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PaddleWheel Productions, Inc. Prospectus
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the foot of Buttercup Lane which opens onto U. S. Highway 90 in Waveland. The property is just west of the Bay St. Louis/Waveland line. The cost of the land is $225,000 bought through a lease/purchase agreement. The approximate cost of the building (as determined from contractors) is $800,000. The Bay/Waveland area is central to the east-west corridor (Pensacola to Houston) to be marketed intensely. Easy access from Interstate 10 is provided by Mississippi Highway 603, which is four lane, the theatre is only six miles from I-10. Its close proximity to New Orleans is also a plus, many visitors from New Orleans currently patronize area shops and restaurants. The theatre building will also include a gift shop (all merchandise from cups to cast albums will advertise the theatre), an ice cream comer, a bar (for pleasure of theatre patrons only), and an enclosed veranda for “A Picnic On The Porch” for persons wishing an entertainment/food combination ticket. Also, an entertainment/dinner package in cooperation with several area restaurants will offer more elaborate dining for patrons who desire such service. The land is already zoned commercial. In addition to the theatre building, a portion of the land on the south side will be developed into a park area with benches and tables for the enjoyment of patrons before the performance and at intermission. The remainder of the property will be used for parking, with designated areas for both busses, RV's, and cars.
OPPORTUNITIES
Although start-up costs are high (particularly building and rehearsal costs prior to opening) and no actual guarantees can be made for success, the possibilities for success are certainly evident. There is potential not only for financial success, but also for activity of great importance to the region.
1.	A recent study by Longwoods International verified more than 19 million people visited the Gulf Coast in 1996. Not only is that number growing, but the study also showed that visitors found much that appeals beyond the casino’s lure. Food, entertainment, and historic destinations were important attractions. PaddleWheel Productions will be in position to appeal to all of those interests.
2.	The Bay/Waveland area, with settlements dating back more than over 300 years, is an ideal setting for historically based musicals. The atmosphere will provide an excellent setting for the theatre and its type of entertainment, the theatre will add to economic growth in keeping with the history of the area. It is interesting to note in the Longwoods study under Most Popular Gulf Coast Attractions (for overnight visitors) Biloxi, Pass Christian, and Bay St. Louis attracted visitors to historic districts. PaddleWheel Productions activities will contribute significantly to additional historic attractions since its musicals span history from the early 17th century to the 21st century. All these facts make marketing to the local population and to the visitor a dynamic enterprise.
3.	Having a continuously operating musical repertory theatre will enhance the image of the Coast, the state, and the region, no such facility currently exists on the Gulf Coast. In addition to historical pertinence and professional entertainment appealing to the whole family, the musicals have an underlying theme of brotherhood and should contribute positively to cultural understanding of the South. Troubadours productions will offer another incentive for visitors who come to the Coast to gamble to bring the family and enjoy a different type of entertainment.
4.	Having a children’s and teen’s programs in the same building will attract Mississippi Gulf Coast families to the facility, build future audiences, and add to the culture of the area.


Paddlewheel Productions Document (027)
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