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Forums > Home› Ten Forward

The "Star Trek" Attraction that almost came to life

ricosakararicosakara Member Posts: 422 Arc User
edited July 2013 in Ten Forward
My reaction to this article is "Holy. S***."

http://www.thegoddardgroup.com/blog/index.php/now-it-can-be-told-the-star-trek-attraction-that-almost-came-to-life-in-1992/

It seems, before there was a "Star Trek: The Experience," back in 1992 Las Vegas planning to build something even better: a FULL-SCALE STARSHIP ENTERPRISE.

This life-size 1/1 scale build of the iconic starship would have:

1.) In one fell swoop, make the downtown THE destination for Las Vegas visitors.
2.) It would provide international press at every step of the way, from first announcement, to ground breaking, to topping off the highest part of the ship, to opening day and through the opening month, and then continuously for special events throughout the year.
3.) It would transform the downtown area, creating new jobs, stimulating growth, and would fill the hotels and casinos.
4.) It would create a new "8th Wonder of the World" with an iconic monument that would take its place alongside other "must see" monuments in the world. (You would be able to see this from the airplanes as they came for landing at the Vegas airport. It's that big.)
5.) It would truly be "The World's Largest" destination attraction and one based on a classic mythology that would be around for generations.

So why wasn't this EPIC monument built?
Simple: Paramount CEO Stanley Jaffe thought it would flop.

Thanks a lot Mr. Jaffe for destroying one of THE greatest ideas of all time.
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Post edited by ricosakara on

Comments

  • sander233sander233 Member Posts: 3,992 Arc User
    edited July 2013
    ricosakara wrote: »
    ...Thanks a lot Mr. Jaffe for destroying one of THE greatest ideas of all time.
    That is pretty unbelievable.
    16d89073-5444-45ad-9053-45434ac9498f.png~original

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  • centersolacecentersolace Member Posts: 11,178 Arc User
    edited July 2013
    Oh this thing. I heard about this a long time ago, still it is a great idea, and one of the saddest things to never come to pass.
  • catstarstocatstarsto Member Posts: 2,149 Arc User
    edited July 2013
    That would be over the top and cool, but I dont think the design would support the saucer. What about a DS9 Hotel? Actual size, on the ground, benieth it could be a garden/park...above it could be an inflatable (full sized) Defiant that circles the hotel. Im not an actual DS9 fan, this idea just seems more possible.

    I think the most fans will probably get is a fiberglass shuttle and a cardboard cutout of the crew. lol
  • steamwrightsteamwright Member Posts: 2,820
    edited July 2013
    I hate to say it, but I understand Mr. Jaffe's viewpoint. If for any reason the exhibit had not succeed, the resulting abandoned hulk would be an eyesore and a point of ridicule to the Star Trek franchise and its owners. (of course, this was long before the ridicule of the movies and TV shows over the last dozen or so years)

    I notice they mentioned modifying the design to make it appear to be in drydock. Makes sense. The first thought I had when seeing the sketches was to wonder how the disk and nacelles would survive the desert winds.

    Still, the ship's chapel would likely have been the most popular chapel in the city.
  • vonhellstingvonhellsting Member Posts: 543 Arc User
    edited July 2013
    Would have been interesting to see a full scale version of the enterprise but lets face it that would have been a structural nightmare. Could you imagine the chaos if the neck snapped or pylons not to mention if there was a fire and they had to get people out of there fast.
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  • eldarion79eldarion79 Member Posts: 1,679 Arc User
    edited July 2013
    I agree with the Paramount Exec. It would have been a big waste of money. The crowds couldn't even keep The Experience open despite it being awesome. I loved every minute of being in that place, but it was expensive. I would not want to imagine on how expensive that replica would be.
  • centersolacecentersolace Member Posts: 11,178 Arc User
    edited July 2013
    steamwright wrote: »
    Still, the ship's chapel would likely have been the most popular chapel in the city.

    Hell, even I would become religious for that. XD
  • eldarion79eldarion79 Member Posts: 1,679 Arc User
    edited July 2013
    The most worn out seat in Vegas won't be where Ethel sits anymore, it will be where the Shat planted his keester.
  • robeasomrobeasom Member Posts: 1,911 Arc User
    edited July 2013
    I read about this a while ago possibly when it was getting thought up. I so would go to Vegas just to see this and visit the experience alas this was never built and the experience closed so now there is nowhere I can see star trek stuff :(
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  • eristhevortaeristhevorta Member Posts: 1,049 Bug Hunter
    edited July 2013
    Mr. Jaffa probably liked Stargate more. :D Anymeow, I think an Enterprise-D full scale model would have been awesum. Ten Forward bar, etc. :) Great basic idea.
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  • scizorfettscizorfett Member Posts: 31 Arc User
    edited July 2013
    It seems like a couple people didn't read the entire article. :rolleyes:

    Paramount wasn't going to pay for any of the project (construction, designing, etc), the casinos and hotels in downtown Las Vegas were going to pay for ALL of it because the downtown businesses were desperately in need of some sort of attraction to get people from the main Vegas Strip to downtown. On top of that, the downtown businesses were going to pay Paramount in licensing fees for using the ship and IP.

    So it wouldn't have been a waste of money for Paramount at all, they'd in fact be getting paid for it just being there. :cool:
  • lykumlykum Member Posts: 382
    edited July 2013
    I've had this idea for several years. Only I wanted to try to do it in Kansas on my land to bring folks to Kansas... by myself.. not impossible if you've got your materials lined up. Look a lot like JJ enterprise being built. Probably make the hull sheet quarter inch aluminium squares. Like I'm serious here if you guys really want to push this idea I'm all for it.
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  • steamwrightsteamwright Member Posts: 2,820
    edited July 2013
    scizorfett wrote: »
    It seems like a couple people didn't read the entire article. :rolleyes:

    Paramount wasn't going to pay for any of the project (construction, designing, etc), the casinos and hotels in downtown Las Vegas were going to pay for ALL of it because the downtown businesses were desperately in need of some sort of attraction to get people from the main Vegas Strip to downtown. On top of that, the downtown businesses were going to pay Paramount in licensing fees for using the ship and IP.

    So it wouldn't have been a waste of money for Paramount at all, they'd in fact be getting paid for it just being there. :cool:

    Just re-read all the comments to make certain. Although there are comments regarding the cost, those comments are generic, and most likely refer to the actual companies financing the project. No one is suggesting Paramount would have been the financial backing. If you look at the article, Jaffe is quoted as saying the that the concern is reputation, not funding. His view is, had anything gone wrong at any time, the resulting damage to franchise reputation would have cost Paramount dearly.
  • dracounguisdracounguis Member Posts: 5,358 Arc User
    edited July 2013
    Sounds very cool, maybe would have made me go to Vegas. Not a gambler. I see the CEOs point that if done bad it would have been very very bad for Paramount. But that could have been taken care of w/o some sort of quality assurance contract so if it looked like a pile TRIBBLE it'd have to be taken down.

    Trek 6 was in 1991. 1992 was TNG going strong; wonder why they didn't chose the D? What? Too big? ;)
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  • captainoblivouscaptainoblivous Member Posts: 2,284 Arc User
    edited July 2013
    dracounguis wrote: »
    Trek 6 was in 1991. 1992 was TNG going strong; wonder why they didn't chose the D? What? Too big? ;)

    That may have been part of it, but it would likely have been more to do with the fact that the TOS/TMP Enterprise is the truly iconic ship that everyone knows.
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  • lykumlykum Member Posts: 382
    edited July 2013
    have to be a smaller ship like enterprise-A with a possible Klingon addition. Picture it at night a full on-ground shipyard that can also serve as a hotel/restauraunt/bar... with modern digital interfaces.. could be the sweet cream of golden corn we always dreamed it could be! Maybe put it on an awesome stand like the micro machine star trek ships.

    I mean, who doesn't want to get laid on a starship overlooking a starry night sky??? if built in Colorado... hehehe
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  • stardestroyer001stardestroyer001 Member Posts: 2,615 Arc User
    edited July 2013
    dracounguis wrote: »
    Trek 6 was in 1991. 1992 was TNG going strong; wonder why they didn't chose the D? What? Too big? ;)

    They could have just made the saucer by itself, in a full scale diorama of the crash from Generations.
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  • redsnake721redsnake721 Member Posts: 0 Arc User
    edited July 2013
    Branson Mo. has a replica of the Titanic and a pretty cool museum inside it. Its not to scale but still a pretty cool attraction. Shame that a smaller ship like the Relaint or Voyager are not as popular. Something smaller would be more feasible for a destination like Branson. They have other Musem attraction there that bring in a lot of people. A year round star trek museum would always bring in people from around the world. Shame that Paramount sold all of the iconic Star Trek set items and ships at auction a few years ago.
  • centersolacecentersolace Member Posts: 11,178 Arc User
    edited July 2013
    dracounguis wrote: »
    Sounds very cool, maybe would have made me go to Vegas. Not a gambler. I see the CEOs point that if done bad it would have been very very bad for Paramount. But that could have been taken care of w/o some sort of quality assurance contract so if it looked like a pile TRIBBLE it'd have to be taken down.

    Trek 6 was in 1991. 1992 was TNG going strong; wonder why they didn't chose the D? What? Too big? ;)

    Too big. Besides, the Constitution is what started it all.
  • otisnobleotisnoble Member Posts: 1,290 Arc User
    edited July 2013
    Oh to Dream, to wish upon a Star Trek.
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