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02/06/23
Overall Project Update
The return of the Miniature World of Trains™
is getting closer!
First a little back story.
Since 2010 the Miniature World of Trains has been
trying created a top notch world class group of highly
sophisticated model train displays that are both fun but
educational as well.
Examples would be Miniatur Wunderland in Hamburg and the
Porsche Museum in Germany, Grand Maket Rossiya in
Russia, Little Canada in Canada and Entertrainment in
Ohio. However, the new Miniature World of Trains will
create a new group of new display unlike anything seem
in North America. More details available via the links
below.
Back in 2010, right after the non profit version of the
concept was created, a 30,000sf former Winn Dixie was
offered to the MWOT™
concept for free. The catch, it needed about a one
million dollar over haul! We had to pass on that deal.
At this same time we created the first Christmas Display
for the Children’s Museum of the Upstate with full
sponsorship for MTH-Railking, Lionel and Atlas O. We did
this in the space of two weeks for Thanksgiving.
In the forth quarter of 2010 the concept negotiated a
$1.5M sponsorship donation from the Siemens corporation
via 7 separate $200k donations from each division of the
company. The deal was almost complete in late 2010 when
one of our board members did not follow up as current
President, Frank Ruby was pleading that he do. When he
finally did so the Siemens contact went back to Germany
for Christmas. When he returned in 2011, Siemens was
reorganized into 5 divisions and our contact was in a
new position. We could not resurrect that deal.
Soon after Frank Ruby negotiated a lease of just $20,000
p/m for an old Sam’s Club. But they wanted to sell the
building for a mere $3M dollars. Frank was working on
the funding with BB&T bank and the State of South
Carolina at the same time MWOT™
created a second Christmas Display for the City of
Fountain Inn which drew some 10,000 in its limited two
week run in early December 2010.
During this time a development company purchased the
building for cash and promptly tore it down for future
development.
Following the success for the Fountain Inn display MWOT™
was approached by a local grocery chain to take over one
of their closed properties. After 4 months of
negotiations we could not come to an agreement.
That same day the MWOT™
Beta test location came available and the deal for the
5,000sf to create the first MWOT™
HO test display and house the current Christmas Display
was agreed to that same day!
A 2.5 year lease was signed for the MWOT™
Test which would allow us to seek a new location. That
lease ended in the summer of 2015 when the board of
directors decided to end the non profit. Though the
parking issues in the area and new construction with a
construction crane to be placed right outside of
entrance, the BETA test still drew some 80,000 in total
of the two years. This was done without parking or any
advertising.
But, until the last month, we have not been able to find
a viable location, though we got close with a 60,000sf
former grocery store back in late 2019.
Then the Covid situation hit and in early 2022 the new,
for profit Lillput LLC was formed to find a viable
location.
Well after a year of searching and losing out on several
locations that a AAA fitness business was scooping up,
we finally have found 2 locations that this fitness
company seems not to be seeking that will work for MWOT™!
Late last month CEO Kelly Orr submitted a Letter Of
Intent to lease 27,000sf of space just off I-85 in
Greenville, SC and this week another LOI for another
44,000sf location just close to the former Blue Ridge
Hobbies location. We hope to have one of
these great locations open by the holidays in 2023!
Each location is fully air-conditioned and heated, are
handicap accessible. Both have plenty of parking and are
very close to the interstates and are easy to find.
We have included some links to the proposed floor plans
for each location based on the information we received
for the respective owners. At this time we can not give
the exact location of the potential venues until we have
the lease(s) in hand!
As of this update $700,000 has been committed to getting
the building of the project started by June 2023 if not
sooner!
Already, the plans for the new larger O Scale Christmas
Model Train Display™
and the new larger Miniature World of Trains™
HO Display have been created for both locations. We will
be sharing those plans at the train shows in two weeks.
The plan is to start building the Christmas Model Train
Display™ as soon
possible along with the set back barriers for the first
two displays. At the same time we will begin the
addition of 16’ and 10’ high partition walls, update the
flooring and paint.
Proposed location links are above.
The bulk of the venue updates will take place in July
while construction of the displays and building repairs
will start at the beginning of June (or sooner) as of
this update.
The project will need lots of help to be open in
November with the CMTD™.
One the great things about the overall MWOT™
project is the every display is new and custom built by
the MWOT™ team of
employees and volunteers!
So we will need help creating structures and trees ASAP.
No need to invest, we just need some quality help to get
ahead of the building curve. You do not have to live in
the Greenville area to help.
If you are local you can build the structure at home or
the venue in the new model building area.
There is a lot to do in a short period of time to be
open by November and you can help no matter where you
live in the continental USA!
Some individuals from around the USA have already
committed to help build structures for the new MWOT™
display and you can help as well. We will send you the
structure and then you return it to MWOT™.
It is easy to do. This was down for the Beta Test and
was very helpful in getting the first HO display
completed in 120 days.
However the HO display could take up to a year to
complete, so the more we get done now, the sooner the HO
display can open in 2024.
The MWOT™ HO display
we will need help with the computer software that will
run the 70’ x 40’ display. At this point we are leaning
towards the Railroad and Company software but we could
fall but to JMRI as we did with the BETA test in 2013.
The CMTD™ will have
special features created just for the this display and
the MWOT™ display
will feature never before seen effects throughout some
of which visitors will be able to operate.
Also, we could use a few more investors and / or donors
to help fund the projects $1.5M Phase I and II projected
cost.
Below, there are links to some BETA test videos to give
you a look at the test version and the catalyst displays
from around the world that have inspired us.
Want to learn mores, as of this update, members of the
MWOT will be at the following train shows to talk about
the new Miniature World of Trains:
Easley, SC – CRMHA Model Train Expo
Rock Springs Church Exhibition Hall
Friday 02/17 and Saturday 02/18
Asheville, NC - 30th Annual Asheville Model Train Show
WNC Agricultural Center
Friday 02/24 and Saturday 02/25
Atlanta / Cartersville Georgia - Piedmont Division Model
Train show – Clarence Brown Conference Center
Saturday March 11 and Sunday March12, 2023
Stop by and meet us!
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If you can not get to one of the shows, email or call to
get on board to help create this great model railroad
venue!
Invest Or Donate Directly
CLICK
HERE
Volunteer /
Join The Team
CLICK
HERE
01/19/23
Overall Project Update
As of 4pm today, a
Letter Of Intent was submitted by CEOP Kelly Orr to
lease a 27,000sf location near I-85 for the Miniature
World of Trains™
venue!
So based on this we are moving forward in planning for
the rehab of the leased space starting in June as well
as starting some offsite Christmas Display and Miniature
World display work!
The plan is for the MWOT™
to do some demo of the current floor as soon as
we can to get ahead of the curve
before July.
We will be needing help building structures for both the
CMTD and MWOT™
and you can help! Yes, even if you do not live in
the Greenville, SC area.
We need help with computer programming the MWOT™
display, digital marketing and more
Call or email for details on how you can help!
You can help the MWOT™
Project in the following ways:
Invest Or Donate Directly
CLICK
HERE
Volunteer /
Join The Team
CLICK
HERE
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