Botanical Garden of the Ozarks

Botanical Garden Society of the Ozarks, Fayetteville, Arkansas

The site for this 100-acre facility is on the shore of a lake with a wide variety of terrain and habitat. Situated on the outskirts of Fayetteville, the Garden intends to become a major regional attraction as well as a valuable educational asset for the local community. This project involved preparing a detailed market analysis, projections for attendance and revenue, and a preliminary operating budget. Projections were prepared in concert with a multi-phase facility development plan prepared by a design team. The completed project was an instrumental part of fundraising and organizational development efforts.

The Canopy Project

Curry County, Oregon

The Canopy Project is a unique ecotourism attraction proposed for a coastal and old growth forest site on the southern Oregon Coast. The project would involve building a series of lightweight cable and bridge structures that provide walking access to the upper portions (the canopy) of the forest. We studied the market for this attraction and prepared demand forecasts for each of several project configurations, including detailed preliminary operating budgets based on projected revenues and operating costs. We also assisted the design team with specifying the project scope, siting and configuration.

Mount St. Helens Institute Feasibility

Mount St. Helens Institute, Kelso, Washington

The Mount St. Helens Institute, which began operations in 2000, offers day and overnight natural resources classes, in particular those associated with geology and volcanoes. Classes are held at a variety of sites on Mount St. Helens in southern Washington, location of the Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument. We helped the Institute develop a five- and 10-year plan for class and event development, analyze demand for several potential markets, and prepare preliminary operating budgets so as to identify staff, revenue and other needs. We also reviewed and made recommendations for three potential sites for building an Institute facility.

Nevada Gold Mining Interpretive Center

City of Carlin, Nevada

Carlin, located near Elko in north central Nevada, is near one of the largest concentrations of open pit gold mining in the world. These mines, as well as the long history of mining in this area, offer a unique educational and interpretive opportunity. We worked with City staff to identify the market for a museum or interpretive center, investigated options and made recommendations for a site, then prepared a staffing plan and preliminary operating budget. A planning team partner prepared a schematic site plan for the new facility. The City used the report to garner additional financial and other support for the facility.

Bal'diyaka Interpretive Center

Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians, BLM, Coos Bay, Oregon

Members of the Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians have ancestral ties to lands on the central and southern Oregon Coast. The Tribe has been interested in the opportunity to develop an interpretive and educational facility on a coastal site in Coos County. We prepared a market analysis for this facility, followed by attendance and use forecasts and a business plan. The project also involved a multi-phase facility plan, prepared by a design team that collaborated with us on the project.

California Sonoma County Welcome Center

City of Rohnert Park, California

Sonoma County is one of California's premier wine and recreation destinations, also hosting business and convention activity in its urban areas. Because of the wide diversity and geographic spread of the County's attractions there was need for a central information facility to help guide visitors for day and overnight trips. We analyzed the demand for a facility located in Rohnert Park, on Highway 101 just south of Santa Rosa, to interpret the County's world-renowned wine offerings as well as guide visitors to coastal, river, historical and other attractions. Our work also involved making recommendations on facility configuration and potential operating partnerships. The facility was built and now serves as one of the official California Welcome Centers.

Washington Park Arboretum

City of Seattle, Washington

The Washington Park Arboretum is a 200-acre arboretum and botanical garden located in Seattle, serving a variety of educational, recreational, research and conversation purposes. The beautiful gardens and the visitor center are year-around attractions for residents and visitors alike. We assisted with preparing an extensive new master plan for the facility, providing attendance projections for each phase of planned development, plus revenue projections and preliminary operating budgets. The project involved considering the unique partnership that operates the garden - the University of Washington, the City of Seattle and a private foundation - and preparing detailed maintenance cost estimates based on planting specifications.