of course, there are hurdles to clear if they want to set up shop here. What would TVA allow? And what's going to happen to Tuscumbia Landing? It doesn't mean it's impossible, but it's probably not going to be a massive operation.

I've got no doubt that our whole Shoals area could use a boost in industry more than another entertainment venue. From where I'm sitting, we've got car washes and restaurants to spare. Even though unemployment is holding steady, our economy could always use a shot in the arm from industry.

But here we are at Inspiration Landing, with nice roads and sidewalks but not necessarily built for the heavy traffic that industry brings. If you think they're tough to navigate for an entertainment district, wait until you see what it's like for industry. The recycling yard and lumber company already have their share of access challenges, and the folks over in the Village won't be thrilled about it either.

In all honesty, this grand development idea is stuck in a whirlpool, and it needs a good dose of fresh thinking and a ton of money. Let's say we could find a manufacturer willing to use the land. What would that involve?

To make this work, we'd likely have to invest some serious cash in road improvements along Georgia Avenue and 20th Avenue. Plus, we'd need Sheffield to agree to industrial traffic coming back to downtown via 2nd Street and 1st Street. I'd estimate at least two million dollars for that.

If the industry needs the railroad back, we do have a right-of-way to work with. I hope that right-of-way is still in decent shape. If Norfolk Southern agrees, we're talking about another two million dollars to revive it.

We'd also need to ensure the industry has access to a solid five megawatts of power. I'm not sure about the state of Sheffield's electrical distribution in that area, but let's assume it's outdated. Even for an electrical engineer like me, this one's a puzzle, but let's throw in a million dollars.

Lastly, we'd have to deal with getting the land back from that so-called entrepreneur. That's bound to involve some hefty legal fees, and I've estimated about five million dollars needed to get the infrastructure where it's needed. Why on earth did we sign up with that guy in Memphis?

In my opinion, industry seems like the better bet, even if it's a long shot. The idea of Inspiration Landing would only make sense if, by some miracle, riverboat gambling found its way to Alabama and chose Sheffield exclusively. But let's be real, that's probably an even longer shot than bringing in industry.