More than fur years ago, Pale Blue Dot Ventures (PBD) approached the Lompoc City Council and began a process to convert Ken Adam Park into a space exploration-based educational and entertainment venue.
During this period PBD has consistently missed deadlines for project submittals, repeatedly fell short when its proposals were submitted based on independent review, and received multiple time extensions.
An independent review of PBD’s latest submittal was presented to the Lompoc City Council on Nov. 7.
What follows are quotes taken directly from the staff report used to summarize the consulting firm’s findings.
They start off with this disclaimer: “Pale Blue Dot marked the financial numbers in its updated feasibility analysis as confidential proprietary information. That is why this staff report summarizes the findings and conclusions of the City consultant’s report without including PBD’s precise financial numbers and projections.”
“While the attraction design is not finalized, it is smaller and has less for guests to do than theme parks and major comparable space attractions. Most major space attractions offer genuine NASA facility tours in addition to the visitor centers.”
Kennedy Space Center in Florida, U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama, and Space Center Houston all have robust space hardware displays, and typically have a one- to three-hour length of stay and four to six experiences per guest.
There are no such displays or tours discussed by PBD. For people to travel long distances and spend time at a location, the experience must be interesting and visually stimulating. Since this project offers no backdrops for selfies or exhibits of space hardware for young and old space enthusiasts, I don’t see how it could possibly attract visitors from afar.
“The presented project model allocates reinvestment in attractions at a level well below theme park averages needed to drive repeat visitation. Entertainment Centers do not require theme park-level reinvestment but may need a higher allocation than Pale Blue Dot projects to refresh attractions in the future.”
“Pro Forma’s (the independent company Lompoc hired to evaluate the PBD proposal) ultimate conclusion is that if the Project is changed to address Pro Forma’s comments, then the Project would likely operate at a profit, but at a lower profit than Pale Blue Dot’s current projections.”
“Confirming the Project is financially feasible is important, because if the Project is constructed and then not successful, the legal procedures and complexities involved with regaining ownership and control of the property and preparing it for a new desired use can be costly, slow, and burdensome, even with the maximum possible financial protections for the City in the DDA.”
So, it looks like PBD once again produced a questionable proposal, and if they were allowed to start construction and then fail to complete it, the city would be stuck with lengthy litigation to get the property back, and then spend additional taxpayer funds to return the park to its present condition.
As it stands, Ken Adam Park offers other opportunities. For example, it could be developed into a regional team sports venue to attract league play from cities to the north, south and east of Lompoc. The investment would be smaller, the time span for completion shorter and the potential use by the public much more robust.
Another use might be a collaboration between the city of Lompoc and Allan Hancock College (AHC) to develop a test bed or interpretive display to discuss native plants that grow in the region.
It could also serve as an educational tool for the wildland firefighter portion of the AHC regional Fire Academy to familiarize students with the burning potential of various fuel beds.
After the report was complete the City Council determined that, yet another time extension would be needed for PBD to address the findings in this review because the current Memorandum of Understanding expires on Dec. 31.
The primary concern here is that this proposal will potentially be placed on the November 2024 General Election ballot. Before it is placed on the ballot, the City Council wants the public to have all, not part, of the information PBD is using to support giving them 82 acres of city property.
The future of Pale Blue Dot “space center” proposal appears to be getting dimmer.
Pale Blue Dot proposal: https://www.cityoflompoc.com/home/showpublisheddocument/38833/638346223261530000.
Financial Feasibility of Pale Blue Dot’s Proposed Development of a Space Center Project: https://www.cityoflompoc.com/home/showpublisheddocument/38837/638345394574900000.
