Geauga Lake's Big Dipper for sale on eBay

One false move and the turnaround gets it!

Holding a coaster hostage. That's a new one.

I must ask this, though, as I'm really quite curious about it. Did he ever consider, I dunno, opening the ride as a stand-alone attraction? Maybe make a small park (using the term park in the most basic sense, NOT an amusement park), but with a roller coaster thrown in? Even a little waterfront boardwalk. Just a place to come and relax for the day, but not an official amusement park or anything.

The example I could best liken my suggestion to would be Castle Island in Boston, if anyone is familiar with that. It's a nice little area with a little waterfront, a tiny restaurant, and a historic fort located on the edge of town near the airport. It's absolutely one of my favorite places to visit for a day trip or something, but yet it has almost no infrastructure to speak of, and it's totally cool, especially if you're an airline geek like me, as the approach path to one of the runways runs right down the center of the area.

If it was mentioned earlier that there was some reason for not opening it himself, I apologize, but I just hadn't seen it brought up.

I think the land Big Dipper is sitting on is owned by Cedar Fair, and they are allowing Dipper's owner to let it sit there for the time being because they haven't found a buyer for the land. At least that's how I understood it, but I don't know for sure.

I believe you are correct Vater. If the land would have sold it would have had to find a new home sooner.

Has CF been open to the idea of selling the land off in chunks, or are they still trying to sell it off as one property? Maybe after a few years of no buyer they might change their minds. What would selling the land off where BD sits, along with a few more acres do to the rest of the property? For example, does it kill road frontage? Would both pieces have enough frontage and visibility to work with? It sounds like a more difficult proposition to find the perfect piece of land where the coaster could fit.

They originally had 3 buyers lined up to buy individual sections. They just weren't getting offers that they waned. They said they'd rather sit on the property and wait for the economy to turn around. With most everything being removed from the property, I have to believe the property taxes have dropped significantly.

As mentioned before, the owner stated the BD would be demolished on September 15th if no buyer was found. Today he sent out an email that he has decided to demolish the coaster. Here is a link to the article in the Cleveland Leader

http://www.clevelandleader.com/node/14673

I've gotta say, anonymous attention whoring is a completely new phenomenon, even in coaster enthusiast circles.

But they were hurling insults and GRAVY, JEFF!!

Emotional blackmail, manipulation, victimization, and the like rank at the very top of the "things to do to piss Carrie off" list.

And that was even said without a winky... look out Carrie is on the loose!

I have to concur with her sentiments though.

Well, being an optimist, where do you think all that wood would be best served?

Homeless shelter construction, a Drive-Thru for Crackehad Barrell

and brand new Meth-Lab-Central for a park I won't mention?

;)

One of the comments in the article has the best idea yet about where to relocate it: A local fairground. Make it a permanent attraction like the Ferris wheel in the IX Center.

My bet is the owner doesn't have the money to demolish it either.

Goodbye Big Dipper. Thank you for the awesome memories!

I will miss you! :(

Zakkster said:
As mentioned before, the owner stated the BD would be demolished on September 15th if no buyer was found. Today he sent out an email that he has decided to demolish the coaster.

The last update I heard was that if no one bought the coaster by 09/15, the owner was going to cut off one of its fingers and wheels and mail them to some unnamed coaster enthusiast website.

He's not gonna make us an offer we can't refuse, is he?

That depends, did you wake up with Raging Wolf Bob's head in your bed this morning?

The other rides are still standing right?

Cedar Fair really made out well with selling the ride to this guy. They now get it demolished for free.

And made money (even if just a little) on the purchase of it.

I found it interesting that as of last week, a demo permit had not yet been filed and I read in another article that CF apparently hasn't been contacted about it's demolition. Wouldn't this person have to contact CF and schedule a time to do this since they still own the property. Sounds like a lot of huffing and puffing on the owners part. Like Carrie said