Thirty dignitaries joined together July 1 to push their shovels into fresh cut hay fields earmarked for the 50-acre Discovery Park of America, south of the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company in Union City and just west of the First Baptist Church along the bustling Highway 51.
The 10 a.m. groundbreaking drew a large crowd of wellwishers. More than 200 community leaders have been involved in helping plan the project. There were so many cars that arrangements were made in advance for visitors to park at the church parking lot and then be shuttled across the highway to the ceremony site.
By spring of 2010, the dream fostered over the last several years by businessman Robert E. Kirkland and his wife, Jenny D. Kirkland, will have become a reality. And, world class Canadian Architect Douglas Cardinal will get the thrill of seeing his architectural creation become a reality.
The $100 million-plus project is expected to be a major tourist magnet and historical preservation facility.
It will be a show-stopper. The 15-story glass observation tower and innovative design will be visible for miles evoking curiosity and awe by unprepared travelers who unexpectedly come upon it and excitement for those who have known about the venture and have come to see and experience it.
Kirkland’s park idea, first revealed last October, centers on further educating his home community, entertaining families and drawing tourists from across the country.
The Kirkland Foundation underwrote $20 million to buy land for the Discovery Park of America site and secure an architect of international standing – Douglas Cardinal.
A world class museum will be the park’s centerpiece. Under the plan, the regional park would be a joint effort of private, state and federal funding as well as local participation.
While the focus of the project is in Tennessee, Fulton County Executive David Gallagher said it will have a positive impact on neighboring Fulton County, and will likely spark new jobs in the area. Gallagher further said anything that draws attention to Interstate 69 to West Tennessee or Kentucky will have an economic impact on the area.
The Kirklands said Discovery Park of America will be a celebration of life, emphasizing the culture, spirit and accomplishments of the human race. “It will improve our understanding of other forms of life - past, present and future,” they said.
“The park will be dedicated to the history of progress, art, nature and mankind. It will be a combined tourism and learning center for children and adults alike.
“It will benefit people both from this region and the entire country. Discovery Park of America will teach, welcome and entertain all visitors as well as spotlight this region to the rest of the world,” they added.
The Kirklands have been residents of the community for three generations and have pledged their foundation efforts to support education and quality of life issues.
“Robert and I grew up here and it is the place where so many of our friends and the friends of our family live,” Jenny Kirkland said in an announcement about the project last October.
The foundation reported that to reach its full potential, this regional project must have the support and funding of the state of Tennessee and the United States Government, along with the local funding already committed.
With the museum as its centerpiece, Discovery Park also will include outdoor displays and gardens, a first class tourism center for the State of Tennesse and the region, and a convention and conference center.
The museum areas will consist of, but not be limited to: • Regional history - Reelfoot Lake, earthquake simulator, local fish aquarium, regional maps and 3-D topographical models.
• Congressional forum - papers and records of all U. S. Congressmen from the area, including Robert A. “Fats” Everett, John S. Tanner, Davy Crockett and other U. S. representatives.
• Alternate energy sources (interactive section) - interactive models and exhibits of wind, solar, water, hydrogen and atomic power. These exhibits can be connected to outside working models.
• Natural history - fossils, gems, bones and rocks.
• Transportation history - Trains, aircraft, automobiles and watercraft.
• Native American artifacts - pottery, shards, stones and regional artifacts dating back 12,000 to 15,000 years.
• Science, space and industry - scientific instruments, space objects (both man made and natural), industrial machines, computers, future concepts. • Wildlife display - Mountain lions, eagles, deer, foxes, coyotes, waterfowl and other wildlife.
• Military display - military hardware, both past and present; guns, tanks, cannons, gas masks, sabers and clothing.
• Art gallery - painting, sculptures, other artistic creations from various collections.
• Enlightenment room - artifacts and worthwhile items given to or purchased by the museum which would not fit into one of the other categories.
• Temporary exhibit room - traveling exhibits to be rented or acquired,. The room will be to Smithsonian standards concerning temperature, humidity and security.
The garden and green area offers a future building expansion area, and will consist of an aircraft display, old car display, walking trail with outdoor sculptures, and an amphitheater.
Also, there will be a pioneer village with log cabins, stores, early printing press, cotton gin, schools; an old car and aircraft display, an agricultureal area including a working farm with corn, cotton, beans and milo and live animals in the form of a petting zoo, botanical gardens with a sculpture trail and greenhouse; an an outside components to alternative energy sources.
The proposed Tourism Center, would be nationally rated, have modern amenities found at superior tourism centers. such as children’s day care area for tourists.
It would either be located in the museum or on the property with enclosed access.
The Foundation has made certain commitments to the project and the development of the Discovery Park of America.
It will underwrite the purchase and development of the museum and garden area in the amount of $20 million.
The Foundation will provide $1 million per year for 20 years to subsidize operating costs of Discovery Park of America, for a total of $20 million.
Also, it will provide $1 million per year for 20 years to subsidize the purchase of additional artifacts for the museum, for a total of $20 million.
In addition, up to 40 people will be insured for $1 million each, with Discovery Park of America being the beneficiary of the life proceeds at death.
Premiums for these paid up policies would be funded by the Discovery Park of America. The total premium is not known at this time.
Under the proposal, a regional conference and convention center would be provided by the City of Union City.
The conference center will be located either in the museum or on the property in a separate standing facility with enclosed access to the museum. The space and/or property would be provided by the developer.
The concept is based, in part, on obtaining federal, state. county and city funding and assistance.
The federal funding and assistance being requested would be:
• Provide a $10 million appropriation for the historical preservation and procurement of historical artifacts for the museum and other federal exhibits.
• Funding for the federal portion of an I-69 exit (interchange) or funding for an access road parallel to I-69 between the two exits planned.
• Funding for the federal portion of the U. S. Hwy. 51 portion of the entrance.
• Funding for an alternate energy exhibit.
• Assist with funding for the Congressional Forum Room.
• Assist with procurement of funding for special grants and/or private foundations to be used in the museum for display and historical preservation.
• Assist with the presentation and procurement of historical artifacts.
• Obtain help from the Smithsonian Institute with exhibits and provide obsolete military equipment for displays.
• Assist with obtaining grants for park areas that are available.
State assistance calls for construction of a Northwest Tennessee Tourism Center on the property, or as part of the Museum, with the center completed by the time the museum is completed.
Other state help requested includes:
• Construction of an entrance to the park from U. S. 51, including turning lanes and an entrance road. (Partial funding from federal funds.)
• Construction of an exit (interchange) from I-69 to enter the park from both the north and south, or an access road parallel to I-69 between the present two exits planned. This is to be added to the present I-69 construction plans and partial funding would come from interstate funds.
• Assist with grants available for projects of this type and assist the museum with displays and artifacts from inventory of state archives (i.e. items from Pinson, State Museum, etc.) These items could be on loan or permanent displays.
• Appropriate $10 million to be used to equip the Northwest Tennessee Tourism Center, for promotion of the center, assist with funding for exhibits related to Tennessee in the museums, gardens and tourism center and promote local attractions such as Reelfoot Lake, Kentucky Lake, area state parks and points of interest in Tennessee.
Obion County would be expected to assist with land preparation (roads) at the site and provide equipment and manpower for in-kind service.
Also, the county would transfer all presently owned items in the county museum to the new museum for display.
Funds from the sale of the present county museum property would be given to the Discovery Park of America for museum development.
The local role that Union City would have includes assisting in developing the park entry; providing equipment and manpower for in-kind service, provide presently owned artifacts now in the local museum.
Also, Union City’s assistance would provide electrical service to the property by Union City Electric System; Union City Electric System providing lighting on roadways in the park and provide water, sewer, and other utilities to the site, museum and tourism center.
Other local assistance proposed includes:
• Assisting during the construction phase of the park as requested.
• Building a frontage road adjacent to Everett Boulevard.
• Providing funds to construct a conference and convention center, offices for a convention and visitors bureau, and a preparation kitchen area for caterers, and banquet seating for up to 1,000 people.
This would either be in the museum or a separate building. • Providing operational funds on an annual basis, maintenance and other operating expenses of the enter.
• Providing funding for the employment of a director of the convention and visitor’s bureau. This employee can be a split employee with the museum. All income from the the conference and convention center will be used for operation of the center.
