the buzz log

Once upon a time, the baddest of the bad were sent to Alcatraz to cool their heels. Fortunately, that's no longer the case. If felons were still being housed on "The Rock," a luxury hotel would be much more difficult to build.

Wait, what? Five-star accommodations on a site that once held hundreds of scary convicts? Yep! Several articles in the Buzz report that the National Parks Service (of which Alcatraz is a part) may build a swanky lodge for tourists and wannabe jail birds.

Of course, the obvious question is why. Why would someone want to pay to spend an evening on the same infamous island Al Capone once called home? The unofficial and even more obvious answer: Because it'd be totally cool. We haven't done the market research, but we'd bet plenty of tourists would love to spend a dark and stormy night at history's most notorious former prison... or a hotel next door, anyway.

Right now, the hotel is in the discussion stage. Maybe something will come of it, maybe not. Regardless, the Parks Service should take note of the Buzz. This is one idea that has folks talking.