I heard on the radio that the main ballroom at Conneaut Lake Park caught on fire this morning around 3:30 AM. Fire could be seen shooting 100 feet in the air. Per the report, the building is a total loss.
What a shame to lose such a historic building. This is the last thing this park needed.
Well Id say they lost more than a ballroom as I've heard that much of the parks equiptment is stored there.
The infastructure of this park is taking a beating, Reguardless if they get funds to open, Repairs and replacements are a whole new ball of wax. http://yourerie.com/content/fulltext/?cid=6660 Chuck *** Edited 2/1/2008 1:09:22 PM UTC by Charles Nungester***
Or... will the insurance on the historic ballroom pay off enough to cover the debt of the park, or at least enough of it to let them resume operations?
Park General Manager George Deshner said the maintenance area contained the motors and other components for most of the park’s rides. They were lost in the fire.
What a shame. This is terrible news, especially if equipment was stored in that building. As much as I hate to admit it, seems like yet another nail in the coffin. It's just one more thing for the park to deal with if they try to reopen.
The parks Mainainence and most of the motors and critical parts for rides were stored in that building.
Whats burned is all the way to the gift shop, The Skeeball building was damaged beyond repair. www.amusementtoday.com has some amazing pictures. Amazingly sad.
IMHO the only way to get the park going ever again would be to sell off remaining rides, Build a full scale waterpark and then pay off the debt and expand. While people like the place, It just isn't a draw.
Nonethless, I would be remiss if I didn't take this opportunity to lighten the mood a little by mentioning the whole meth-lab central concept, and how that might tie in to a fire at 3:30am...
There is 'SNL Celebrity Jeopardy!' awful, then there is this. It's tragic, partly because I hoped to see Conneaut Lake and this ballroom building. Almost seems that the last old amusement park ballroom left is at Cedar Point.
gator, that was the second thing I thought of! :) It couldn't have been an electrical fire, correct? Seems like it was an isolated, unsecured building that was there for the taking by the wrong kind of "thrill seeker."
This looks like another bad management decision by the park owners, who in their right mind wouldn't insure a building that housed most of the equipment for the park. It's not if you can afford the insurance but, if you can afford not to have the insurance. It is obvious that this park can't afford not to have insurance and this event will probably be the nail in the parks coffin...
raser said: This looks like another bad management decision by the park owners, who in their right mind wouldn't insure a building that housed most of the equipment for the park. It's not if you can afford the insurance but, if you can afford not to have the insurance. It is obvious that this park can't afford not to have insurance and this event will probably be the nail in the parks coffin...
If you have $0 in your pocket and no one will loan you money because of your inability to pay down current debt, then it really isn't a 'decision' at all.
