Ok, this is one of my favorite ideas that I should have shared with Bob Buckhorn back in the day. I talked to him briefly about it once but never followed up. Maybe Mayor Jane would like to meet. Or the History Museum or Art Museum. I have many detailed ideas for this project.

Problem

Tampa’s downtown trolley is novel more than practical. It has good bones. It has good history but an Uber ride is much simpler.

Solution

Introducing “Tampa’s Trolliseum” Tampa’s Moving Museum. The point of the Triolliseim is to utilize its existing track and route now, and expand it in the future, in a way that makes the trolley ride an amazing attraction unto itself.

How to we turn the trolley line in to unique world-class attraction?

We make it a themed ride. Inspired in part by Disney’s Wedway People Mover attraction at Walt Disney World, Tampa’s Trolliseum is a rolling journey into all Things Tampa! A museum that takes you to all the places that it showcases! The exhibits are the actual locations!

Where Do We Begin -“Experience Opportunities”

We look at “experience-opportunities” along the existing route.

Experience opportunities are locations along the route where installations can be created for trolley passengers to view and be entertained and educated about Tampa culture and history.

Experience opportunities examples:

  • Tampa Outdoor Art -Outdoor pieces created by Tampa artists or art inspired by Tampa. We currently have at least one piece that will integrate nicely into the ride. Sugarman’s “Exploding Chicken”. (While it’s original location downtown didn’t suit it, I applaud those who had the vision to move it over by the Aquarium. I think it looks fantastic. I also think we should have a contest for school kids to name it something more befitting if our great city. “Exploding-Chicken is straight up good Cracker Humor. But I’d love our combustible poultry creation to have a beautiful name as well.)


(The San Juan Island Sculpture Park is home to more than 150 sculptures, including this windmill – there can be all kinds of pieces along the route. It would be fun to have some like this)

  • “Wallbreakers” will be the most fun exhibits of the Trolliseum. Imagine being in the Florida Aquarium looking at a large wall-sized aquarium when suddenly you see a trolley seemingly driving right through it. Like the other Trolliseum Wallbreakers, the Aquarium will have built a addition that forms a tunnel over part of the trolley route. It will be incredible. Nothing like it exists. Imagine taking your grandkids on the trolley and then into a beautiful brick Ybor-inspired tunnel which happens to house a giant aquarium that the glass trolley tunnel runs through.

Wallbreakers will be a unique part of Tampa. The institutions that step up to let the trolley travel through their businesses will be beloved for generations. While the name Wallbreakers is exciting it doesn’t necessarily mean that when the trolley drives through buildings of significance in Tampa that it will always be an exciting experience. Sometimes quiet, when driving through a memorial. Contemplative when traveling by a stretch of amazingly beautiful kinetic sculptures. Or celebratory when trolley passes through Ybor’s new “”Musician’s Row.”

  • History installations statues, sculptures, and buildings
    • statues of people of note
    • statues commemorating events
    • botanical gardens dedicated to causes
    • A cigar factory trolley tunnel where the trolley passes through part/parts of a working cigar factory.
    • tracks could be run to existing parks, museums, memorials
    • exisring monuments, art pieces, etc could be relocated to be on the route
    • The trolley garages could be used for part of the tour too possibly
  • New entertainment districts could be built on or around the tracks
    • remember how the Spaghetti Warehouse had a trolley car in it? Imagine a similar restaurant with a trolley track running through it or right next to it. It will be great.
    • a music spot sort of like Janus Landing that the Trolley runs behind. Imagine the band with the trolley going behind it every so often. It might be a sound guys nightmare but if they could figure it out – it would be cool to go on the trolley and get glimpses of the performances and it would be cool to be at the venue and see the trolley go by.

I could write about this idea for days as I have been imagining it for years but I need to get ready for the Buc’s game. If you are remotely interested in this idea please let me know. I thinks it’s beyond amazing. The more you encourage me the more I will share. And I have a lot to share – Lionel

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