Freestyle still looking for investors to open

Yea Right. I think they should sell the rides pay their debts and move on.

HW, you could quickly double the number of coasters in your park.

"Hi. We own an amusement park that has failed not once, but twice. If you give us more money, we can see if it's really the case that the third time's a charm."

Geauga Lake has more chance of re-opening and becoming profitable than this park. Move all the rides to Aurora! (Then again scratch that, I am sure the residents and political leadership in Aurora will find something to bitch about when it comes to actually creating jobs and tourism ultimately killing its success...)

Led Zeppelin would be an awesome addition to HW! The roller skater would be nice too.

I really think that they should juts accept that the park is not going to work. It's over. Break it up, sell it, and move on. No sense beating a dead horse.

At this point, it's like trying to blow air into a balloon that has a hole in it.

They should just move the rides to Grayling, MI. ;)

Brian Noble said:
"Hi. We own an amusement park that has failed not once, but twice. If you give us more money, we can see if it's really the case that the third time's a charm."

I'm not 100% on the park having failed last year. Granted, they came in with lower attendance than expected, but again, one of the factors here is that they're paying off debt incurred from the first terrible owners.

From what I was told, yes, the park does owe some vendors for the 2009 season, but that isn't the real 'problem'. The problem is the money they owe from HRP's first year.

Sad. I still think the park could be sustainable where it is, even with MB's issues, it's just been one financial disaster after another caused by the first owners that has led to this.

I'm not convinced that a park can't profitably conduct business there in the long run, including the original one. There have been two failures, yes, but in both cases I put the failure on the people running it, not the park itself.

I'm completely sold on the idea that the general area could support a seasonal park with the right location (off the beach) and ambition (smallish seasonal park). But, this place just screams damaged goods.

From what I was told, yes, the park does owe some vendors for the 2009 season, but that isn't the real 'problem'. The problem is the money they owe from HRP's first year.

Fine, but they paid basically nothing for the place, so there was little to no debt service. That doesn't sound like "success" to me, even with a few old accounts payable.

Can I buy it and have it open "by appointment only?" Either that or do like Cartman did and make my PRIVATE park?

It's ashame this park has been a problem child. You would think Myrtle Beach would be enough to keep this place viable.

I don't know, maybe PARC would be interested?

If they can't get someone to take over, say hello to the guys at Norton in red jackets.

I'm sticking with the idea that the park's #1 issue is LOCATION. Myrtle's been a ghost town, comparatively-speaking, since the price of gas went skyrocketing...if the park were ON the beach (a la Pavailion), they *might* be able to survive. But Myrtle isn't going to make any park owners rich, and there is a point to the park being off the beaten path - even for people who made the exhausting trek from the nearest interstate all the way to Myrtle in the first place.

I might buy that for 2008, when gas was roughly $4 in the lower Atlantic most of the summer. In summer 2009, it was more like $2.50.

Source:

http://www.eia.doe.gov/oil_gas/petroleum/data_publications/wrgp/mogas_history.html

^^That's what I have been thinking all along...LOCATION, especially since Freestyle didn't do any better. I didn't mind driving to HRP but at the same time I was wondered why they didn't build it closer to the beach....MUCH closer. I was also amazed that it was dead on a Saturday in July when the Family Kingdom was PACKED. Actually, that's what made me start to worry about Hard Rock's future.

Most people (unless you are a coaster enthusiast and/or are a rock and roll fan like me) wants to go out of their way (from the interstate) just to attend that park. Most (not all) typical tourists probably don't like the idea of travelling away from the beach just to go to an amusement park when they have the Family Kingdom within walking distance.

When I went to HRP the admission was around $50. Most average families (especially ones with little kids) aren't going to pay that much when they can take them to Family Kingdom and just buy tickets. Even when they drastically reduced the prices, it still didn't help anyway.

I think HRP could of been scaled down in size a little (the park itself isn't that big to begin with) and put it where the Pavilion used to be. That lot is just sitting there dead. It's depressing to look at it. :( It would of definitely been more successful, but that's just my take on it at this point. ;)

HRP had great intentions, and BIG dreams. I LOVED it. I thought it was one of the most unique parks I have ever been to. :) I had an absolute blast and it broke my (and Gonch's ;)) hearts when it ended.

I was hoping the new owners would have more success with Freestyle, but it doesn't look like the park is going anywhere. I can't imagine anyone else wanting to put money into that park that's already failed twice. It's obviously not going to work unless they get someone who is willing to try a third time, with different ideas.

It sucks too because all those coasters are kickass yet very family-friendly. :) I would hate to see everything scrapped or moved out-of-state.

-Tina

I'm in. As soon as the heir of the Nigerian royal family makes that deposit into my bank account. ;)