Conneaut may be finished

I don't want to sound like a pessimist, but these money problems could be the end of our little gem in Pennsylvania:

According to the Meadville Tribune, Herb Brill is going to resign:

http://www.meadvilletribune.com/localArticle.php?local=2

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Please visit the small parks. We don't know what's happening behind the scenes
Woodencoaster.com

Awww, I was hoping to visit for the first time in over 10 years this summer. I hope they open, it'd be a shame to see the doors stay closed this season.

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www.coasterimage.com

Should the groundwork for a "Save the Blue Streak" campaign be in the planning stage?

Glad I got to visit last year... just wish it wasn't before the "new" old cars were put on the B-Streak in place of the NAD trains.

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Kind of hard to take a post as objective if a park or coaster name is part of the "user name"

*** This post was edited by SLFAKE on 1/24/2003. ***

Would (or could) any park want to pick this up? It would be a great addition. The only downside to me is one train, and couldn't they add another?

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I lost my hat on Poison Ivy. How pathetic.

Does anyone have a spare $200,000 that they could donate. lol

That really sux to see CLP struggle like that. I'm sure they'll pull through tho. They've survived the past 110 years.

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Six Flags, the only chain of parks that can manage to have stacking with a one train operation.

Superman, the Blue Streak has four trains:

1 restored Vettel

2 NADs

1 unrestored Vettel in storage

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Please visit the small parks. We don't know what's happening behind the scenes
Woodencoaster.com

*** This post was edited by bigkirby on 1/24/2003. ***

Now this just kills me, I was planning to make BS my 200th.

While not saying ACE did the wrong thing by putting the $250,000 towards the museum. I will say I was upset as I knew that something like this or saving a coaster would come about. And this is one instance where the preservation fund could help for sure beings the park is a not for profit organization.

Chuck, just a little miffed and will help when and if he can.

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Charles Nungester.
Confirmed, Lesourdsville Lake opening for 2003 details soon at Lesourdsville.com

Kirby, Isn't the restored train a VETTEL?

Chuck, who could be wrong.

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Charles Nungester.
Confirmed, Lesourdsville Lake opening for 2003 details soon at Lesourdsville.com

Ah, you're right Chuck. I didn't think Vettel built his own trains.

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Please visit the small parks. We don't know what's happening behind the scenes
Woodencoaster.com

You said nads. Uh huh huh (Butt-head laugh)

I'd say it's the end of this park short of someone stepping up. No bank will touch this and it's financhial history would drive a loan officer to start drinking.

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June 11th, 2001 - Gemini 100
VertiGo Rides - 82
Technical Services - 2002
Frightzone Screamster - 2002

I remember an article on rrc back in September where Herb Brill asked the court to double his pay.

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Please visit the small parks. We don't know what's happening behind the scenes
Woodencoaster.com

*** This post was edited by bigkirby on 1/24/2003. ***

I knew I should've taken my summer trip last year!:(

As always, late for the party..........................

How depressing. I love that park, and was looking forward to hitting it again this year. Hopefully, there will be a Conneaut to go to.

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--Greg, aka Oat Boy
My page
"Friendship -- more lasting than love, more legal than stalking."

Hold the presses everyone. Agent Johnson will be up there next week with some assistance, and they are far from finished........Yes, you heard correctly, it ain't over to I say so. That article was a bit premature.

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"Every Man Has Got to Know His Limitations"

Not many things hit me, but this park is literally a second home to me. I'm not sure what I'll do if they don't open this year. It was amazing to see crowds of people up there last summer... and the amazing waits that the Streak had after the refurbished trains were put on.

I hope Gary Harris gets whats coming to him.. and it sure isn't any more money. I'm confused on how he can give the park to the community, then claim that he still owns the rides, the sewers, and the land that the rides sit on. That would almost be like me saying *Here's my car. You can have it. I still own it, though. You need to pay me rent for it.*

The Streak looks like it may fall over any day, but it is still a fantastic ride. The organ in the Carousel may be a little (ok, a lot) out of tune, but that gives it some character. Toboggan may be hell, but... well yeah, it is. Conneaut has its own little quirks that makes it the park that it is. I'd hate to see it auctioned off in pieces again. We lost some fantastic rides that way.

Looks like I'm taking a day to take some photos. They maybe the last ones I ever get of my favorite park. :(

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AIM: Pritti Kittie

"HEY! Aren't you Lowe's Girl?"

I've thought for years that Kennywood Corporation should buy Conneaut Lake. it would fit neatly into their regional concept and its family atmosphere would fit their philosophy. It could become Idlewild North.

What killed that park was the corrupted managers who once operated it.

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Keeping Youngstown Living Exciting

AJ, please do keep us posted....couldn't be any more important, esp. after Whalom.....:(

bill, hoping AJ brings back good news from "The Lake"...

All investors want a return on their money, no matter how they get it. Therefore corruption is a term that people read about. Conneaut Lake has had the poor luck of operators that had the mission of the park in the rigth direction, yet lacked the proper capital funds to get over the hump and install a working master plan. When a sizable portion of your revenue is dedicated to repairs and maintenence, you are always on 'defense', and not on 'offense'.

Conneaut is a victim of it own popularity. In the 50's and 60's, it shared the ranks of America's top attendance of seasonal parks with Kennywood and West View. They topped 500,00 -600,000 for several consecutive years. All of them.

With people coming from Pittsburgh and staying 3 to 5 days, in addition to summer cottage rentals, repeat business was strong. And added with the giant industrial picnics that centered around the steel and manufacturing plants located in the Pittsburgh-New Castle-Youngstown-Erie corrider, you had crowds rain or shine.

Conneaut has alot of issues that other parks just don't deal with, like leases of houses on park grounds, hotel and campground operations, beach maintenence, sewar and water treatment services, employee housing, and marina services, well alot of opinions need to be heard daily.

Remember was a nightmare Cedar Point was in the late 40's until the 60's when Roose and Legros took over with enough capital. They had issue after issue that needed to be dealt with until they turned the corner of a profitable operation.

Once issues are put to bed on who owns what and who must pay for this and that, organization can happen. Investors can form a strategy to operate and make money without haveing to spend 3 days a week in court.

And hey, as everyone can see, it is a tough sell to a park that is in the shadows of 2 Six Flags, Cedar Point, and Kennywood. Its not easy to wake up in the morning managing that park, but it has a great history behind it, of big bands, of Perry Como, Doris Day, of the lake, the grand lakefront hotels, jazz and polka festivals, and rides. Most parks today would kill to have that history behind them.

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"Every Man Has Got to Know His Limitations"