Big Dipper May Be Purchased Next Week... but not by ACE

I have to believe that the whole reason why ACE is not going to take this coaster and move it to any museum or anything like that would be because they truly think that a relatively local park will step in and buy the coaster and move it.

I believe that alot of the local or semi-local parks will buy most of the rides from GL. Don't be surprised if places like Knoebles(?) Sea Breeze, Martin's Fantasy Island, Darien Lake, Kennywood and Waldameer go to this auction and pick up some pretty decent rides.

I could definately see Villian at DL or Kennywood and Big Dipper would fit very nicely at Knoebles. The double loop would fit in at MFI. Those parks are close enough that transportation costs for those rides would not be too hefty.

How do we talk Coney Island into buying the Villain? That park desperately needs a signature attraction, and the galvanized steel structure would be somewhat more tolerant to the regular flooding. Heck, even though it doesn't have quite the right profile, they could even call it the Shooting Star...

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

Ooh, Villain at Coney Island. That would definitely put CI on the map. Although I think Raging Wolf Bobs might make for a better fit: it's smaller, less intense since the retracking, and family-friendly.

Of course, Big Dipper going to CI would have the most poetic justice. Bear with me:

Coney Island floods
Shooting Star gone
Racer built as successor coaster to SS
Kings Island bought by Cedar Fair
CF closes Geauga Lake
Big Dipper auctioned to Coney Island

Can't you see the symmetry?

A while back I was on ACE's case to use the preservation fund to acquire, relocate, rebuild and reopen a SBNO wood coaster. I have since realized that wouldn't make any sense, for a vast number of reasons.

First of all, I wouldn't say that Cedar Fair is "being nice" by offering the Dipper to anyone free or charge. Clementon offered their defunct Jack Rabbit to any interested party for a few years, but not because they wanted to be nice. They wanted someone to come along and remove the coaster so they didn't have to pay the demolition costs. Anyone who came in to take the coaster has to be properly insured. I doubt ACE has that kind of insurance.

ACE also has nowhere to take the coaster. Putting something like the Dipper in storage would take a lot of room, and I don't know of anyone willing to store the ride, especially free of charge. And what would they do with the coaster once they get it? The best option would be for a park to donate land and operate the coaster in exchange for getting the ride for free, but I don't see that happening.