Mer-Resort Planning Committee [Archive]

MaskedNightingale

07-24-2013, 03:21 PM

Here's a few estates with privates lakes on their properties for sale:

-27245 Lotus Pond Escondido, California: $2,499,999 (http://www.estately.com/listings/info/27245-lotus-pond-ln--2)
12812"The 5 bedroom, 6000 square foot home is on 13 acres including a 2.5 acre private lake. The lake homes ducks, fishes, turtles and the Lotus flowers that bloom once a year..."
Despite the small amount of bedrooms there's plenty of space to reconstruct to better suit needs.

-Bandera, Texas $8,000,000 (http://www.lakehouse.com/page-219539.html)
12813
"Placed on 1,200 acres in Bandera, Texas, there is a 2,000 square foot lodge with 2 bedrooms and one bath as well as 10 completely furnished guest cabins plus Recreational Vehicle & camping sites. The lake itself is 47 acres but if the lake is too cold, there is a pool and a pool house where you can hang with a Long Island and relax. The property features a tack and feed barn, an outdoor barbeque, a bunkhouse and a game prep facility."

-Tamaroa, Illinois $1,500,000 (http://www.lakehouse.com/page-255414.html)
12814
"In Tamaroa, Illinois, you could live next to TWO private lakes (one 16 acres and the other 8 acres) and your own pool. The need for two lakes (let alone a pool alongside) seems strange but if you are the type of person who can’t get enough lake, here it is. The 5145 square foot home with three bedrooms and three bathrooms, features a 15×58+ screen room, huge dining area, jacuzzi, turret room & steam room. And two lakes."

-Weir Lake/Private Lake: Muskoka, Ontario, Canada: $1,195,000
"The Weir Lake property is 291 acres with a private lake of about 90 acres...Weir Lake is 30 feet deep with varied shoreline and numerous topographical features including some shallows at the south end, a huge marsh to the east side of the lake excellent for waterfowl and moose viewing, a small secluded bay with a beaver dam on the west side where the lake empties, and numerous rocky outcroppings. There are several islands. There is a small nature pond on the property just south of the lake. Weir Lake is its own headwater, and is spring and marsh stream fed, but with no possibility of the water being sullied from any source (see topographical map or ask us). There is excellent access to the water where the road reaches the shoreline, with a flat rock gradually descending into the water, and just off to the side, a small sand beach gently sloping into the water. There are excellent building sites and one in particular where the road comes in, which, with the select clearing of some smaller trees and shrubs, would offer a magnificent view of almost the entire lake."
http://www.luxuryrealestate.com/residential/632530-weir-lake-private-lake-muskoka-ontario-canada

-63 acre private estate with 10 acre lake. Barnesville, Pennsylvania: $899,900
http://www.lakehouse.com/page-211231.html

Aziara

07-24-2013, 03:39 PM

Man, that one in tx sounds like we wouldn't need to change a thing! Cabins, campsites, a lodge, and a lake? Sounds awesome to me. So expensive though :/

SeaGlass Siren

07-24-2013, 03:59 PM

Muskoka? Really?? I live in Ontario 0-0 I was totally unawares !!

SeaGlass Siren

07-24-2013, 04:01 PM

Though I agree with Dottie, we could just build one.. That way if we have a specific design. We want we can totally make it..

Whoa deja vu

Joy&RaptorsUnrestrained!

07-24-2013, 05:11 PM

Huh, I've been to Muskoka as well, and it is beautiful... though wouldn't Canada be more limited in swim times due to climate? I'd imagine something further south would attract more guests throughout the year.

SeaGlass Siren

07-24-2013, 05:40 PM

We have indoor pools as well lol! I think in banff there's a natural hotspring in the winter time people can sswim in.

I agree though. One central hotspot for all the mers.

If we were all super rich billionaires I'd have one built in Canada too .. Like a pond that acts as a hotspring and a natural water hole for us to swim in during summer months

Mermaid~Summer

07-24-2013, 09:35 PM

Mary Marine

07-24-2013, 10:24 PM

I may be biased because I live in Texas, but I think Texas or another big southern state would work well. Land is relatively cheap compared to other states and there's a long summer, almost too long. There's a lot of lake houses around, but I like the idea of building pools on site somewhere more out of the way. Something eco friendly, like the swim ponds or salt water pools.

Marlin

07-25-2013, 02:31 AM

@Joy&Raptors & SeaGlass Siren & Mary Marine- I hadn't considered the possibility of having an indoor area for bad/cold weather swimming. Thanks for the suggestion!

Keep the ideas and the leads coming you guys are awesome!

Mermaid Nemia

07-25-2013, 09:30 AM

What if we bought land in Texas and created an indoor-outdoor swim pond? From my understanding, the plants in the swim pond are separate from the actual swimming area. So the plants and part of the swim area could be outside, and another part of the swim area inside in case weather isn't the best. Plus, the building could double as a resort of sorts.

EDIT: here's a link that has a lot of information on swim ponds and the construction if you're interested: http://www.motherearthnews.com/diy/natural-swimming-pool.aspx#axzz2a41xSu8W

Merman Dan

07-25-2013, 09:50 AM

Continental US, eh? What's our budget, how developed should the property be, freshwater or salt, and does it need to be near an airport?

Hangover island (http://www.privateislandsonline.com/islands/hangover-island) (FL) - 40 acres (located on the Saint Martins River), $300K

Bell Island (http://www.privateislandsonline.com/islands/bells-island) (NC) - 62 acres (located in Core Sound), $895K

Dolphin Jump Key (http://www.privateislandsonline.com/islands/dolphin-jump-key-for-sale) - half-acre (Florida Keys), $995K

Mermaid Nemia

07-25-2013, 10:12 AM

Are those islands buildable? I know a lot if the smaller and lower priced islands aren't, so we wouldn't be able to have a living/resting area.

Mary Marine

07-25-2013, 11:58 AM

The islands sounds nice, but would require a lot more work. You wouldn't be able to have a marina on them so everyone would have to take a boat shuttle to the island. All the building materials and resort supplies would have to be shipped in as well.

SeaGlass Siren

07-25-2013, 12:54 PM

Why not have both salt water freshwater, AND a hot tub?

Mermaid Nemia

07-25-2013, 03:07 PM

We'd have to take our tails off for the hot tub, but it'd be relaxing.

Aziara

07-25-2013, 03:33 PM

I was under the impression that full silicone tails are ok in a hot tub? I mean, there's silicone cookware out now, that can go in the HOT oven.

SeaGlass Siren

07-25-2013, 05:01 PM

An indoor oasis seems like a good option right now since it protects you from any weather (except tornadoes)

Mary Marine

07-26-2013, 11:48 AM

Indoor and outdoor pools seems good. I've seen places with indoor pools that connect outside, you just duck under the wall or swim through a short tunnel. It could have a divider so in bad weather the outside section could be closed off. Then you could also clean each section of the pool at different times.

Another thing to think of is how to get everyone in and out of the pool once in a tail if there aren't any mertenders handy. They make lifts for handicapped people to get in and out of pools that are basically chairs that lower into the water. The local senior center has one for their pool, in addition to a long pool ramp and plastic wheel chair. If you're going to make the resort handicapped accessible anyway, you might as well have it double as "mermaid accessible."

Mary Marine

07-26-2013, 11:57 AM

Here's a chair lift:

12889

And a PVC pipe pool wheelchair:
12890

Aziara

07-27-2013, 08:39 AM

Mermaid Nemia

07-27-2013, 10:56 AM

What about a hydraulic system for the bottom of the pool? The floor can be lifted and lowered to adjust how deep the pool is. It'd be expensive though and would probably rule out the whole swimming pond/natural feel. Just an idea though.

SeaGlass Siren

07-27-2013, 11:04 AM

I just had a thought... What about for every continent/ country we have a swimming hole to go to when we see each other?? Canadians can have a lake and arctic theme water hole, USA can have an oasis paradise And Mayan/inca/ Atlantis theme, European pod can have a turn of the century pirate theme 0-0

Aaaaaaand now my mind is sgjffjkidc

SeaGlass Siren

07-27-2013, 11:06 AM

So for the winter months, us Canadians can visit you guys, and summer u can visit Canada and Europe to stay cool during summer!

SeaGlass Siren

07-27-2013, 11:07 AM

OH OH OH complete with WATER SLIDES and artificial HOtSPRING

SeaGlass Siren

07-27-2013, 11:28 AM

http://tekapospringsnz.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/winter-pool.jpg?w=300&h=199 for the arctic theme pool, i was thinking we could have like lamposts that change colour too that kinda remind us of the aurora borealis at night when we swim ^o^

http://ts2.mm.bing.net/th?id=H.4823369623275053&pid=15.1 swamp mermaiding anyone??

http://ts4.mm.bing.net/th?id=H.4645553698767455&pid=15.1

Mary Marine

07-27-2013, 12:16 PM

I like the beach slope idea, though the mental image of a bunch of mermaids rolling and flopping into deeper water is pretty funny!

It would be kind of neat to have multiple resorts, but until we can get one off the ground we should probably focus on just one and what we envision it to be. So far we've got indoor and outdoor pools and a hottub. Maybe one traditional looking pool and one or two more natural ones? I like the idea of a cave or grotto inspired pool. Maybe you get to it by swimming under a waterfall?

What size pools are we looking at? Obviously it needs to be big and deep enough to comfortably swim in a tail. Probably not olympic size, but big enough to keep a bunch of mers from swimming into each other. From what everyone has suggested this is what sounds good to me:

1 main pool, probably outdoors, with a beach so we can roll into the water. Chlorine or salt water?

1 smaller indoor pool for bad weather. Could be designed to look like a cave? Maybe connects with larger beach pool but can be closed off?

1 smaller outdoor pond pool with the natural plant filtration system.

1 hot tub, maybe styled like arctic hot springs.

Aziara

07-27-2013, 01:50 PM

Love the cave/grotto pool idea! I've always thought secret caves behind waterfalls were so enchanting.

Echidna

07-27-2013, 03:05 PM

http://tekapospringsnz.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/winter-pool.jpg?w=300&h=199
for something like this, Iceland is ideal.
Hot springs surrounded by ice and snow everywhere, and polar lights to boot :)

http://ts2.mm.bing.net/th?id=H.4823369623275053&pid=15.1
And this is the newest fad; natural swimming pools, or swimming ponds.
Come in a variety of designs (totally lake-like, pond-like, or more pool-designy with underwater lights and heating, but emerald, lake-like water), and are not that much more expensive than a normal pool.

If there's a wish in the community for mer hang-outs- one in every country would be neat-, it'd not be impossible to build them.

Marlin

07-27-2013, 03:10 PM

Or we could have the type of pool that has a 'beach' area, where the bottom slopes up until the water is only a few inches deep. We could pull on tails there, and sort of roll out into deeper water, lol.

I like this idea. It wouldn't be that hard to incorporate into the design for a pool, and would serve a very practical purpose.

SeaGlass Siren

07-27-2013, 04:41 PM

Gaaaasp I love the cave grotto idea tooooo!!!

MerEmma

07-27-2013, 05:23 PM

I don't even think we need a hot tub, (but that's me, haha, I'm sure it would depend on where the big resort was located too! xD). Just way cool scenery with the waterfalls and rocks and such. A sandy bottom pool with the special filters would be awesome too, especially if you wanted to pretend being in the ocean or something.

SeaGlass Siren

07-27-2013, 06:57 PM

Hot spring or a warm pool, I'd like to have if We ever have a Canada spot cuz it gets cold here. xD

Miyu

07-27-2013, 07:36 PM

Mermaid~Summer

07-27-2013, 07:59 PM

First of all, now I actually want to own a house because I NEED A SWIM POND in my life.

1 main pool, probably outdoors, with a beach so we can roll into the water. Chlorine or salt water? Salt Water!

1 smaller indoor pool for bad weather. Could be designed to look like a cave? Maybe connects with larger beach pool but can be closed off? I like this idea, especially if it's a grotto.

1 smaller outdoor pond pool with the natural plant filtration system. YES.

1 hot tub, maybe styled like arctic hot springs.Totally. I think a nice hot springs would be the way to go for relaxing at the end of the day! I can attest to the fact that hot springs work best when surrounded by snow, LOL - I hail from Colorado, and hot tubs + snow = magical!

I say make the Largest pool the Swim Pond. Naturally purified water and it can be up to 15 feet deep. The plant area doesn't even have to be right near the swimming area, it can be separate. I would rather not have to deal with chlorine. Maybe there could be a waterfall and a rock ledge with a closeable hatch or something that you swim under going from the outdoor pool to the indoor pool and I love the grotto idea :)

Mermaid Dottie

07-27-2013, 08:10 PM

Okay, Everymer! Hubby and I went to a hotel in Park City Wednesday night, Mountain Time. They have an indoor pool that connects to an outdoor pool, with two hot tubs off to the side, and it happens to stay open ALL NIGHT LONG!
I went tail swimming under a(n almost) full moon at midnight. The rejuvenation was finominal.
If you visit Utah, stay at Park City Peaks Hotel.
(PS I was their first mermaid!)
1293612934
12935
Just look at that sky!!!

mermaidwhisperer

07-27-2013, 09:02 PM

What a great idea! I'd try that here if I could-the resort I set my series in is always changing hands. Too bad there are only 6 Aussie Mermaids on here!

SeaGlass Siren

07-27-2013, 10:09 PM

I think it's just me and aptamer hailing from Toronto and we haven't met yet :(

Mermaid Allie

07-27-2013, 10:30 PM

IM OBSESSED WITH INDOOR-OUTDOOR POOLS OMG!!!! Such a childhood memory right there. In Beckley, West Virginia there is a country inn and suites with an indoor-outdoor pool :D Basically the coolest thing ever. We need one of those. Location-wise I do agree with something southern (in the US) because it could be used year-round for the indoor and most of the year for the outdoor. This would be like the coolest thing EVER. When I'm an orthodontist living with my rich husband (hypothetical dream lol) in north carolina, I will totally contribute to this. OOH THIS WOULD BE FUN TO MAKE ON THE SIMS!!

Mermaid Caspiana

07-27-2013, 11:45 PM

If you can't donate can you still come?

Marlin

07-28-2013, 02:00 AM

If you can't donate can you still come?

OF COURSE! (granted... it doesn't exist yet...)

I think the way we are pushing to handle donations (when the time comes) is that when you donate a certain percentage, you own a segment of the business. (IMO)- I would like to do it sort of like a kick-starter with scaled rewards. So a contribution of X Dollars gets you Y and a donation of Z gets you something else.

other opinions?

SeaGlass Siren

07-28-2013, 08:00 AM

What about we design the indoor outdoor pool like a cave grotto ? Indoor can be like rocky and sparkly or glowy and outside can lead out to a waterfall looking pond thing?

Indoor Canadian wouldn't be so bad either..what about an indoor ice cavern? Like in fantasia 2000 with the flying whales?

Aziara

07-28-2013, 08:55 AM

OF COURSE! (granted... it doesn't exist yet...)

I think the way we are pushing to handle donations (when the time comes) is that when you donate a certain percentage, you own a segment of the business. (IMO)- I would like to do it sort of like a kick-starter with scaled rewards. So a contribution of X Dollars gets you Y and a donation of Z gets you something else.

other opinions?
I guess whatever percent of the purchase price you front, you would own that percent of the resort? For me it might end up being a tenth of a percent, lol, I don't have mucho monies.

SeaGlass Siren

07-28-2013, 10:09 AM

I'm saving for my wedding, honeymoon and house right now. And I also plan on taking scuba lessons in the far future but let's say we contribute a few dollars every month until the day we can afford to build an awesome pool... A x 12 = B. B x Y (amount of years) = Z. Z x C (amount of people willing to contribute) ... Do we have a deadline?

SeaGlass Siren

07-28-2013, 10:20 AM

Mary Marine

07-28-2013, 12:38 PM

Here's an important question: is this resort mers only or open to the public? Because public funding may be important both for getting it off the ground and maintaining it. Maybe if you donate X amount you can get a free or half price stay? The more money you donate the more discount you get, like half price stays for 4 people. Smaller donations could get things named after them or a plaque saying "this bench/fishtank/equipment/whatever was purchased with the generous donation of Mr. Squarepants."

Too keep it from be overrun by non-mers crowding us out of our own resort I think a limit should be set for visitors, like what they do for national parks. Reservations would have to be made in advance and depending on the size of the resort X number of people could stay at one time + unlimited mers. It could be closed to the public at certain times too if a gathering was being held.

Marlin

07-28-2013, 04:40 PM

I think to get the pool we want with an indoor cove thing, we'd have to have like a million bucks. Minus labour fees..

So let's say a mill. divided by XAmount of contributors... Not factoring generous people.

1 000 000 000.00 / 5000 = 2 hundred per person. Yikes. We don't even have 500 people 0-0

Here's an important question: is this resort mers only or open to the public? Because public funding may be important both for getting it off the ground and maintaining it. Maybe if you donate X amount you can get a free or half price stay? The more money you donate the more discount you get, like half price stays for 4 people. Smaller donations could get things named after them or a plaque saying "this bench/fishtank/equipment/whatever was purchased with the generous donation of Mr. Squarepants."

Too keep it from be overrun by non-mers crowding us out of our own resort I think a limit should be set for visitors, like what they do for national parks. Reservations would have to be made in advance and depending on the size of the resort X number of people could stay at one time + unlimited mers. It could be closed to the public at certain times too if a gathering was being held.

Both very good points. Overhead on this project would be huge. That is one of the reasons I don't like the idea of starting from scratch and custom building the whole site- it would be outrageously expensive. This Isn't something that needs to be launched for a while.

And opening it up to the public is a hit or miss kinda thing... on one hand, we want a place for mers to go and relax. However, opening it to the pubic brings in more money. Mary; your idea to do a split kind of thing might be what eventually works.

SeaGlass Siren

07-28-2013, 07:19 PM

Both very good points. Overhead on this project would be huge. That is one of the reasons I don't like the idea of starting from scratch and custom building the whole site- it would be outrageously expensive. This Isn't something that needs to be launched for a while.

And opening it up to the public is a hit or miss kinda thing... on one hand, we want a place for mers to go and relax. However, opening it to the pubic brings in more money. Mary; your idea to do a split kind of thing might be what eventually works.

well how about we make it like the MTV awards thing?

have people visit but in the VIP area u get to hang with mermaids and relax with them? that way we'd be working AND relaxing at the same time? also good for profit if we wanted to expand or buy out places to do conservation work...? *imaginative but i dont think it'll work.. but just throwing it out there*

Nashoba

07-28-2013, 07:26 PM

I know it's not south, but if we're doing an indoor-outdoor thing, the property in Indiana mentioned in the previous post is still up for grabs. And it's kinda for sale / currently in the hands of a mer (me), which is a bigger step than we've got for the other properties. It's also WAY less expensive than the other ones.

SeaGlass Siren

07-28-2013, 07:31 PM

Nashoba

07-28-2013, 07:54 PM

Here is a bird's eye view of the property. To the bottom of the photo, you'll see a house. There are two trees standing alone just up in the pic from that. The property extends from the far side of those 2 trees, all the way to the next house. There's a spring on this property and that's a HUGE parking lot across the street. Property is undeveloped except for a small storage shed and some fruit trees on it.

12952

Nashoba

07-28-2013, 08:03 PM

2nd pic with property shaded. It's 3 "lots."
12953

SeaGlass Siren

07-28-2013, 08:34 PM

thats some pretty big property!!

Mary Marine

07-28-2013, 10:14 PM

A few more thoughts: would this place be like a water park or a resort with places to stay? A resort hotel would be a much bigger undertaking. A mermaid water park is a more doable goal.

In addition to the pools there would need to a a few buildings like a locker room with bathrooms and changing rooms. Then a building with offices for the park manager, lifeguards, and maintenance crew. Finally a storage building for maintenance equipment, pool chemicals, etc. Some picnic areas would also be nice, maybe with pavilions that could be used to parties. If the park is open to the public, a gift shop selling mermaid and ocean themed nicknacks is a must! It could also sell things made by mers.

SeaGlass Siren

07-28-2013, 10:22 PM

Well why not purchase a nice big house then with guest rooms and then build a pool outside connectin to the house instead? That way we own the property and we can try to rent it out like a cottage.

That way we got our own private space and all we have to worry about is property taxes. That Indiana spot looks pretty good though.

SeaGlass Siren

07-28-2013, 10:24 PM

Nice sufficient amount if space, we could add some more foliage to make it more private... And the house can be a guet house that we can renovate and add an indoor cave cove attachment thing in the future?

Marlin

08-01-2013, 08:38 PM

Just gonna throw this out there-

http://loyalkng.com/2011/06/12/aqua-dom-huge-aquarium-in-sea-life-radisson-blu-hotel-berlin-germany/

13100

Nashoba

08-01-2013, 09:36 PM

*meep*

13106

. . . want . . .

Marlin

08-01-2013, 09:45 PM

It's a hotel built around a central dive tank. The whole concept is based around divers not having to leave the hotel.

Mary Marine

08-01-2013, 11:30 PM

HOLY CRAP I did not realize how big that tank was until I saw the diver. :jawdrop:

Nyx

08-01-2013, 11:43 PM

wohoahaoaa I just found this thread, this is awesome!
The hotel aquarium is my favorite, it's in my bucket list.
*cough* warning for shameless advertising
I don't know when you mers plan on starting this project (if it happens) but I'm planning to become an architect and doing properties featuring water (pools, ponds, waterfalls, etc.).
Though I'm barely just a rising senior in highschool so thats a dream in the distant future <XD

Merman Dan

08-02-2013, 07:29 AM

I'm planning to become an architect and doing properties featuring water (pools, ponds, waterfalls, etc.). Though I'm barely just a rising senior in highschool so thats a dream in the distant future

Nyx, since this one is in our backyard, imagine what we could have done with this old quarry (http://www.rockymounttelegram.com/news/ncwire/winston-salem8217s-8216secret8217-quarry-goes-public-965725) in Winston-Salem.

Neptunie2

08-11-2013, 09:36 PM

I am only 14years old so I don't have tons of money but I would donate $100 dollars to this project and I would contribute many hours of time designing the pool (I am very good at design) in hopes of getting reduced price vacation paradise, if it is ever decided on 😔. Personally I like the property that visionarybri has with a pool that looks natural and has waterfalls on one side with a secret passage through them to get to an indoor cave pool. I think we should have a swim up poolside bar so Mers can eat and drink and socialize without having to remove their tails.

This is what we should design it is a swim-up bar inside of a cave pool:
13510

Here is a picture of what the outside should look like:
13511

I also like the idea of a pool-side fire so we can warm up during nighttime swims.

This is what the waterfall passage to the cave could look like:
13512

We should also have a fireplace by the water to warm up during nighttime swims:
13513

I defiantly like the previously mentioned number of people to unlimited number of Mers, and I think making it a tourist destination is a great way to generate income.

I can just picture Mers perched atop this beautiful waterfall:
13517

These two pools have nice little spots to put on tails:
13518
13520

I think this would be a great way to keep the pools filtered. It costs the same as a normal pool AND is environmentally friendly!:
13519
To learn more about this method go to this site:
http://www.thedailygreen.com/green-homes/latest/natural-swimming-pools-460908#slide-1

We could also have a small waterfall ledge that we slid off of and into the water:
13521

If we want a more modern yet still natural theme this would work in a larger scale:
13522

I also like the varying depths and outcroppings in this pool.
13523

If the people in charge of this project like Marlin and Visionarybri want my help designing the resort please private message me, or comment.

Joy&RaptorsUnrestrained!

11-10-2013, 03:45 PM

Just wanted to let you know, that some of the Faeries of Faeriecon and the other fairy festivals around the country have been expressing interest in building a fairy town or community, and several seemed interested in my suggestion for a submerged section for the merfolk and water sprites.

Joy&RaptorsUnrestrained!

11-10-2013, 03:47 PM

Also, children's fun pools with varying depths, water guns shaped like spouting whales and the like, and other games and waterpark-style attractions would be a nice touch as well.

Dee Tal

11-10-2013, 07:58 PM

Mermaid Melody

11-10-2013, 09:00 PM

maybe when spa castle poconos opens in NYS we can get them to have a mer weekend?

Odette

11-10-2013, 09:12 PM

Merman Dan

11-13-2013, 05:37 PM

Disney will be building a little bit of Pandora at Animal Kingdom (http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2013/10/first-look-avatar-to-come-to-life-at-disneys-animal-kingdom/).

http://parksandresorts.wdpromedia.com/media/disneyparks/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Avatar_8.jpg

Next door, Universal Studios has Hogwarts and is building Hogsmead.

Whose to say a faerie/mermaid kingdom wouldn't work as well? Perhaps tie in with The Hobbit and/or Once Upon a Time?

Echidna

11-14-2013, 04:26 AM

If you guys can pull this off, I'll seriously have to consider moving to the US :p

Mermaid Nerinae

11-14-2013, 06:17 AM

Honestly, I so love this amgh. If I could put some funds together, I'd TOTALLY contribute to this. I also agree that Southern US would be a good idea as far as swimming weather goes.

Pascal21M

11-14-2013, 04:11 PM

Marlin i find neptunie2 idea very very good

Pascal21M

11-14-2013, 04:13 PM

I think we should use crowdfunding. What the other users find

sashiyoop

11-14-2013, 06:28 PM

It's a cool idea, but going to take a lot of work and a lot of money. I think equity financing is the only way this will happen. Financing this will be difficult. Which shareholders will supervise the hotel? Where demographically, would this hotel take place that's cheap enough and has a bunch of recreational mermaids interested in visiting? broadening it into a fantasy-based hotel is a good idea. Get more customers of interest that way. If you guys are serious about this. Start a business plan together and figure out who wants to be the shareholders and who merely wants to help fund it. (Shareholders means owners) we should research the things that are inspiring this idea like the Radisson blu hotel.
http://www.sba.gov/category/navigation-structure/starting-managing-business/starting-business/how-write-business-plan

This. This is exactly what we need to do. If we're going to be serious about doing this, we need a plan. It's a buyer's market right now, but opening up anything to the general public as a hotel or resort probably isn't the best financial idea. We need to put it near a city that's thriving, in a place that doesn't have horrible weather, and is at the best location for everyone to get to. Texas is a good idea climate wise, but when you think about how spread-out we all are, somewhere in the southern plains/midwest area would probably be better. We would need to have a manager and staff, and accountants and architects and marine scientists. The money it will cost to pull something like this off will be astronomical, especially in this economy, so my suggestion is we start small. Perhaps purchase a small camp-like area that already has a natural swimming area and won't need too much work, and find some way to make money outside of the mer community. We're also going to need a project manager, someone who runs the whole thing, as bouncing ideas off of all of us will take too long. Wait for the economy to turn back up before attempting anything major, but get the land and other supplies now. We can make this happen, but if we're ever going to do that, we need to stop fantasizing pool ideas (no matter how awesome said ideas are) and start planning a business. In reality, that's what this is going to be.

drucilla

11-14-2013, 07:50 PM

I like that the land in Texas is cheap, but what about insurance wise? Depending on the area we would have to think about hurricanes and such. I have no idea on prices for insurance there. Just thinking ahead.
An area people like to vacation in and that already makes a lot of money during summer/winter is a good idea.
The connecting indoor outdoor poolis a great idea love the waterfall, but people would need to be able to see to the other side so that they do not bump into eachother. Also the opening would have to be very large.

Pascal21M

11-15-2013, 01:27 AM

Or florida in the near of Tallahassee is a good place I think.

Pascal21M

11-15-2013, 01:28 AM

I think we should take a old swimming pool who is never more in operation and renovate it. And dig a outdoor with a grotta.

Pascal21M

11-15-2013, 09:25 AM

The indoor pool should be with grotts , many depths and caves

Azurin Luna

11-15-2013, 10:10 AM

What's also important is transport. Is there anyway to get mers from outside the US easily to the resort, cause that will also help getting more mers over to stay for a vacation. I do agree with the others, that getting an swimable lake spot or an old pool will help in getting there. If we start small we can always grow bigger if it's an succes.

Do we have anyone amongst us who is familiar with buisness planning and such?

My only strengths are shipbuilding, carpentry and 3D construction drawing.

Pascal21M

11-15-2013, 10:15 AM

How should the ppol looks like azurin luna?

drucilla

11-15-2013, 12:36 PM

I don't know how we would transport I figured people would find their own way. We could always do a ship, lol.
In order for this place to stay open it will need money coming in so closing it to the public probably wouldnt be such a great idea since the mers who donated will be free? Do i have that right?
Anyway property taxes and bills need to be payed, btw the lot of land you guys are considering, is it a commercial plot or residential? If it is residential you will have to change it to commercial and sometimes they wont do that depending on the area.

drucilla

11-15-2013, 12:39 PM

My only strengths are shipbuilding, carpentry and 3D construction drawing.
Have you thought about building a cruise ship? Having it open to the public except for certain months that are mers only?

Merman Dan

11-15-2013, 01:05 PM

Build one? Heck, I'd settle for finding one ;) The MV Lyubov Orlova (http://whereisorlova.wordpress.com/about/)

Aziara

11-15-2013, 01:35 PM

A mermaid themed cruise ship would be pretty cool :)

drucilla

11-15-2013, 01:53 PM

Build one? Heck, I'd settle for finding one ;) The MV Lyubov Orlova (http://whereisorlova.wordpress.com/about/)

You are more likely to find one now more than ever, considering all the issues people have been having with them lately. Though I don't know the cost or dangers of remodeling one so extremely, so I assume it would be better to build one from scratch so you can get all the stuff you would want in there. Not sure if you can make it work or not, but there are sites for those things.

drucilla

11-15-2013, 01:57 PM

A mermaid themed cruise ship would be pretty cool :)
It could make stops at all the major cities to pickup the mermaids in those areas, instead of them having to fly to one specific city in another country. lol

Marlin

11-15-2013, 03:23 PM

A mermaid themed cruise ship would be pretty cool :)

Now THAT is a cool idea!!

Merman Dan

11-15-2013, 05:17 PM

Unfortunately, when you factor in the cost of fuel it gets out of hand in a hurry. A private island would be cheaper in the long run, unless the vessel in questions has sails, of course!

That being said... whoa!! Dinner/Underwater Viewing Boat (http://www.maritimesales.com/EXP13.htm)

http://www.maritimesales.com/images/Others/EXP13-12.jpg

Mind you, a 300-acre island in the Bahamas is half the price of this boat.

Merman Dan

11-15-2013, 06:50 PM

I wonder how cold the underground lake is.

eBay Listing: 12.47 Acres with 5 Acres underground Cave/Lake in Lafayette, Tennessee (http://www.ebay.com/itm/12-47-Acres-With-a-5-Acres-underground-CAVE-Bunker-Preper-Water-Lake-Troutt-/121200136206?pt=Land&hash=item1c3817500e)

"As you walk into the front hole the ceiling is about 25 to 35 feet high(as it is throughout the whole cave) and goes back to the back ,I'm told, an 1/8th of a mile. It has some land inside the cave but is mostly a indoor Lake. It goes from 30 feet deep in some places to up to 2 feet. I have ridden in a canoe back to the back and it is pitch black. I am guessing that there is 5 acres underground in this cave. At this time there are Bass, Bluegill, Rainbow Trout in the cave."

http://i.ebayimg.com/t/12-47-Acres-With-a-5-Acres-underground-CAVE-Bunker-Preper-Water-Lake-Troutt-/00/s/NDgwWDY0MA==/$(KGrHqVHJCME+,Iwd7j+BQGU4QPkCQ~~60_3.JPG

Looks like an old mine, to me.

Pascal21M

11-15-2013, 08:21 PM

The cave looks very nice.

Pascal21M

11-21-2013, 12:08 PM

How much is it??

Pascal21M

11-21-2013, 12:09 PM

What is the best area to built that??

Pascal21M

11-21-2013, 12:14 PM

azurin luna you can draw us a plan of this prduct??

MerEmma

11-21-2013, 12:24 PM

CLICK THE LINK. If you CLICK the link it will tell you the price.

Pascal21M

11-21-2013, 12:35 PM

Its to expensive i think

Mermaid Sparkle

11-21-2013, 12:48 PM

It's 450,000.

That's very pretty. I like the mine-cave-thingy. I feel like that's a fair amount of land for that price, especially with the novelty of the cave.

It says it's a constant 58-60 degrees year round.

It would be fun to set up lodging on the area, much like a campground. Take daily fees for camping, lodging, etc.

Pascal21M

11-21-2013, 12:54 PM

$??? Then we should find some users and schould buy it!!

Pascal21M

11-21-2013, 01:10 PM

But we must take the first steps
like buying that

SeaSister

11-21-2013, 02:24 PM

Hey there, I've been stalking this thread for a while and I had an idea about trying to get the money to start this thing.... has anyone ever thought of taking this to the TV show "Dragons Den"? Or whatever the American version of the show is? It's a program where people take business ideas to potential investors and they are either supported by the investors or rejected. I have a feeling that this would have a good chance of being accepted on the show, simply because of the novelty of a mermaid-focused resort. But even if it was rejected, at least it would be a good way of publicising the community and potentially getting investment interests from other people. What do you think?

Pascal21M

11-21-2013, 02:50 PM

Thats a good idea but we have figure we can fascined the invvestors

Ayla of Duluth

11-21-2013, 03:13 PM

I don't think they'd go for that. The idea that it's a novelty is exactly why it'd get rejected. They're investors, they want money to keep coming back to them and I honestly can't see them investing in something that might not be worth the time or money.

Pascal21M

11-21-2013, 03:22 PM

But i think it worths a try

MerEmma

11-21-2013, 03:29 PM

Shark Tank is the American version and they automatically take quite the chunk of cash flow, ABC and Mark Cuban I believe are the ones who do, just for if you get invested. Not recommended for something this huge, and it's not really that new or inventive of an idea.

SeaSister

11-21-2013, 04:43 PM

Really? I've seen all sorts of wacky propositions on the Canadian show, and I really think that the idea of a mermaid-themed hotel would fit right in. To most landlubbers it would seem weird and kind of laughable, but at least it would get them thinking, and I think it has a good chance of being on the show.

Ayla, I think I already mentioned that the point isn't necessarily to get them to invest. Even if it was rejected out-right, the fact that it was mentioned on television would get people talking. It would be a publicity thing, too, even if no money came out of it. On the other hand, there is the potential that a very wealthy mermaid-lover might find out about it from the show and look into it more as a potential investment.

Am I literally the only person (besides Pascal) who thinks this is a good potential solution? :/

mermaidgirl7

11-24-2013, 04:14 PM

I actually love SeaSisters Idea!
You never know what might happen their is no risk in taking a shot.
The worst that could happen is rejection.
Why not take the risk.
:):rainbow:

Marie

Seatan

11-24-2013, 04:47 PM

.

Am I literally the only person (besides Pascal) who thinks this is a good potential solution? :/

I think everybody is just trying to be realistic. The things on Shark Tank are usually individual projects, not multimillion dollar tourist attractions. The people on the show have to convince the investors that their idea is a major moneymaker, and lets be honest... If your average joe wants to see mermaids they can go to Weeki Wachee on their way to Disneyworld, where they can have a magical experience for days--because that is the sort of place that will be your competition, and they have a lot more to offer. No, it can't hurt to try, but I doubt the idea would ever nake it on the show, especially since it hasn't even been shown to work on a small scale (like a local pool). I love mermaids, but I would pick a Caribbean trip or Disneyworld over a mer resort any day, simply because I would get more for my money. That might be different if my friends from here were going to be there, but that only applies to the few of us. Overall, nobody is saying its a terrible idea or anything, we are just trying to be realistic about the chances of this ever happening, and those chances are VERY slim.

SeaSister

11-24-2013, 06:08 PM

Seavanna, if that's true then what's the point in even talking about the resort idea? Either way, it would need investors, and unless a couple of members on here have a million extra dollars kicking around then we would need to find other investors willing to help kickstart it. If you don't think it's the sort of tourist attraction that anyone would be interested in investing in, then whether we tried to get onto Shark Tank or not wouldn't matter. If you guys don't think there's any chance of catching the attention of potential investors, then there's not much point in pursuing the idea further. Unless, of course, you think that mernetwork members are able to scrounge together many millions of dollars that they'd be willing to sacrifice for the sake of the project... which, frankly, I don't think is going to happen in the near future. :/

mermaidgirl7

11-24-2013, 06:21 PM

:money:

Merman Dan

11-24-2013, 06:31 PM

Why think of monetary investments, until a concrete mission and vision for such a venture can be established?

What is the goal of the Mer-Resort? Will it be in operation year-round? Will it simply be a place for merfolk to gather or will tails be provided for all guests? )In which case tailmaker(s) will need to be retained.)

How many guests can be accommodated at once? 10? 25? 100? Where will it be located? A warmer clime for outdoor swimming or a large indoor location with heated facilities?

How can you ensure such a magical vacation that guests will not only return but tell their friends, family, and neighbors about the experience?

Fun123joker

11-24-2013, 08:43 PM

im pretty sure i didnt said this yet but how about insted of one big pool/tank we have a bunch of mini ones. like one would be a spring with a water fall and another simulated the reef and maybe even one to simulate the antartic (not the cold though)

to make a profit people can rent out these pools for whatever event. but we can make it for both non mers and mers.

at a certain time only people with atleast monofins can enter certain lovely pools and other times can be free swim for regular people.
all of this will be indoors

now i know we are all thinking about investments but it dosent hurt to dream dose it?

SeaGlass Siren

11-30-2013, 10:06 AM

maybe it's better if we all just kind of figure out the basics?

whos, whats, wheres, whens, whys, hows..

who will participate in this, who has the money, who would we ask to invest money into this, who should we cater to, who will handle logistics, who will handle sales, etc...

what will this resort be for, what theme/s, what is the budget, what will we do with revenue, what will we need to make this happen, what's our mission statement/goals...

where will it be, and when do we want this to happen

how are we conna get it to happen, how will we get the money..

i think once everyone can come to a mutual agreement then we can put some sort of plan into motion and work our way there.

SeaGlass Siren

11-30-2013, 10:08 AM

more importantly who is capable of taking care of the resort, who has best time management, and who has skills in management?

AquaticHumanoid

12-05-2013, 12:42 PM

It sounds like you guys haven’t decided whether you want a cross between Gaylord Palms (http://www.marriott.com/hotels/hotel-information/travel/mcogp-gaylord-palms-resort-and-convention-center/) and Discovery Cove (http://www.discoverycove.com/) or a timeshare type condominium with a really nice pool (mermaid style).

Scope:

If this is a mers-only, or mer-referals-only, you should shoot for something on the scale of a timeshare. Everyone who is part of the association contributes to the upkeep and in return gets a certain amount of time at the condo (simplified version). It can sometimes make money, especially for the developers, but if we just wanted a mer hangout, it might make more sense to shoot for just breaking even.

If you really wanted to do something on the scale of a Disney Hotel, first of all, I recommend putting it somewhere close to Disney. This may seem counterintuitive, but hear me out. Something this size will have to be open to the public if it even has a dream of surviving the economy, and not everyone is a mer-enthusiast. If a typical guest comes for a week, he/she might spend one day checking out the resort’s amenities, and then will spend the other 6 going to places like Sea World, Universal, etc. Even if our hotel was a little farther away from Disney than the Disney hotels, if it is a little cheaper and transportation can be arranged, it would still be likely to make money. Also, something on this scale shouldn’t be just limited to mer-themes. Fairies are a good addition, along with other fantasy creatures and such, that way it wouldn’t be sucking money from our rather small mer-community.

Financing:

A timeshare is much closer to being in the mer-budget, unless one of you is hiding 20-odd million dollars under your shells somewhere. Also, having the timeshare would decrease the number of staff needed to manage a place like that. Hotels have kitchens, restaurants, maids, concierge, spa specialists, etc., each one with a salary of some kind. Unless one of you proposes this to some Hotel Buff who decided to take the project on, it isn’t likely to happen.

Purpose:

From the sound of it, really, we just want a safe place to swim with our tails that’s cool (hence the aquarium and grotto ideas keep showing up again and again). If you really want this to happen, I’d suggest looking into time-share condo associations. Maybe something on the beach. Once you acquire something like that, then all you have to do is raise money for the totally-awesome pool.

Location:

I live in Orlando, and though I think if you were doing a full-blown full-service resort, you should definitely put it here (my reason is stated above), for a timeshare, I just think you should put it on the Coast within close proximity of a major airport. Flying to a major city, like Orlando, DC, Vegas, etc. is usually not that difficult or expensive, because lots of people are flying to those locations. Though in pure-distance terms, putting this resort in the middle of the continental US makes sense, in real-travel terms, it doesn’t always work that way. For this reason, I’d vote Florida, Texas, or California, with more weight toward Texas, somewhere near the gulf.

Sorry for the really long post. Hope this helps.

MagickalDJ

01-10-2014, 06:13 AM

So I this is my first post on the site...EVER lol. I've been reading most of the threads but haven't decided to actually partake in any because most had been resolved by the end or didn't really peak my interest. But THIS is an intriguing conversation.
Firstly I would just like to contribute by saying location, location, location. I completely agree with AquaticHumanoid because yes, Disney is a big resort/amusement park but I would help attract business if only to shuttle people to the parks nearby. But it sounds like we're only doing this because of the commernity anyway! Which, foot traffic, would help sponsor. However, with the location you have to think of mother nature and all of her rage. If we got an island how are the tides in the area? How stable is the beach? If we built a 20 story building there would it fall over into the sand? Are we in hurricane blow zones if we built in the gulf?
We want somewhere where it is constantly swimming weather (ahem, So Callll), alot of tourists visit (Disneyland anyone?), but would be easily accessible to all merfolk. Now, not all of us Mers live in one area (unfortunately), so someone has got to give. Now personally, even though I don't live there, I would feel that California would be a great place to build, even though I don't live there.
I do alot of brainstorming on fantasy ideas and places that could become reality, so if some others wanted I could do some sketching of basic elements it could include. Not to mention, word of mouth is the best fundraiser. ALSO, having a charity attached is a great wallet-stuffer. If we did build, who could we help? Maybe donate to a clean oceans fund? Maybe have a Hector's Dolphin sanctuary? Maybe an endangered type of penguin? Of course marine biologists would have to be employed to take proper care, but people like knowing that when they go somewhere for pleasure they are helping out eco-systems in need.

SeaGlass Siren

01-11-2014, 08:34 AM

Don't you have to be certified to be able to get donations? Also we gotta talk about percentages of how much money obtained will be allocated to improving the park, paying employees, hosting events, donating to charity

MermanZen

01-19-2014, 10:42 AM

OMG I love the Grotto idea like it could be a huge "moon pool" like in Mako Memaids an it can lead to the outside pool

mermaidgirl7

01-19-2014, 05:57 PM

I don't think there is any harm in starting small. 5-10 acres maybe and build some cabin type things and build a pool. If we go small we could get money then expand or we could make it a chain sort of thing. The time share is a good idea too.

Pascal21M

01-27-2014, 03:29 PM

Does anybody have other ideas?

SeaGlass Siren

01-27-2014, 08:13 PM

indoor mermaid hut for anyweather ;P

Pascal21M

01-28-2014, 05:55 AM

We can make groups to organzise and work this out. What do you think about it?

Kishiko

01-29-2014, 10:23 AM

Cool idea! Would totally go to it!

Mermaid Lilium

01-29-2014, 12:01 PM

I think realistically on a business level, you would need to use the public an other specialised tourists to fund the resort. We would undoubtedly have to run some of this based on business loans and banks are NOT going to invest unless it makes financial sense. We would also still need one person to set up the initial business in their name, so if the resort goes bankrupt, it would end up taking them down with it - just something to consider.

I would be interested as to whether any aquariums around the world are going out of business that could be rescued, and used by mers for swimming and the public as an attraction. You could also open it up to dive tourists, photographers etc during the week for example.

The other suggestion would be to consider the sort of space that we as the community could use for large mer conventions several times a year, but that would also be suitable to other groups and conventions throughout the year.

My other suggestions to get around some of the cost would be to look at something like log or pre-fabricated cabins, or create eco-cabins (the kind that are dug into the ground for low environmental impact. We should also look at eco options for heating the buildings, pools etc and power generation - solar water heating, solar electricity and wind generators - things that are often one large investment that should pretty quickly start making money back and then earn towards their own upkeep when you sell power back to the grid for example. Eco houses also take less night-time and winter heating. Water filtration/recylcing would also be a good idea. Basically make the place as self sustainable as possible so that once the initial investment is made, only minimal maintenance money is needed which should be covered by bookings and events etc.

We would also probably have to have a set of 18/21+ volunteers that in return for maintaing and cleaning the pools and resort, running admin, bookings etc, acting as life guards (another important consideration btw) would have free lodgings on-site. They would however also need money to cover things like gas money, food etc as part of a small retainer pay. There's an island wildlife reserve that picks a custodian for 6 months a year at a time for example.

as for design ideas, I personally like the idea of a grotto-sheltered pool, leading out into one larger pool but especially if it can go nice and deep in at least one section. Another thought might be to include an aquarium style glass wall in more than one place. These spots would be perfect for photographers and videographers to work - something that they could pay to do. If these spaces were planned carefully they could be used as a cafe/restaurant at other times - another extra revenue from people coming for dinner like the dive bar in cali. We could also run paid mermaiding classes, and personal mermaid experiences (think like the dolphin experiences in florida etc)

Also an indoor diver/mer friendly experience in england would probably go down amazingly.... people love aquariums, and the waters around here are so cold and the weather so BLEH that it would be a great alternative dive spot for brits and europeans from colder countries, who don't necessarily have the money or the ability to travel to warmer climates to dive in the ocean.

I do have a slight idea in my head about pitching the idea to an external company such as Merlin (they own most of the tourist attractions in the UK) or try and get the chance to pitch the investment idea to someone like Amanda Thompson who owns the Pleasure Beach (2nd most visited attraction in the UK besides the tate) and its hotel The Big Blue here in blackpool . Mum is head of the HR(personel) dept and works quite closely with amanda. If we could come up with a concept that would be certain to make a constant profit, I think it might have a chance of working. The only issues here in Blackpool are space (it's built up) and there's already a sealife center, an indoor waterpark (no fin swimming, I asked) and several hotels with their own pools and gyms. But if we could come up with something that works around those then it's viable.

The only other thing I can think of would be if one of us (who would be up for being the one to run the business basically) were to personally buy their own house , with enough land to build/dig the pools as part of their personal property. They could be done over time using community investment via kickstarter, and mers could visit at the house run like a B&B with whatever investment money you made taken off your B&B costs - so say if you donated $1000 and it were $50 a night to stay at the house (which includes pool use obviously) you would have 20 nights at the resort before you would have to start paying for your stays.
It makes it cost effective in the long-run when the majority of the users will be those that actually invested in the first place. This whole idea though would have to be based around someone brave enough to buy the house and take on a LOT of financial responsibility.
Personally I would be totally up for this but I'm no where near financially ready to buy a house lol

Mermaid Lilium

01-31-2014, 05:09 AM

ohhhh I just saw this :') might be an awesome answer to the hot tub idea if we use a natural lake

http://blog.roadtrippers.com/floating-hot-tub-heated-wood-stove-can-drive-like-boat/

Pascal21M

01-31-2014, 05:56 AM

One team should the fincal things
The other team the Activities
And so on

Thats my idea

Mermaid Mhara

01-31-2014, 10:57 AM

MermanZen

01-31-2014, 11:07 AM

Oh gosh lillium I am in LOVE with the idea of buying a closing down aquarium of some sort and turning it into a mer-resort/tourist attraction 'come see amazing mermaids swimming in the aquarium!' hehe

I do really like this idea :) and I'm sure if we all contributed, and opened the doors to the public as well, it would be a hit :)

that would be awesome like not only a mermaid resort but also we can share mermaiding and mermaning to all. Just think of it, it cold be arranged with five large aquariums one for each ocean and there can be our very own grotto

Pascal21M

02-01-2014, 10:38 AM

We could make discounts for merpeople

Pascal21M

02-01-2014, 10:40 AM

How deep should be the Aquarium?

SeaGlass Siren

02-01-2014, 10:45 AM

deep enough to swim in :P

i think there should also be a shallow area for divers to clean the tank too yknow?

edit: shalow areas so divers can focus breathing before actually diving.

Merman Dan

02-01-2014, 10:52 AM

I wonder if they left the tanks... National Aquarium, Washington, DC closed to the public September 30, 2013 (http://www.aqua.org/dc)

MermanZen

02-01-2014, 10:58 AM

ya there can be a shallower tank for a interaction tank

SIF

02-01-2014, 11:18 AM

Unless they've "raised" the building, smashing it to rubble, the tanks will still be there. They'll just be drained.

Mer_Adella

02-01-2014, 11:19 AM

Actually....
http://swimpond.com/

I stumbled across this earlier today. I've decided I have to have one someday.
Basically it's a pool that looks like a natural swimming hole. So we don't even really have to find a spot; we can actually just build one.

The Natural Pools (as they are called) are awesome. Instead of using chemicals to keep the water at a nice algea/bacteria free state, they use water plants to help do that. Its hard to explain without proper pictures (but you can go to that website) basically you have your "swim area" and then you have a section that is all plant life. the plants basically filter the water for you. It's ingenious! I actually did a lot of research about it just so I could build one myself so I could not only have a pool, but have a natural looking place for mermaid swim videos and photography. I am still considering doing it just for the sake that it would be amazing. I have to figure out the cost of that versus a saline pool however.

Pascal21M

02-01-2014, 12:30 PM

We should ask the professional mermaids if they give us monry.

Merman Dan

02-01-2014, 01:24 PM

It is the matter of money where these talks tend to falter. There are simply too many variables.

If we were to establish an indoor facility, there would be the initial costs of construction to cover. Then there is the matter of revenue; would we charge an annual membership fee or simply a cover at the door? Would it be run more as a time-share with a sizable investment up front followed by annual maintenance fees?

When considering an outdoor venue, there is the matter of location. Would we want a warmer climate like Florida or the Bahamas for year-round attendance or would a seasonal facility in a more northern location be preferable?

Take for example Lagoon Caye, a thirteen acre private island for sale in Belize for $1 million. Beautiful? Yes. Warmer clime? Yes. However the island is undeveloped. Not only would investors have to purchase the island but they would have to cover the cost of structures, a power grid, and more.  With a more sizable investment, one could purchase a defunct island resort that has structures and a power grid already in place.

Would potential guests be willing to travel to such a location? It would involve travel by air and boat. Of course there are private islands for sale in Florida, but they tend to be cost prohibitive.

A seasonal facility could take advantage of a public lake, abandoned quarry, or simply a large swimming pool. Many locations would only be suitable for a handful of months out of the year.

An indoor facility would be capable of operating year-round but the costs of constructing a suitable pool could easily become intimidating.  

drucilla

02-01-2014, 04:15 PM

I really feel a vote is in order to see what everyone feels this place should be. I've been getting a lot of mixed signals from everyone on whether it should be a TIME SHARE, a RESORT, a THEME PARK, or a BED & BREAKFAST. So what does everyone think?

Mermaid Caspiana

02-01-2014, 09:32 PM

I have seen those kinds of natural pools. Sometimes I've seen them just do an inground pool with a fish tank like filter and surrounded it with natural things. I'll see if I can find the picture. So it'was a clean and stuff it still naturally beautiful.
I was thinking maybe small places around the country so some mers wouldn't have to drive so far. But that's kinda like meetups I guess. Maybe like one on each coast? And if its possible one in the middle.
I think it should be something of a hotel but with underground pools like an aquarium hotel I guess. Just aim etching specially made for mers and then people could mayb pay to come in and see us all swimming and stuff. And the proceeds could go to paying the bills and such and if there's enough for building more around the country.
I don't know. Just a few opinions. :)

SeaGlass Siren

02-02-2014, 08:32 AM

Well... We could always make like a second mer fest :o don't you usually raise funds that wayl?

Pascal21M

02-03-2014, 10:18 AM

Seaglasssirens idea is amazing. I like it very much

Merman Dan

02-03-2014, 11:54 AM

For inspirational purposes:

10 Homes With Ridiculously Cool Indoor Pools (http://www.businessinsider.com/the-worlds-most-luxurious-indoor-pools-2012-5?op=1)

Indoor Swim School For Sale (http://www.bizquest.com/buy-a-business-for-sale/indoor-swim-school-and-kids-pool-party-business/979084.html?oml=1)

MermaidKatia

02-03-2014, 12:59 PM

Having a "Mermaid Aquarium" would be a great way to put mers to work and to educate people about the ocean :3

Mermaid Lilium

02-05-2014, 10:48 AM

I do think taking over and adapting an existing facility such as an aquarium or (especially an indoor)waterpark would probably be the best way to go about things - outdoor is seasonal unless it's in somewhere that has a mild winter, but indoors would be year round, but an existing facility wouldn't need full contruction costs, just repairs, adaptations, extensions if we want a shallower pool (good for kids mer-training sessions and meet-the-mermaid moments) and refilling and restocking the tanks (which could be done over time in conjunction with wildlife conservation organisations) and then maintanance and running overheads.

An aquarium that was failing before, might have its orginal issues fixed by having the unique attraction of resident and visiting mers, and especially if we multi-use the building, with divers, business/event hire spaces, possibly a decent restaurant inside and a decent gift shop. We should also think about having resident photographers and videographers, not only to run photo-op stuff, but as an organisation, if we had attached B&B/hotel facilities, we could do artist residencies (where you have an artist come in and live on-site and work based on the place for a few months at a time) which would help raise the profile of the location, and probably draw in artists and creatives on a day-to-day basis.

Would it be useful for me to say.... go do an interview with the manager of my local aquarium to get an idea of overhead costs etc?

Marlin

02-05-2014, 12:35 PM

@ Lilium- Haven't thought of using an aquarium- but that's an amazing idea! Especially the indoor part, it makes sense.

Aziara

02-11-2014, 10:18 AM

Mermaid Lilium

02-11-2014, 06:04 PM

You saying the thing about getting wildlife conservation organization on board got me thinking... It would be really cool if we could also be a 'halfway house' for injured sealife until it could survive again in the wild (run over manatees, beached dolphins, oil spill victims, just to name a few). Just a thought, but that would be really awesome if we could.

there's a seal/sealion sanctuary over in skegness which is just up the coast from my hometown. The beaches there usually have a lot of common seals and grey seals and lots wash up in distress. They have it open to the public and have a few lifetimers who can't go back into the wild. So it's not a bad idea but I think we would have to prioritise and make sure we're not taking on too many side projects and ideas at once until we know we'll have enough of an income to expand and care for the extra creatures

Mermaid Clara

03-29-2014, 12:15 AM

I am totally in love with this idea! I would love to help with the designing and architecture!
if we ever get it built and up and running, we could have it as sort of a tourist attraction and have a separate living spaces for the mer who will work full time there and visiting mer...
here are also some pictures for decor ideas...
http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/92/ad/18/92ad18ddaff8b2fbdce839a5f1e2044d.jpg
i though this tile was super pretty and it wouldn't scratch or damage our tails
http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/29/de/d8/29ded880f05fdbbcc4ea3e2a2db46a6f.jpghttp://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/5d/d8/6c/5dd86cf5dadb61f9c07c89671fbbb3a6.jpg
and an idea for blueprints for a standard room
http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/6f/42/c7/6f42c7255718dd0329545d36253629a6.jpg

...maybe even building some rental houses for guests...

Merman Dan

04-30-2014, 01:07 PM

These folks are crowdfunding to purchase a private island, by pre-selling packages with an annual fee included. XO Island (http://xoisland.com)

That might be an interesting avenue to explore.

EDIT: found it. Pink Pearl Island (http://www.privateislandsonline.com/islands/pink-pearl-island) is two acres and lists for $500,000.

Aziara

04-30-2014, 03:55 PM

What an adorable island! And on a side note, I'd definitely pay a yearly fee to get to go stay there..... if it was an affordable yearly fee, lol

Merman Dan

05-02-2014, 10:39 PM

Too much?

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7177/14093529354_8359548b02_o.jpg

sashiyoop

05-03-2014, 02:40 AM

Oh wow, that's cool. A little on the expensive side, though. Is this what we're aiming to do?

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Merman Dan

05-03-2014, 10:09 AM

The numbers are a complete fabrication, at this point. Lagoon Caye (http://www.caribbeanislandbrokers.com/islands-for-sale/Lagoon-Caye), a.k.a. Mermaid Caye, is listed for $1 million and has neither structures nor utilities. Pink Pearl Island is listed for half that and includes a house, 4 cabanas, and a shed.

Kishiko

05-03-2014, 10:39 AM

Pink pearl island is only two acres. That's not very big like at all. My property is 40 acres, so it's about the size of about 1 and half of our pastures, not much room I feel like.

Merman Dan

05-03-2014, 10:47 AM

Agreed. My property is twenty acres but I'd settle for 5-10 plus the ocean. :)

Aziara

05-03-2014, 10:55 AM

Yeah, it might not be that big, but I'll just be in the water anyway ;)

Mermaid Galene

05-03-2014, 11:18 AM

Just happened upon this thread. Wow, what a cool idea! Sort of our own Atlantis. Neptune's Keep (http://www.neptuneskeep.net), my fish + humans band, would be delighted to play there.

Kishiko

05-03-2014, 11:23 AM

True while most of us will be in the water most times, there still needs to be enough room for privacy and what not

Merman Dan

05-03-2014, 11:37 AM

Pink pearl island is only two acres. That's not very big like at all..

Well, there is Geraldo Island (http://www.privateislandsonline.com/islands/geraldo-island-brazil) in Brazil; 2,700 acres for $900,000.

Aziara

05-04-2014, 09:40 AM

WHOA!!! That would be like owning your own country!!

Merman Dan

05-04-2014, 11:18 AM

Some countries are bigger than others. ;) The History of Sealand (http://www.sealandgov.org/about)

Aziara

05-08-2014, 06:23 PM

This one looks really nice http://www.privateislandsonline.com/islands/lime-cay (http://www.privateislandsonline.com/islands/lime-cay)http://www.privateislandsonline.com/content/listings/370/cimage_76b86c75d8-thumbb.jpg Only $750,000, 9.5 acres, and it already has housing set up. The surrounding water is shallow to 300 hundred meters out, so sounds great for swimming. Best part--Hawksbill turtles lay their eggs here. It would be so cool to see the little guys hatch!

Pascal21M

05-23-2014, 09:52 AM

We can save money together to buy a island and swim together on this island.

sashiyoop

05-27-2014, 12:10 AM

Some countries are bigger than others. ;) The History of Sealand (http://www.sealandgov.org/about)

Sealand! I have a particular fondness for micronations. :)

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drucilla

05-27-2014, 01:40 AM

Personally, if I had that kind of money right now I would probably put it into a coastal B&B with an amazing pool/waterfall oasis, and direct access to the ocean. Which I woud be willing to host the mermaid convention there. Then with the profits of the B&B I would look into a bigger facility or resort else where.

Mermaid Jaffa

05-27-2014, 05:30 AM

If I had the money, I would buy a spacious 3 bedroom house with 1 toilet, kitchen, laundry, carport and large backyard. Then I'd keep 1 bedroom, the kitchen, loo and laundry for myself to live in.
And everything else converted to an indoor pool!

sashiyoop

05-27-2014, 06:23 AM

Oh yes, I can't count the amount of times I've fantasised about turning the lower level of my house into a pool. It's one of my goals to have an indoor pool at some point in time.

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Marlin

05-27-2014, 09:41 AM

Personally, I've always liked the idea of an indoor/outdoor pool. My dream house has a big one that connects inside. Don't know why I like it, or even if it is a good idea; I just know I want one.

Mermaid Lilium

05-31-2014, 08:43 AM

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-devon-27521470 or we could just buy a whole village? lol

Pascal21M

05-31-2014, 08:55 AM

I think we should buy a island and make it like we wanna have it.

Pascal21M

05-31-2014, 10:02 AM

How many users are logged on here? We can pay together to buy an island.

Mermaid Lilium

05-31-2014, 10:28 AM

How many users are logged on here? We can pay together to buy an island.

no where near enough, it would take us all a long time to save and contribute. Best chance is for one of us to win the lottery =P

Pascal21M

05-31-2014, 10:37 AM

When we 2500 users which every user spends 150 $ we have then 375000 $

Merman Dan

05-31-2014, 12:16 PM

Gah! Someone bought Lagoon Caye, my inspiration for Mermaid Caye.

Oh, well. How about a 2.5 acre island slightly to the north of Lagoon Caye... Secret Island (https://goo.gl/maps/ogB9w)?

Mermaid Lilium

05-31-2014, 06:04 PM

When we 2500 users which every user spends 150 $ we have then 375000 $

there may be that many registered, but a large number will be inactive accounts, and even the active users, not everyone will agree to the same scheme/plan and those who do, not many of them (and certainly not all of them) will have hundreds of dollars going spare.

Btw that village I shared/said about? £11.5million (so approx $17million). It's a whole village pretty much, complete with beaches and its own harbour. Not really a viable option in reality but thought I would at least explain it a little lol. It was on the news today.

Realistically buying an island is not the best financial option, something easier to access and/or adapting an existing structure would be the most likely option. Even then we couldn't expect to reply on the small pool (scuse the pun) of MN users and the mer community, you would need a team to head this up, apply for government funding and possibly pitch to investment partners and then fundraise in a crowdsource style way, Possibly approach companies like speedo and finis etc to become sponsered partners to create a small retreat style resort or adapt an aquarium or existing waterpark type property.

My biggest suggestion would be approaching something like Disney and seeing if they would back and support a mer-resort in florida or california for example. They have the money and advertising power and could probably lay on shuttle services to the resort from their main parks and attractions. Like I've said before you would need to draw in the public beyond the community to help keep such a place going and prevent financial collapse. So us mers would have to have residencies or something where we have mers doing a performance rotation so that there are always mers to meet in the pools and/or tanks depending on what we'd have.

to give you an idea, near my hometown they built a huge aquarium called 'the deep' around the millenium and it cost them £52.285 million to build (approx $100million) and they rely on ticket sales and donations from supporting businesses to cope with the ongoing costs of the place. http://www.thedeep.co.uk/about_deep

Mermaid Jaffa

05-31-2014, 09:44 PM

I don't want a village. I want somewhere inaccessible by road, train, boat and submarine. The only way to come to my island is by plane and you have to apply for special permission from the Mermaid Council, why you want to come here, how long you're staying and how many people are coming with you etc.

Pascal21M

06-01-2014, 03:46 AM

We should ask them maybe. I dont mean we can afford 17 Million Dollars. Its too expensive . We should also have something where it is quite.

Pascal21M

06-01-2014, 03:51 AM

Its a very good idea to cteate a club where you can only enter with a special permission. Every everyone of this club should give a admission price to finance this club and an island.

Mermaid Jaffa

06-01-2014, 04:53 AM

Non mers must pay a hefty fee to visit. And we'll have other mers who live on site that can provide services like tour guides, food gatherers/farmers, security mers, crafters and artisans etc.

Mermaid Sirenia

06-01-2014, 12:06 PM

I love these ideas so much, I would seriously help out in any way I could!

~Mermaid Sirenia~

Merman Dan

06-01-2014, 03:32 PM

I have not seen this particular video, before. So sad. Imagine if Disney World reopened as Mermaid's Cove from Peter Pan.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3XmzLfPZMc&feature=player_embedded

Mercelien

06-01-2014, 03:52 PM

Interesting video I diddnt even know river country existed :o

Merman Dan

06-01-2014, 03:58 PM

Interesting video I diddnt even know river country existed :o

http://goo.gl/maps/78Zol

drucilla

06-01-2014, 07:23 PM

Hmm I dont mind an island but that one that was brought up was in a dangerous area. I would love an under water building but thats way out of the question, even though itd be beautiful to watch the ocean life.

Merman Dan

06-01-2014, 07:28 PM

I would love an under water building but thats way out of the question, even though itd be beautiful to watch the ocean life.

H2OME (http://www.ussubstructures.com/h2o.html)

http://www.ussubstructures.com/USSStructures-H2OME-bkg-stat.jpg

SeaGlass Siren

06-01-2014, 08:55 PM

Non mers must pay a hefty fee to visit. And we'll have other mers who live on site that can provide services like tour guides, food gatherers/farmers, security mers, crafters and artisans etc.

i REALLY like that idea! I want to be a face painter! ... but i could also do administrative stuff as well :P

Mermaid Sirenia

06-01-2014, 10:19 PM

I would TOTALLY be a tour guide or something :) and it probably won't officially happen for a couple years but once it happens id probably be living on my own anyways :)

~Mermaid Sirenia~

Mermaid Lilium

06-02-2014, 07:25 AM

you do realise with that plan that one person will have to lay out the costs and then recoup money from us visiting over time, and likely never make the money back due to ongoing maintanence costs? Sorry to sound like a party pooper but trying to be realistic and make sure people have thought about the viability of these ideas and the financial implications of each option. There's a difference between dreaming and scheming up these elaborate ideas but sadly the world comes down to money. If you ever want these things to actually happen then they need to work out financially in the long-term otherwise you will be forcing the business and possibly one named owner to go bankrupt if or when these ideas fail. (also the idea of charging non-mers huge fees to use it means that no non-mers would come. They'd just go elsewhere.)

I think there are some really great ideas and I do really love the idea of setting a place up but I want to make sure we can set something up that will last and be worth all the effort and money that it would take to do.

perhaps we should all start doing the lottery? ;P

Mermaid Aglaia

06-02-2014, 10:25 AM

I think a sailboat is also a possible idea for a "Merresort". A schooner costs only 300.000€ and have up to 25 bunks. Enough for a mercrew and some passenger. We can throw the anchor in bays or reefs and can show the unterwater nature.

Merman Dan

06-12-2014, 11:20 PM

How about an abandoned site that was once home to the Virginia Renaissance Faire (http://io9.com/the-haunting-remains-of-the-virginia-renaissance-faire-1448130076)? More Pictures (http://dcist.com/2013/11/abandoned_dc_the_virginia_renaissan.php#photo-1).
$3.5 Million, 162 Acres (http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/1175-Kings-Hwy_Fredericksburg_VA_22405_M59438-79623?agtid=1210355&row=1&source=web).

http://galleries.gothamistllc.com/asset/5292b00607fa4e35e4272997/mobile/rennfair-1.jpg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yuu8toW4F0o

Marlin

06-14-2014, 12:22 AM

I'm also digging the sail-boat idea. You get a big enough one with plenty of berthing, it would work great. Problem would be having to train a permanent crew to maintain it.

Plus- it would solve the issue of location. We would be able to sail from port to port. Sorta like a Mer-Cruise.

Merman Dan

08-17-2016, 03:17 PM

It's been awhile since we daydreamed about this, so I copied my reply from another thread. I found this one a few weeks ago:
"Come play where the Indians played, on your own 40 acre island with an Indian Mound over 8 feet in elevation. Find artifacts on your oyster shell beach like arrowheads, pottery, etc. It is approximately one half mile to electricity on Pasco Island. Hangover Island is centrally located between the Crystal River and the Homosassa River on the beautiful Saint Martins River. Crystal River is home of the world's largest Manatee sanctuary; all the local waterways have manatee. They migrate right past Hangover Island. The wildlife and fish populations abound, that's why they call this The Nature Coast of Florida. The St. Martins River has a marked channel - it is approximately 2 miles to the Gulf of Mexico and one mile to the town of Ozello. The quaint waterfront town of Ozello is located approximately 30 minutes to Ocala, 1 hour from Tampa, 2 hours from Orlando (Disneyworld)." Hangover Island (http://www.privateislandsonline.com/islands/hangover-island)

38694
Open in Google Maps (https://www.google.com/maps/@28.82023,-82.68395,1321m/data=!3m1!1e3)

Rett

08-21-2016, 10:29 PM

Wow! Never saw this thread when it was active but man am I interested! A lot of the million dollar ideas though just really arent feasible (and probably the reason why they haven't happened yet). That island you just posted is a nice chunk of land for the cost though. The website doesn't say if it has (or is even able to support) structures on it, so we'd need to find out that, electricity and freshwater first. You could really for now just buy the island, set up some yurts, a B&B style building, and get a touring boat and do that mermaid key idea. Charge people to come stay (discounted or even free stay for mers who will work to run the place and swim as attractions) and do dolphin/manatee tours as well. As the place gets bigger you could expand to a more resort style building, add a small spa (seaweed wraps and saltwater scrubs :p )create an amazing natural indoor/outdoor pool and so on and so forth as time goes on.

Shaylee Moon

05-20-2017, 08:39 PM

http://www.boredpanda.com/italy-gives-away-free-castles/
I saw this and immediately thought of this thread

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Khaleesi Daenerys

05-20-2017, 09:30 PM

Too bad it has to be given back to the government after a few years otherwise I would sign up :(

Aquata

05-22-2017, 08:54 AM

This is such a good idea! I firmly believe I will become a millionaire some day :lol:

Shaylee Moon

05-22-2017, 03:56 PM

Here in PR there are decently priced areas of land all over but most are really for building up yourself. I heard there was a private island in Salinas but im not sure if it has already been bought and whatnot

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Syreni

05-24-2017, 11:03 AM

The best option for a resort would be on a boat move it around so you get the best season temps and ocean conditions. For any resort to even break even its a huge investment.
Another more affordable option is to charter and make it Mer only type of cruise and you can even determine what the menu would be and activities.

SteampunkMermaid01

05-24-2017, 08:33 PM

How have I never found this thread before? Oh my goodness!!! This is soo cool. I don't know if there's a lot that I could really help with, but if the idea moves forward and there's something I can do to help, let me know? I'll brain storm a bit to see if I can't think of anything more serious to contribute to the planning. Take care lovelies!

Mermaid Rivera

01-16-2020, 11:49 AM

I know this thread is getting older now, but has there been any recent news regarding this concept? I'd love to promote a gofundme or help somehow. I think a design that includes a couple caves or waterfalls could play into a natural home for mermaids, and having some sort of "mermaid watch" (similar to that of a whale watch), mermaid feeding or mermaid classes could help reimburse the funders.

Finnesota_Mermaid

02-22-2020, 11:53 PM

Hello, new to the site and came upon this while looking around and I have a few ideas, in case this is still a thing :)
Land that's cheap and in a warmer part of the U.S really is a good idea, because building costs are going to suck up money, and quick, especially with heating/cooling costs, how much is built on the land, and what the land is classified under (residential/commercial/etc). But, a way to help keep costs down is to build major buildings with boxcars, because you don't have to pay for building taxes on them since they aren't buildings. They can be stacked and connected to create bigger buildings, you can put windows in them and make them homey, all at a reasonable cost (Especially if it's done by us and not a contractor)!

Another great thing that can be done is making Cabins out of them, so you can have varying sizes for one or two mers rooming, or 5-10, and anyone who wants to camp? Bam, you can make a designated place for not only tents, but campers too~

A great building to cover an indoor pool with is a greenhouse type structure if the land is in a good area for it. This will let sunlight in and keep the pool warm, while keeping the elements out.

I know I'm not the only one with dogs, so having a designated dog play area would be beneficial as well, so everyone's dogs can run and romp around safely, and if a swim pond is made it can be near the water enough that they can have a doggy beach!