Sunday, March 6, 2011
Observation wheel
ORLANDO, Fla.
A Madame Tussauds wax museum and a 425-foot “Orlando Eye” observation wheel will anchor a new tourist complex in central Florida.
Merlin Entertainments announced recently that it is collaborating with two developers to bring its attractions to a new shopping and entertainment complex to be called “I-Walk Orlando.”
Opening is set for 2013.
At 425 feet, the “Orlando Eye” wheel will be nearly as high as the landmark “London Eye” wheel, also owned by Merlin.
Theme-park plans
SPRING HILL, Tenn.
A new theme park is in the works for Middle Tennessee, following on the heels of at least two that fell through in recent years.
Last week, Dennis Peterson announced plans for Festival Tennessee, which he said would be a $750 million development on about 1,500 acres in Maury County.
Peterson said plans include resort hotels and a sports complex where officials hope to attract an NBA team.
In 2008, Rutherford County rejected a proposed Bible-themed amusement park after residents expressed concerns about traffic. Plans announced in 2007 to build a Southern-themed amusement park in Maury County went nowhere.
King Tut exhibit
ST. PAUL, Minn.
Visitors to the Science Museum of Minnesota are getting a glimpse into the life of Egyptian royalty at the King Tut exhibit that is now open.
The Science Museum says more than 100 artifacts are on display, including King Tut’s sandals and the jars that once held his internal organs. It is the largest exhibit the museum has ever hosted.
The exhibit, “Tutankhamun: The Golden King and the Great Pharaohs,” teaches about the 18th dynasty and the role pharaohs played in religion and society in Egypt. It includes information about the discovery of King Tut’s tomb in 1922 and the modern science that revealed clues about his death.
The exhibit runs through Sept. 5.
Funding boost
LANSING, Mich.
A bill that would transfer an additional $10 million into the state’s Pure Michigan tourism advertising campaign has cleared a key hurdle. The Michigan House approved the measure recently by a 95-13 vote. The bill now goes to the Senate.
The bill allows a total of $20 million to go into the Pure Michigan promotion from the state’s 21st Century Jobs Fund. That would be an increase from the currently scheduled $10 million.
Associated Press