Cultural Attraction Development

Leisure Business Advisors LLC (LBA) specializes in conducting feasibility studies, typically the first step in the development process. An independent expert usually prepares this study and it is generally required by funding sources.  

This study evaluates potential markets and projects attendance by applying market penetration rates to the market segments. These rates are influenced by the quality of the market segments, competition, and the experience of comparable facilities elsewhere.

John Gerner, LBA's managing director, has conducted planning studies for many cultural attractions. These include:            

• Fort Monroe Reuse: This 565-acre military base contains the largest stone fort ever built in America and more than a 100 historic buildings. LBA prepared the cultural business plan that was part of the interpretive master plan for Fort Monroe's reuse when it closed as an active military base in 2011. Click here for a presentation of recommendations.
• Nanshan Cultural Tourism Zone: This destination on China's Hainan island contains several tourist attractions, including the Hainan Culture Park, Felicity and Longevity Park, and Buddhist Culture Park. As a subcontractor to Economics Research Associates, John Gerner evaluated the feasibility of developing this major cultural attraction.
• Interpretive center for Canadian Geographic: Gerner Consulting (before it became Leisure Business Advisors LLC) evaluated the market potential for a museum showcasing Canada that would be located in Ottawa near Parliament Hill.
• Biography museum for Celebrating Patsy Cline, Inc: Gerner Consulting prepared attendance and financial projections for a museum showcasing the life of Country Music singer Patsy Cline to be located in her hometown of Winchester, Virginia.
• Museum village celebrating Walt Disney's childhood for the Industrial Development Authority of Marceline: As a subcontractor to International Theme Park Services (ITPS), he evaluated the potential of a museum village that would include Walt Disney's childhood home in Marceline, Missouri.
• Ice Cream Capital of the World Visitor Center for Well's Dairy: As a subcontractor to ITPS, he conducted the feasibility study for this combination museum and visitor center. It was the Travel Federation of Iowa and Iowa Tourism Division's 2000, 2001, 2003 and 2005 Attraction of the year Award Recipient.
• Virginia Marine Science Museum expansion: as a subcontractor to Economics Research Associates (ERA), he prepared market and financial projections for this $35 million expansion that tripled the museum's size in 1996. The museum has been named the Travel Attraction of the Year by the Southeast Tourism Association.
• National Aquarium in Baltimore expansion: With ERA, he evaluated major expansion alternatives that included both exhibit and theater options.
• Great Biosphere for the New York Zoological Society: With ERA, he valuated the market potential for a new animal-oriented attraction in downtown Manhattan that would combine innovative themed exhibits and theaters. 
• Science Museum for the City of Birmingham, Alabama: With ERA, he prepared attendance and financial projections for a new science museum in Birmingham.                   

His operations studies with ERA include evaluating:               

• Visitation trends at Smithsonian museums for Marriott Corporation.
• Future visitor exhibit and theater needs at the Kennedy Space Center.
• Ticketing systems at the Boston Museum of Science.
• Visitor origin tracking system for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.

To learn more about our feasibility study process, click here.