Maybe City Paper commenter “Big Papa” (see bottom of page) is on to something when it comes to the future of Hickory Hollow Mall: “Bulldoze down [the] Mall and put in an amusement park.” Is that such a bad idea?

Nashvillians have lamented Opryland’s departure for 11 years even though they have embraced its replacement, the Opry Mills mall. Maybe this is the right location for Thrillopolis rather than downtown? As local residents discuss the mall’s future, perhaps a theme park (with fresh retail supplementing it) should be on the table. This wouldn’t be as intrusive as the originally proposed Thrillopolis location downtown, and it would likely draw visitors/customers to an area of town that has been in steep decline for several years.

DeadMalls.com user Daron Dunkin predicted Hickory Hollow Mall’s demise in 2006, though he noted that it “isn’t dead yet.” National radio personality Tom Joyner made an appearance at the mall earlier this month, so perhaps the mall’s fate is yet to be sealed. Then again, maybe paying Joyner to broadcast from the mall was a desperate effort to draw customers.

As local officials are beginning to make clear, it would take substantial private development in the mall site for it to transform to a theme park or anything else that different from its original use. I’d say it’s worth considering, so long as it’s more Six Flags than Six Flags Over Jesus.

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