My Telecon with Warner Bros.

The good news:  building a Stars Hollow attraction *is* a possibility (as in it would be allowed if we meet all of the criteria set by WB) and I now have an understanding of what sort of royalty they would be expecting.
 
The bad news:  me alone cannot make this happen. I would need a partner with 5+ years experience in the hospitality field and/or worked with design & construction, licensing experience a plus, and/or experience with the day-to-day of running hotels or parks or restaurants would be a plus, etc.
I was originally going to find these sort of professionals *after* the funding came in via Kickstarter, but the WB requires them prior for their vetting process before approval can happen.
They also want assurance about the land we’d be buying and the town we choose to build in… that studies have been done about traffic, community approval, city manager is on board, etc. That one is hard because it’s not like I can afford the land prior to funding & my realtor was hesitant to do anymore research for me without knowing I had the funding.
The WB VP of Global Themed Entertainment also said that they will NOT approve funding being 100% crowdfunded. ???
She thought *maybe* they’d consider if it was partially crowdfunded, but I would need an investor also contributing a decent amount as well.

So, there is a long, hard road ahead, but it’s not Impossible. I just need the right connections and more people interested in this happening.
I may end up doing some sort of a petition/poll as a dry run to a) figure out how many would pledge if we crowdfunded (because she had her doubts we’d hit the number I wanted, but she was also unaware of how the game ‘exploding kittens’ got over 219,000 backers and raised over $8.5 M… for a flipping card game!) and more importantly b) figure out how many would visit such and attraction & how often. This cannot be done via just Facebook since there are plenty of GG fans not apart of Facebook or Facebook groups.

All is not lost, this is just going to take a LOT more time & work.

Long story short:  It’s not over, it’s just beginning & I’m not giving up.?

Stars Hollow CT site claimed!

On the eve of the telconference with an Entertainment Licensing Executive from Warner Bros., we decided to claim the site starshollowct.com and it’s ours now!
This makes it feel even more official.
There are lots more changes and updates needed for this page, so please be patient!  Go check out “The Vision” post.
Today’s focus:  the teleconference!
Talk about a possibily LIFE CHANGING phone call!!!

What You Can Expect to See in “Stars Hollow, CT”

Here is the more complete list of what will be in “Stars Hollow, CT”:
The main focus will be on what is located in the downtown area of Stars Hollow and would be walkable according the show… due to all the cost to get all the details right, I really have to prioritize what will be offered (at first) in this attraction.

Based on the feedback so far, the main attractions are Luke’s Diner, the Dragonfly Inn (my one exception to focusing on what is “downtown” because of the popularity) and Lorelai’s house… in that order. Obviously, the entire downtown would have to be created… the gazebo, all the store fronts (even the ones they only ever walk by and never go in) just to complete the town.

Most will have to only be facades to start to save on initial cost. I have to limit which ones will be functioning at first… but the space will be there to possibly make it functioning in the future.

It is my hope to have the following functioning businesses for the opening:
Luke’s Diner, The Old-Fashioned Soda Shoppe, the Dragonfly Inn, Weston Bakery, the Black, White & Read theater, Le Chat Club (but Gilmore Girls souvenirs would be sold there), and Al’s Pancake World.
I know what some are thinking… why Al’s? Well I’m thinking of the customers that would prefer a different choice of cuisine besides burgers, fries, and sandwiches (and the Dragonfly might be booked/too busy to wait), so Al’s could offer pizza, sushi, and other choices not available at Luke’s (after all, it is known for switching up the kind of foods offered). If someday in the future I could make Antonioli’s Restaurant (where Rory went to Pete to create the “largest” pizza for Lorelai’s birthday), then pizza would no longer be available at Al’s… you get the gist.
Businesses you will be able to walk in and take pictures/see all set up, but really not “functioning” will be: Doose’s Market & Miss Patty’s Dance School (though there seems to be interest in getting actual dance lessons here, so maybe a local teacher can come by at an extra cost for those interested while they are in “Star Hollow, CT”)

You will be able to tour through (and rent on certain days):
Lorelai’s house & Sookie’s house (I wanted to do the inside of Babette’s house as well, but at first it’ll just be the outside of her home to save money)

What will also be represented in the town, but only a façade/cannot enter:
Kim’s Antiques, Stars Hollow Books, Stars Hollow Library, Gypsy’s Garage, Sophie’s Music, Stars Hollow High School, Bootsy’s Newsstand, the Churchogogue, The Stars Hollow Gazette, Faretta’s Barber Shop, Stars Hollow Beauty Supply, Posey’s Flower Shop, the Oasis, Eastside Dental, The Secret Bar, KC’s Annex, the Vintage Clothing Store.
To fill in any other buildings, the following could be included that were mentioned in the show: Stars Hollow Party Supply, The Hungry Diner, Stars Hollow Baby, Stars Hollow Bank, Pharmacy, travel agency, knitting store, stationary store, real estate office and shoe store.

First to make functioning if affordable: Stars Hollow Books, Kim’s Antiques, Antonioli’s Restaurant, Churchogogue, Sophie’s Music (as I get more feedback, I’ll add to/change the order of priority)
The following will NOT be in the attraction for the opening:
Emily & Richard’s House, the Independence Inn, Yale/New Haven (dorm room/Paris’ apartment/Logan’s apartment) & Chilton
But please keep in mind if everything is successful, I would LOVE to expand and create some of these… assuming we could find a property big enough to leave room for expansion.

The Vision

I want what almost every Gilmore Girls fan wants… to be able to walk down the street of an actual Stars Hollow, CT. A picturesque town with quaint little shops and a diner with the best coffee.
To see the town square dressed up in corn husks, orange ribbons and pumpkins surrounded by the natural foliage colors in the fall.
To see the town blanketed in snow in the winter – “The world changes when it snows. It’s quiet. Everything softens” and take a ride in a horse drawn sleigh through town.
To see the beautiful flowers in spring and have some of Morey’s Salty Nuts during the Spring Fling.
To see summer, bright and green – have a picnic in the gazebo or read a book in the shade of a tree in the town square.
Doesn’t that sound nice?
Not to mention staying at the Dragonfly Inn, touring through Lorelai’s house (or even renting it!), seeing all the familiar stores and business throughout downtown, peek into Miss Patty’s Dance School, or eat at Luke’s Diner, Weston Bakery, or Al’s Pancake World. To stay in a hotel that is right in town, possibly with a view of it from your room. Take in a movie at the Black, White & Read theater. I want to honor Stars Hollow as we have come to love it in the show.
No detail is too small and I want to get them right.

The “No Cell Phones” sign in Luke’s Diner. The “Williams Hardware” sign out front. The tables and chairs. Even the curtains.
The monkey lamp and dancing Rabbi in Lorelai’s house.
Go into the Dragonfly Inn sitting area and find a copy of ‘Clifford the Big Red Dog’ and 5 copies of ‘He’s Just Not That Into You’. Airplane booked again!
See the folding chairs all set up for a town meeting at Miss Patty’s. Shop at Le Chat Club for Gilmore Girls/Stars Hollow souvenirs. Stay at the Dragonfly Inn or a room in the Stars Hollow hotel located directly in town. Rent Lorelai’s or Sookie’s home! Have some pie at Weston Bakery.
While you stroll through the town, speakers throughout the town square would play the Troubadour’s songs as well as the Sam Phillips songs featured in the show and of course, the “La la” songs.

During the year we hope to offer the following events (maybe more!):
The Founder’s Firelight Festival
The Picnic Basket Lunch Auction
Easter Egg Hunt
Spring Fling Festival (the corn maze would be a bit cumbersome, so bring on the booths and Morey’s salty nuts!)
The Winter Carnival
Movie Night in the Square
With the success of “Stars Hollow, CT” there would be the opportunity to expand and offer more places to eat, stay and more attractions (how about The Independence Inn? Emily & Richard’s home? A swimming pool?) at which point we’ll let the fans decide what they want the most!

We could also make more and more stores actually functional in the downtown area instead of just facades to start. The top priorities based on the research so far is that there must be a functional Luke’s Diner, Dragonfly Inn and ability to tour Lorelai’s house… and of course the whole look of the town, gazebo and all. “Stars Hollow, CT” could also be rented for weddings, the fan fest and other functions.

I know fans want this to happen because I am a fan and I would love if this was a reality.
Well it can be done with the perseverance of the fans. If just over 333,000 fans (that’s only about 7.4% of the millions that are out there) pledge just $30 to a Kickstarter campaign (more from some/less from others), we can reach our goal and get started! Doesn’t that sound doable?!

“Stars Hollow, CT” needs to exist!

Still want to LIVE at Stars Hollow? I would like to eventually offer homes/apartments so people can become residents and utilize the town whenever they like.
So, the dream of living in Stars Hollow could eventually happen!