Help Conneaut open this year.

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Rob Ascough said:I don't understand why someone can't be optimistic and realistic, as if the two things were mutually exclusive. Being an optimist doesn't mean sunshine and lollipops just as being a pessimist doesn't mean doom and gloom.

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I've considered myself to be a pessimistic realist for JUST over 40 years...why stop now? :)

40 years of pessimistic realism = cranky old fart :)

I can't decide if I'm a pessimistic optimist or an optimistic pessimist.

I'm an optimistic pessimist.
I'm quite positive when I'm negative.
:)

I like being an optimist...

... because it pisses people off to no end. ;)

I like to think of myself as more of an existentialist.

At least, I think I do.

IMO the best place for the Blue Streak, if CLP closes for good, would be Idlewild. This park could benefit from a mid-sized wooden coaster just as KG and HW did with Phoenix and Raven. If the ride is not in condition to salvage in its entirity, then rebuilding all or part of it from the original plans might be a good idea.

Idlewild is a woodsy type of park and the thought of the ride dashing through the trees again would be great. Also I tend to think of this park as evolving into a composite of Knoebels and Holiday World and the bigger wooden coaster would reinforce this image.

As mentioned on another thread, Lakemont would be a good place for some of the flats such as the Roll-O-Plane and the Paratrooper along with either Devils Den or the Erieview Fright Zone and the Carousel. The Bug? How about either Knoebels or Lake Compounce.

Of course, I really hate to see the park go if it does. I'm just glad that I got there last year when it appeared to be in better shape than it had been for many years.

^Agreed, Lakemont would be perfect for many of CLP's rides. The Bug is the Gem of the lot. the Carousel's a beauty, even without it's original menagerie animals.

At least I don't think CLP's Bug would go the way of Chippewa's bug. To this day, I still don't understand that one.

As much as I'd love to see the Blue Streak at Idlewild (if Conneaut doesn't reopen), I don't think Kennywood would buy it and put it there. Isn't the plan for Idlewild to add stuff that doesn't cause it to compete with Kennywood?

Is that a real "plan" or something made up by enthusiasts years ago and repeated often enough for people to believe it? Afterall, both Idlewild and Kennywood have a wild mouse, whip, log flume, bumper cars, train, carousel, kid section, picnic pavilions, rare flat rides, and "free parking" (sorry Gonch).

OK, time for my $.02. All this talk of optimist, pessimist, realist, etc. can get nauseating. I am an optimist and realist. I believe that if the right pieces come together CLP will reopen. If not, it won't. If it doesn't reopen, they will sell it like they did before, except that there won't be any local businessmen there buying up the rides to leave them in place. Many of the portable rides and kiddies will go to carneys, maybe one or two to collectors, and the carousel will be auctioned off piece by piece.

HERE'S THE REALIST STUFF:
The Bug will be cut up for scrap and the Blue Streak will be demolished. While I love them dearly (and helped procure the parts for this one), Bugs have come and gone, and sadly, today, no one wants them. Knoebels had the chance to buy Whalom's a few years back and declined (for $15K, no less). Kennywood might take some pieces (as they did with Hershey's) but that's about as far as it'll go. Whalom's is still around (as far as I know) and still nobody wants it.

As for the Blue Streak, well, very, very few wood coasters have been moved either in whole or in part, in the last few years. If you think about it (realistically) what is there to move? The lift running gear (BS's chain needs replaced anyway), perhaps some of the braking assemblies and the trains. In this case, we have a NAD and a Vettel. The NAD's were always too heavy for any coaster and the Vettel, while running, is not suitable to be moved elsewhere. Other than that, you have a pile of half-rotten wood and worn out steel track. Let's get real here--if the park goes, the coaster will go with it.

Believe me--I'm hoping beyond hope that the new board will get its act together and be able to stave off the threat of liquidation. Let's have this discussion next year at this time....

This just in.

http://www.goerie.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070718/CRAW/707180346

Opening for one month?

The way the article reads to me, it seems like only the hotel and beach club would open.

That's the way I read it to.

I can't see them opening the rides, largely due to there being no time to get them ready or having the staff to do it.

The beach club should have been open all summer. It shouldn't be too hard to make money with that. There are enough locals and seasonal visitors to fill a bar. *** Edited 7/18/2007 6:42:20 PM UTC by millrace***

So they're opening these two (beach club and hotel) based on the $60,000 gift Sutterlin handed over?

Hmmm.

Think the beach club and hotel will make more than $60,000 for the duration that they're open?

I have a hard time believing it. Seems like a waste of the $60,000 to some degree. Not that $60,000 would really do much for the park in other areas, but this just feels useless.

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Lord Gonchar said:

Think the beach club and hotel will make more than $60,000 for the duration that they're open?

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The Beach Club will earn $60,000 in a few weekends, and the Hotel will lose that same amount in a few weekends. What's still stupid about this is that they had a guaranteed $70,000 lease fee from the past pair of Beach Club operators, but the management of the park decided to break their lease and take over the Beach Club for themselves.

I say open the Beach Club ONLY!

If they open the hotels restaurant, they'll lose a ton like they did last year.
For the sake of the 'seasonals' at Camperland, i hope they mow the lawn.

I'm going to to a 180 here, just this once.

I think it's idiotic to waste money opening any part of the park at this point in the season. Summer is more than half over. People know the park is closed. Who's going to go there? Surely profit is not going to be realized after money is spent getting the park- or any aspect of the park- to open for a month or two. Maybe a whole season- maybe. But not part of a season.

I wish that the park would make a strong effort to secure money to get the park opened next year, maybe open it up with a little fanfare to get peoples' attention. And if there's money left over, make some improvements to the place . Trust me, I don't want to take the other side of the argument here (as I'm a big Conneaut supporter), but this seems like a total waste of money.

Exactly, Rob.

Use that $60,000 as the first funds in the pot to make next year happen.

I just can't see how spending $60,000 to open the hotel and beach club seemed like a good idea to anyone involved.