By Ken McCrae Santa Monica
I just finished reading David Pisarra’s column, “Politicians bark up the wrong tree...,” (SMDP, April 20, page 5).
In it, he touches on something that has bothered me since I arrived in town five years ago — the lack of a world-class “must see” attraction which draws visitors from around the world.
The Promenade used to do that, but since it has turned into a cookie-cutter version of every local mall, there is no longer any reason for visitors to brave the local traffic to see it. Even the Santa Monica Pier is becoming homogenized — Bubba Gump is only the tip of coming chain commercialization.
If the City Council can afford to spend $75,000 to have some consultant tell them what they could have heard for free from any frustrated would-be retailer, they certainly should be able find a way to search for and develop a true world-class attraction that will draw visitors from around the world for years to come, in spite of the smoking ban.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on April 21, 2004. Read the original PDF.