Column: What if I could buy the Ormsby House?

A couple of times in the movie "It's a Wonderful Life," main character George Bailey closes his eyes, raises his right hand, and says "I wish I had a million dollars!" while pressing the lever of a lighter contraption on Mr. Gower's drug store counter.

Buying the Ormsby House wasn't on George Bailey's wish list. Then again, he'd need at least 10 times more if it was.

If I had more than $10 million with which to buy the Ormsby House, I'd develop the much talked about property into whatever my crazy, creative mind might conceive.

Just for the fun of it, let's assume that some super wealthy, eccentric investor bumps into me one day and offers me $10 million plus expenses to invest in something for him.

I might just purchase the Ormsby House and turn it into a more dynamic, mixed-use property.

In downtown Reno, the old Fitzgeralds Hotel-Casino was transformed into the Whitney Peak Hotel with a unique recreational venue.

A giant climbing wall, climbing boulders and other climbing attractions draw visitors and locals who want to try their luck at something other than a slot machine or table game.

Whitney Peak is also a non-gaming establishment, which I find refreshingly original for Nevada.

Imagining myself as an innovative property owner, I could come up with an attraction at the Ormsby House that brings in both visitor and local revenue.

Personally, I've always wanted to feel the sensation of flying. But I'm interested neither in using marijuana nor falling 10,000 feet above terra firma with a parachute that may or may not open correctly.

In Las Vegas, there is an indoor skydiving attraction featuring a powerful wind turbine that causes people to float above the surface and simulate skydiving.

I could dig that.

And in the event I manage to be the only hapless person to fall from something like that, a helicopter pad could be installed on the hotel rooftop for convenient Care Flight access.

For those who prefer to stay true to the history of our area, maybe an Old West-themed resort would fit better with the downtown historic district.

I'm thinking a new version of the Ponderosa Ranch, an indoor likeness of the original Incline Village movie set-turned-theme park that closed down more than 14 years ago.

Hey, someone has to have the courage to resurrect the Cartwright legacy and the lore of the "Bonanza" television series.

Bring the boys back, I say. Some of us miss them.

That's sort of the wacky P.T. Barnum opportunist in me talking. The more progressive entrepreneur inside of me sees a property with rich potential of appealing to families.

I'm thinking a family-friendly apartment and condominium complex that is mixed use residential and commercial.

The property would come complete with a fun center for kids that includes a compact carnival-style midway with ski ball and other fun games, a comical shooting gallery, laser tag, cool rock climbing wall and some bouncy trampolines.

The bottom floor could feature a multi-purpose center rink for roller skating and miniature golfing.

Surrounding that centerpiece would be retail shops like a Mediterranean-style deli and pizzeria that holds weekend paint or sculpt-and-sip art classes just for kids (sorry, no alcohol); a small toy store; kid-friendly salon-barber shop; pet-groomer; and urgent care clinic.

On the outside, construct a safe, enclosed space designated for the family dogs to romp and do their business.

Yes, I know that's an expensive idea. Maybe if I ask Elon Musk nicely, he'll donate a few extra million in change from his piggy bank. I'd even let him put the Tesla badge on the building.

The philanthropist in me appreciates the concept of turning the Ormsby House into low income, affordable housing apartments. However, good luck convincing the vast majority of investors to put their money into something with nominal, minimal, or even no return without government subsidies.

Unless we can find such a philanthropic buyer who doesn't mind giving millions away just to be nice, the commercial property needs to be self-funding and self-sufficient. It should be able to generate revenue so investors can see a return.

A commercial property that loses money rather than makes it will end up exactly where the Ormsby House has been for a generation: Vacant.

I don't think any of us want to see a repeat of that.

If you had more than $10 million to buy the Ormsby House — because that's what it will take to purchase the property and renovate it to your liking — what would you do?

Tell me your unique ideas in the comments section below.

Bear in mind, this is just for fun, giving us something else to do besides bemoan the Ormsby House for being empty over the past 18 years.

Believe me, I'd prefer to put the money where my mouth is. But, like George Bailey, I'm still a million bucks shy of being a millionaire.

How about you?