From Canadian Business:
On a bright, warm April day in Niagara Falls, Ont.–one of the first truly fine days this spring–Bob Masterson, president of Ripley Entertainment Inc., confidently told guests at the grand opening of his company’s Great Wolf Lodge that completion of the resort was just the beginning. For decades, the Ripley’s Believe It or Not! museum had been a stalwart attraction in the town’s Clifton Hill tourist area, but it had become a faded icon of kitsch until B.C. billionaire Jimmy Pattison purchased the entertainment company in 1985 and gave it a much-needed shot in the arm…
But even as Masterson was enthusing about the plans, Pattison, the man with the money, was in the Great Wolf lobby giving a more cautious view of how things might unfold. He candidly told other journalists that a decision on building the aquarium had been put on hold indefinitely, thanks to concerns raised about the potential impact of a new U.S. border security law. Designed as a response to the concerns surrounding the 9/11 attacks and ensuing “war on terrorism,” the new regulations would force anyone wanting to enter the United States–including American citizens–to show a valid passport or some other secure travel document instead of just a birth certificate.
Pattison later elaborated on his misgivings to Canadian Business.
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Great find Graham!