It was no secret that Animalia had created opportunities for expansion. Lyre, Nevada in the space of four years had grown from a tiny town in the northwestern corner of the state, and with a declining population that in a year or so, the local school district was destined to be put in with other towns in the area, to a growing town that had the city of Animalia grow up next to it. It provided for a growing population that provided for a good-sized school district between the two towns and a community that often drew more attention and people to settle in either Animalia or Lyre. And this growth wasn't the only limited to Lyre and Animalia.
As Animalian colonies were established, many of them blossomed into growing communities as well. Some of it played to tourism and others played into other activities. Most of the colonies were mostly populated by Animalians, though some, like Heiya Island, Dino City, and Maelewano had fairly decent sized Human populations within them. In some cases, it was because of Human residents already living there, in others it was from setting the colony up as a refugee camp from other issues, or as a safety and recovery area for those rescued from major criminal enterprises. Some converted to become Animalians and could either take their form back to where they'd lived when it recovered or stayed with the colony.
However, this expansion often posed some problems, and for Dino City those problems were fairly obvious. Being built up to the west of Glen Rose, Texas and south of the state park where dinosaur fossil trackways were found, they didn't have a large amount of space to expand into. People wanting to "fly" to Dino City, actually had to fly into Dallas or to a smaller town nearby, depending on the size of the plane, which then meant a drive to Dino City, and this often-made Dallas the primary destination for visitors, as there just wasn't the open land area for constructing things like airports in Dino City. It also made building larger homes, like mansions potentially dangerous for cutting down on the available space for new residents, unless they moved into the apartment complex that been built there. The arrival of some of the super-rich people, like Ursula, then proved the issue of there not being the space for a large number of mansions. This then left a bit of a "housing shortage" regarding new Dinotopians, as many didn't necessarily want to live in an apartment.
This then brought about the need to look for other sites for another Dinotopian colony city, as Dino City was looking at not having the room for expansion, and Dinotopia Aquatica on Skull Island had even less room for expansion. It brought about increased issues and pressures to find a new colony city site and looking for one that would have more room for expansion, particularly as Dino City's Horizon Office had gotten lots of conversion requests. Jeremy Green surmised that a lot of it related to the similar grown that Lyre and Animalia had had and with the added fact that Dinotopians would be ever more exotic among Animalians, there was a fair amount of interest in them. This then brought about an extensive search and even had Horizon's CEO, Melvin Qvite, come into the Dino City office to brief things with Jeremy on the developments and the searches for a new site.
"I hope you're not asking me to move to this new colony site," Jeremy said slowly, "I'm actually quite happy here. Heather is doing well... our hatchlings will grow up here."
Melvin nodded as he continued operating the lift that would allow his chair to reach the table in the conference room the two of them had settled into. There were a couple of other people there, whom he'd introduced to Jeremy as some of the local businessmen, ranchers, and mayor of Elk Springs, Colorado, which would be the sister city to the for the new colony and sat on the outskirts of Dinosaur National Monument in western Colorado.
"I'm not," Melvin answered, "and for the most part, we still want you running the research here in Dino City. We will set up a lab operation for conversions, but the main research and development for new strains for new Dinotopian species here. The one thing we may want is a list of possible names on who you think would work out in the new site and what you think of it."
"I'm not much of a city planner," Jeremy answered, "you might want to talk with Mayor Tarr on that sort of thing..."
"I was hoping he'd join us for the announcement, but apparently, he's had issue with some "out of town" people complaining about city elections here," Melvin said slowly.
Jeremy gave a growling groan at that. A lot of even local news in Texas had been enthusiastic about a "red wave," and several people who didn't live in Dino City then seemed to show up and protest when it was reported that William Tarr won reelection as a Libertarian and served to provide for plenty of other issues, which seemed shocking given how far after the midterm elections and that people were coming in to protest results in a city election, where William Tarr had proven himself to be quite effective and even popular.
"Yeah... there's been a lot of that nonsense going around," Jeremy added, "but still... it's not like I'm going to be a great judge on the new site you picked."
"It's just a case to get your thoughts," Melvin answered, "and it was a rather lengthy process."
"And you went with this site next to Elk Springs, Colorado?" Jeremy asked as he looked to the people that had come along with Melvin.
"Yes," Melvin nodded, "there were a lot of offers and ideas, often I think because of some these city officials have looked on the success that Animalia has had with its colonies and were looking for added success that would come with it. But many of them also came with their own issues... and ones fairly similar to what Dino City is dealing with now."
"No room?" Jeremy mused.
"In a way," Melvin nodded, "some of the places in the east have very little ground to build on and much higher prices to build on, especially for a colony city. That took things out to the west. And there, certain areas are too mountainous really be able to build a quality colony city that would have room to expand more. Not to mention cutting into habitat that some of the cities that we looked at also wanted to protect for mundane wildlife."
Jeremy nodded as he could understand that. Human settlements and economic activity could be a limiting factor, and that was a key part of things in Dino City, but geography could also be a limiting factor. He knew that Dinotopia Aquatica was on a small island and hadn't grown too much as a result. More mountainous areas could also have that issue, particularly if it was a Dinotopian colony, for the massive sizes that Dinotopians could reach presented the need for greater space and building on a mountain could be difficult. It could work, but it would take time and would risk damaging fragile environments and increasing pressure on other animals in the area.
"How will you deal with the mountains in that region?" Jeremy wondered.
"The areas that we've bought aren't too bad in that regard," Melvin commented, "and the local residents here have been more than happy to provide photographs and even a guided tour or two of the region. It'll be pressed up against Dinosaur National Monument to the north, BUT there will be room in other directions and would provide for means of communication with those local leaders and residents. And, like Glen Rose, it would be connected to some fossil sites in the national park that would also provide for some economic and tourist related opportunities."
"Construction will take time, though," the mayor of Elk Springs commented, "our town is pretty small and well out of the way. Major construction companies."
"So... we wouldn't be looking at the new colony city being ready for residents to move in or for the new Horizon Office to get set up until closer to July or August next year," Melvin spoke, "the only way something like that would go faster would be if the area gets an extremely dry and warm winter."
"But our weather can be a bit unpredictable," the mayor of Elk Springs added.
"I can imagine," Jeremy commented, "and you would happy to have a potentially growing community of Dinotopians in the area?"
"Horizon has agreed to pay for the land they would construct the town on," one of the local residents commented, "and between them and the national park, that would present some opportunity for increased tourism and visitors, which would mean more money in the long term."
"Even though food might have to be imported?" Jeremy asked.
"Again... business would mean more money is made which keeps things going," the local resident spoke calmly, "all things would work out from there."
Jeremy nodded and looked over to Melvin, "well... that really doesn't sound too bad. If the local people are supportive of it and would accept new residents moving in once the colony city is ready, I really can't say much more in that regard."
"You don't have any insights?" Melvin wondered.
"Not really, as I'm not a city planner," Jeremy answered, "I might wonder if you've bought land that would be cleared for air travel... but that would really be more a question of curiosity and comfort."
"We have some space south of Elk Springs for a small landing strip that could allow smaller "private jets" to land and take off," the Elk Springs mayor commented, "nothing big... and most visitors and residents would probably be better served to drive in, but it wouldn't be without access."
"Well, that sounds good," Jeremy commented, "and I can't say anything more on that."
"Would you want to be in the announcement?" Melvin then asked.
"Given that I would still be here, no, I'd prefer to stay off stage," Jeremy answered.
And he did remain off stage. He attended the announcement. It was ultimately fairly simple as a small press conference was ultimately set up in the same conference room and press reporters were invited in. Jeremy noted that most of them were Texas affiliates, but that made sense given that Dino City was in Texas, but he also knew those things would ultimately go out to the associated press and would travel further. Animalia Ambassadoria might also pick up on it when construction there got going or when the colony could open, but Jeremy couldn't be sure. He simply watched as the press conference was set up and as Melvin went through with it. This ultimately included showing a map of northwestern Colorado where the new colony city would be and with the national park near it. It was only at the end when Melvin got to something that caught Jeremy's attention, and in a way, he liked.
"And given that the county that the new colony will be built in already has a rather saurian name," Melvin spoke, "the proposed name for the new Animalia colony city to be built near Elk Springs will be Mesozoic Enclave."
Jeremy chuckled and clapped along with some of the other guests that were there.