Pasadena, CA, USA (August 12, 2013) — York Pines, Inc., a development group representing the City of Sanford, Maine, has commissioned a feasibility study of the region to consider a major year-round tourist attraction as a catalyst for revitalization efforts. Larry Wyatt, Principal of Wyatt Design Group, a theme park and leisure destination master planning and design firm, along with economic analyst Frederick Cochrane of Cochrane Consulting recently provided consultation on the prospect during a three-day workshop on location in Sanford.
Wyatt and Cochrane began the workshop with a helicopter tour of several heavily wooded sites as well as a tour of the City of Sanford, located just east of the popular beaches of southern Maine and roughly equidistant between Boston and Portland. The goal was to identify the most appropriate components for a destination development that would capitalize on the region’s significant tourist market. Wyatt and Cochrane led the three-day workshop that was attended by representatives of local stakeholders, Sanford’s City Manager, State of Maine’s Senior Tourism Officer, Commissioner of Economic Development, and Governor Paul LePage, who gave the project his administration’s full support.
Larry Wyatt, one of the industry’s leading master planning and design experts, has developed and designed numerous large-scale theme parks and leisure destinations around the world for clients including Warner Bros., Paramount Studios, Universal Studios, Legoland, Busch Gardens and SeaWorld theme parks, and leisure destinations in Asia, Egypt, Korea, Morocco, China and the United States.
Fred Cochrane has produced feasibility studies for resorts and theme parks including: Snowmass at Aspen, Northstar at Tahoe, Sentosa Island -Singapore, Kapalua – Maui, Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom – Orlando, Elitch Gardens – Denver, Knott’s Berry Farm – Buena Park, and many others over a 40 year career.