Despite an extensive multi-year publicity and marketing campaign, AmeriFlora did not attract enough visitors to meet the bills, especially as the costs escalated before the gates even opened. Also cited as reasons for low attendance were: torrential rain (14 inches in July that often flooded the lagoons), a lack of interest from the surrounding black community, a boycott by Native Americans due to its celebration of
Christopher Columbus, the exhibition's unclear image (as a flower show vs. as a theme park), a lack of enthusiasm for it by professional horticulturalists, and its $20 admission ($ in ). What was originally planned to be a two-week floral festival evolved into a six-month extravaganza, with the idea being that more tickets could be sold in 26 weeks than two. As operating costs mounted and corporate sponsorships failed to materialize, the attendance projections—and ticket prices—rose accordingly. Learning a lesson from the monetary failure of the 1989 Son of Heaven Chinese art show (after which the city and state governments disbursed $1.6 million to help cover the loss), AmeriFlora's organizers only requested public money
before the event, in the amount of $33 million. When AmeriFlora was not as successful as hoped,
The Columbus Dispatch wrote a $2.6 million check to convert the property into a public park, as had been promised. Although AmeriFlora set up an escrow account to hold the $2.6 million for this purpose, some of its funding was to come from ticket sales, which failed to meet expectations. John F. Wolfe, who published the Dispatch, also served as President of AmeriFlora's Board of Trustees. AmeriFlora closed on
Columbus Day 1992, but the cleanup, demolition of buildings, and conversion of the grounds into a public park extended into the winter months. Franklin Park Conservatory became the property of the non-profit Franklin Park Joint Recreation District, which still operates the facility today. == See also ==