ARTS AND CULTURE EDITOR – SOPHIA KUSSEL
Originally printed September 22, 2022
Ripley’s Believe It or Not on Alamo Plaza, right across from the Alamo, has closed its doors to the public, this time for good on Sept. 5, and is to be officially vacated on Oct. 31. Tomb Rider 3D: Adventure Ride and Arcade, the Guinness World Records Museum and Ripley’s Haunted Adventure agreed to terminate their leases in the Woolworth and Palace Buildings. Coming as a shock to many San Antonio locals, the familiar site has been opened since 2002, exactly two decades, and has established itself as a popular tourist attraction. So, why is it being closed?
Seemingly, the closure of Ripley’s is a major component of the “Alamo Plan,” which seeks to restore historic sites, such as the Woolworth and Crockett buildings. This includes closing streets to vehicular traffic, increasing public transportation and constructing a new exhibit hall. The Alamo Plan has started since May of last year, kicking off construction and road closures commuters are still dealing with to this day.
Ripley’s is set to be replaced with the Alamo Museum and Visitors Center, projected to be open in 2029. There is little doubt that San Antonio is rapidly changing, from expanding its public bus system, to the Alamo Plaza makeover. These changes have brought up the long standing debate over the use of the Woolworth and Palace buildings. When told about the Ripley’s closure, Freshman Communications Major, Sydney Tobias, had this to say: “I think that’s kind of crazy in a way. I remember going to the Ripley’s Museum when I was younger with my parents and my friends, and it was a great time so it will be [strange] to have some historical thing there instead.”
So, what exactly is the historical significance of the buildings? Aside from its proximity to the Alamo, the Woolworth building was a lunch counter and was the first site in the South to be peacefully integrated during the 1960s-making it a significant civil rights landmark and a symbol of racial desegregation in the U.S. The site’s tremendous historical significance is the main reason for the repurposing of the building. The state will provide $50M for the redevelopment, but this leaves some people uneasy. “I think San Antonio really needs to get its priorities straight…there’s a lot of things going on and so many issues around town already.”, said Tobias.
Ripley’s is placed in a historic site, in historic architecture. Yet, the city is determined to restore the Woolworth and Palace buildings to their former historical glory. However, the nostalgia of Ripley’s is a reminder that the attraction is a poignant memory for much of the community, making the Ripley’s goodbye a difficult one. That being said, Ripley’s is not leaving San Antonio altogether. In a statement issued to Texas Public Radio, Phillips Entertainment, which is the operator of the location, leaves us with an assurance that there will still be plenty of tourist locations to visit, saying, “We are pleased that we have been able to reach a mutual agreement with the General Land Office regarding the future of some of our Alamo Plaza businesses. However, Phillips Entertainment, Inc. will continue in business all across San Antonio. We still operate two Extreme Escape locations, the Buckhorn Saloon & Museum, The Texas Ranger Museum and The Amazing Mirror Maze. In addition, we are opening a brand new Texas/ San Antonio themed retail business within the next week called Viva SA.TX! located at 123 Alamo Plaza, across from the Rivercenter Mall,” the statement read. Although Ripley’s is closed to the public, anyone is still welcome to visit the site for outdoor viewing before it officially becomes vacated in October. The building is located on 307 Alamo Plaza, San Antonio, TX 78205