Turn AM DA's into tourist attractions

[dan.strassberg@att.net]

I was sitting in Uno's having luch today and watching 
the tall ships arrive in Boston harbor on the big-screen 
TV, when it hit me. All those beleaguered owners of 
directional AMs--battling with environmentalists who, 
among other things, claim that millions of birds die 
each year by flying into the guy wires (front page story 
in the Globe last week). Yadda, yadda, yadda.

The station owners are missing a bet AND potentially a 
huge source of revenue! After all, the tall ships have 
attracted a million visitors to Boston, and most of them 
will pay upwards of $100 per person per night for hotel 
accommodations.

At least for three- and four-tower in-line DAs (well, 
ones with guy-supported towers, anyway), why not deck 
them out with sails, so they resemble tall ships? Then 
build motels over the ground system--maybe motels 
designed to look like the hulls of sailing vessels, with 
bunk beds and portholes in the rooms to give them a 
nautical flavor. Mel Karmazin should really see revenue 
opportunities in this!