Geauga Lake's Big Dipper for sale on eBay

From what I understand, he wasn't initially trying to sell the ride. But, he was holding it ransom, so to speak. He was willing to give to ride to anyone willing to pay him to move and rebuild it. The problem was that he had no idea how to do it. The guy made several e-mails to people in the industry, reaching out to anyone who knew anything about building wooden coasters. I don't think he really knew who to talk to either. Because I was one of the people he e-mailed. I certainly don't know the first thing about building a wooden coaster.

That being said. We don't know for a fact that he paid $5,000 for the coaster. Big Dipper was the one auction item that Cedar Fair reserved the right to refuse bids and or bidders on. There are people that I talk to that seem to think he ended up paying more than the $5K. How much more, I don't know. It really doesn't matter though.

He is a business man who made a business decision that he thought would work in his favor. As of now, it hasn't. I doubt it ever will. But, who knows.

So why is it that everyone seems to know him, but won't out him?

If he asked that I not divulge his name, I'd honor that request. Just sayin'.

Jeff said:
So why is it that everyone seems to know him, but won't out him?

Well I promised him that I would keep his secret identity safe, but the pressure has gotten too much to take. Here he is.

I knew it!

Anyone who hides behind eBay and wants to sell something for thousands of dollars has something wrong. If you have any ounce of legitimacy and integrity, you put your name on it.

Very well said, Jeff. Putting your name on anything you are selling is good business practice. That can be said for anything being sold.

Maybe he has his reasons for keeping his identity secret, like Peter Parker or something.

With the amount of hate and vitriol being slung about in 07/08, I don't blame him for keeping his identity secret at the time.

But now, if you truly want to sell it, it is time to be up-front and that includes divulging who you are.

What Jason posted is exactly why I think this was all a bad idea. Regardless of his wanting to remain an unknown now, having an idea that you're going to buy something like that without first having a place to at least store it, or an interested party to move it (and then rebuild it later) is insane, even if he only paid $500 for it.

Again, there wasn't anyone that was interested at the time. Besides that, there aren't a lot parks that have ever moved a wooden coaster. The one that everyone seems to want to mention is Knoebels, but they have 2 coaster projects going on right now, one of which is a relocation, so I don't see them being interested.

I still think it was a terrible idea to buy this as a private entity, with the hope that it would go in somewhere. Every park in the world had an opportunity to purchase this ride. No one was interested then, and it's obvious no one is interested now. I really don't think the anonymity of the seller is the reason they aren't interested, they just don't want the ride.

Hind sight is always 20-20. Things happen. I have recieved some pretty bad calls and emails from people telling me what to do about the coaster. As long as I have been involved, there has been some very mean and pionted communications to me. Why he hasn't been outed? it is simple integrity. I am a man of my word.

Hindsight is 20/20, that's true. But hindsight doesn't mean anything if you don't have foresight not to get yourself into a situation that doesn't look promising.

It was promising in the begining. I know it was. Have you ever had a plan to do something and it changed by something besides you? Actually there have been a couple plans that went bad.

Well I for one try not to make unrealistic plans or spend a lot of money on things I don't understand.

Promising doesn't equal a viable plan. There are tons of promising opportunities I could take advantage of right now. But I'm not going out and spending money with nothing more than a promise. I want contracts, and plans already ready to go when I drop my money.

Again, by saying that more than one 'plan' has went bad, then I have to wonder what kinds of plans he's looking at. Obviously no park wants the ride. Then who does that can afford to relocate and operate it?

Heck, I'll call him up and make a plan. Ask Funtime, just because you think you're getting something, doesn't mean you are.

Edit: and like Jeff said, did this guy understand the business? Did he have experience? Had he conferred with people who do? If not, then he shouldn't be spending the money.

It should have been blindingly obvious that whatever plan he had was doomed for failure, based simply on the fact that other far more experienced potential buyers, who have comparatively infinite sums of cash to purchase, move, operate and maintain the ride had no interest at the bargain basement price it sold for. Its not like the other potential buyers don't like making money.

He did understand the risks, however there was limited time to finalize any plans. If you remember correctly at the time of the auction, cedar fair pulled it out of the auction 3 times. If something was to be done it had to be at auction. There would be no second chances to purchase it. He had to make a quick decision . I would have made the same decision and I am glad he did. If the coaster comes down it will not be from lack of effort from the gentleman who bought it and the people that have been helping to save dipper.

There would be no second chances to purchase it.

And yet here we are on a 4th chance to purchase the ride, and just as with the first chance, capable entities aren't buying it.

I don't know why anyone cares who the guy is and whether he made a good decision or not. He took a chance. It hasn't worked out. It's on him, isn't it?

It's not like he's asking people to reimburse him or holding a fund raiser or something. Hahahaha... could you imagine if someone held a fund raiser for a coa.....wait. :)

I still maintain that what the guy primarily bought was some time, which is also what ffej seems to be saying. And also what I said on the last page. I'm not sure why that's a problem, or why people care so much about someone else losing money on it. This isn't the Conneaut Blue Streak, where we can bark about them pleading for money every year, or winning free Pepsi money over whatever humanitarian cause comes in 11th place.

[Edit: Doh! Carrie snuck in ahead of me. :)]

[The other example I was going to mention was the Zippin Pippin, where we could argue about public funds being used.]

I don't know why anyone cares who the guy is and whether he made a good decision or not.

I don't care who he is, and like I said, I doubt anyone who would be interested isn't biting because they don't know who he is. As to the decisions made, how else do you expect us to have a conversation about an eBay auction?!? Nothing else is interesting enough to talk about ;).

birdhombre said:
[Edit: Doh! Carrie snuck in ahead of me. :) ]

I seldom sneak. You should have heard the bells of my self-righteous fervor from a few pages over. ;)

Tekwardo said:
Nothing else is interesting enough to talk about ;).

Well, we could talk about why it's possible I will find you in the ladies' room at Knoebels.