Union City’s $80 million Discovery Park of America has had a strong first year of operation, with more than 295,000 visitors so far.
Park Spokesperson Mary Nita Bondurant said there have been few disappointments and most everything has been a major hit. Along with its exhibits, the park offers extra activities like concerts, art classes, and holiday festivities.
Bondurant said some dim spots included concert attendance. Only 1,500 to 2,000 people attended each of 5 major concerts. Park officials hoped for crowds double that size. To compensate for lower turnout, next year the park may cut the number of concerts to 3. The park also hosted a group of musicians from Nashville for a Singer/Songwriter Night. Bondurant said tickets for the show sold out in three days.
Bondurant said the park has received visitors from all fifty states and even some from abroad. Most visit the so-called “mini-Smithsonian” from within the radius of a 3 hour drive.
Bondurant said the park has received 97% positive comments and sold 17,000 memberships. She said most memberships are attributed to regional repeat visitors, some of whom visited up to 20 times.
The park also serves as a local event venue.
“We are a small and rural area and there’s been a limited number of places that you could have a birthday party, or have a dinner, or have a meeting. So, I think that’s been a real asset, not just to this community but to the region,” Bondurant said.
Executive Director Jim Rippy is aware the massive investment is a risk and he’s reminded every day.
“I still have to tap myself on the back every now and then and say, ‘something like this is really out here in Union City, Obion County,’” Rippy said. “It’s something that I don’t think that anybody else would even try to take the chance on. But it proved we did the right thing, we did it right. And, well, I’m extremely proud of it.”
The educational park offers exhibits on a variety of topics, ranging from energy to history. It has plans to add two more exhibits. One of those is to be named ‘The Chamber’ and will have information and artifacts from the Spanish Inquisition. The other will be called ‘STEM Landing’ and will exhibit a rocket engine and simulator, a blue angels airplane, and a garden like area full of information about science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Bondurant said STEM Landing is expected to open next April.
