Can Zombies Help Restore Detroit To Its Former Glory?

If that’s too high of a goal, can a zombie theme park at least make good use of the urban decay that dominates a city that’s trying to rebuild while pumping some much-needed revenue back i...
Can Zombies Help Restore Detroit To Its Former Glory?
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  • If that’s too high of a goal, can a zombie theme park at least make good use of the urban decay that dominates a city that’s trying to rebuild while pumping some much-needed revenue back into the city? According to some developers for the Z World Detroit project, absolutely it can, and after taking a quick look at their idea, it certainly sounds feasible.

    And so, they’ve started a fundraising campaign over at indiegogo.com. As pointed out by detroit.curbed.com, the description is simple enough:

    Z World Detroit will be a unique and spectacular zombie themed experience park that will transform a virtually neglected section of Detroit, Michigan. Participants will be chased by a growing zombie horde through abandoned factories, stores and homes across hundreds of derelict urban acres. The Z World Detroit initiative is a radical rethinking of urban redevelopment and Detroit’s well-documented blight and de-population. It turns perceived liabilities into assets that will bring a renewed vitality to a struggling neighborhood. When done right, Z World Detroit would be transformative for part of the city and become a legitimate destination.

    Imagine experiencing what is essentially a haunted house with zombies in places like this:

    (image)

    This:

    (image)

    Or this:

    (image)

    If done correctly, it would probably be as close as we could come to the real thing, minus the gory headshots, biting, and brain-eating. To help illustrate their idea, the project members of Z World Detroit created a video as well:


    As for Detroit’s reaction to the Zombie Theme Park idea, if the author of the Curbed Detroit article is someone to go by, something this creative would be welcomed:

    This sounds a lot like all that fun we had during the 1960s race riots. It is nice to know that Z Land is finally going to capitalize on our love of adrenaline rushes and nostalgia. Now even visitors from the ‘burbs can “wonder if they will make it through the night.” And new Detroiters that missed “rock bottom” can pay to have a more terrifying version of the city re-created.

    It should be noted that support for the project hasn’t taken off as of yet. The current donation total stands at $570, which is well short of the the $145,000 goal. Considering the support Matthew Inman, creator of The Oatmeal, received for standing up to a bogus letter from a lawyer and the amazing support shown to Karen Klein, this seems like a perfect match for an Internet audience that has no hesitation in getting in touch with its giving side, provided it’s a worthy cause. Saving the city of Detroit with a Zombie Theme Park, one that makes use of the resources that are already in place, fits that bill very well.

    The funding campaign for Z World Detroit continues until August 10, 2012.

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