How big is the old Circus World property in Haines

How many acres is it? Also has anyone purchased the property recently and made any plans for it?

Acres? The park and the baseball complex took up 135 acres. The entire property was nearly nearly three times larger.

What's happening to the park? Sadly, it's finally getting razed now that the Royals have moved on. Details here.

It's sad that it will be used for office buildings. It is a large enough property for a major theme park. Are there any cities in southern FL that can support a regional theme park about the size of Silverwood or Holiday World? And are there still very large parcels of land either near Orlando, Miami or Ft. Meyers? I was also thinking Jacksonville would be a good place but there is a already a good thrill park nearby (Wild Adventures). I have always heard that Miami was such a rough city so I was wondering about Ft. Meyers. I wouln't want to live near an unsafe high crime area and I would think it would be bad for a theme park. I think Visionland suffered to much because of the bad neighborhood it was in. If I could win the $250 million lump sum option($1 billion prize in 40 years installments with a $750 miilion balloon payment) from Pepsi I would have enough cash on hand to build a major regional theme park without the needs to make payments. Its definately a very very long shot but this is the first time in world history that a standard sweepstakes has made it possible to win enough money to purchase or build a brand new major theme park with world class coasters. Usually you have to depend on the Powerball or Mega Millions for oppertunities to win such huge prizes. I was also wondering if the purchase pice for commercial property such as a theme park and if the purchase price for new rides would be 100% tax deductable? I can dream can't I?
*** This post was edited by Pink Floyd Fanatic 5/11/2003 3:41:05 PM ***

I can dream can't I?

No harm in that. Fort Myers is an area that could certainly use an amusement park. The whole Gold Coast of Florida has juicy demographics to make it work, though it lacks the population concentration of South Florida's East Coast (and the West Coast is a bit older, which may explain why you have to drive all the way up to Tampa to hit a park).

But don't shortchange Miami. I don't think anyone who lives in Miami would consider it "rough" and, like any major city, it's not as if there's any land to build a park in the relatively high-crime urban center anyway.

Thinking back to all of the proposed parks that have come and gone in this area over the years -- from Watson Island (which would have been the most stunning site geographically but is now off-limits as Parrot Jungle and another museum have leased it out) to Hollywood-Ft. Lauderdale's Wayne's World (not the actual name, but it was where Wayne Huizenga was going to build his park before the city balked in building a new stadium for the Marlins) to Homestead (where land is definitely plentiful right off the Turnpike and US 1, but the land may be too far South to draw from the lucrative Ft.Lauderdale, West Palm Beach and maybe even Miami markets if you go too far South), these have all been areas where the highway infrastructure is already in place.

I know my sister lives in Pembrook Pines which is a nice area but I have heard Dania Beach is a rough area. People like my friend from Kentucky always heard horror stories about gangs like in the Miami area. While Miami may have some halfway decent area the question is if a park gets built even in suburban Miami will it have the gang problems SFMM is known for? Even SFGAm seems to have problem with gangs and MTV with so much of their rap music seems to induce bad behavior in some kids. I have heard Miami has a higher crime rate than many cities that are much larger. My newphew have told me that just 2 blocks from the park is such a bad neighborhood that he saw an idiot running down the street chasing another idiot with a basebat bat. I would still visit Boomers because it seems safer than the streets but its kind of scary seeing violent crime so close like on a daily basis
*** This post was edited by Pink Floyd Fanatic 5/11/2003 7:40:15 PM ***
*** This post was edited by Pink Floyd Fanatic 5/11/2003 7:45:22 PM ***

Here's a nice tribute site with info.
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Brad Sherman
The Headless Horseman awaits thee in 2003!
Arrowed!

Miami's crime rate is high, but it's nowhere near the violent crime rate in places like Washington D.C. -- and Six Flags America isn't exactly a lawless place.

Don't believe the Miami Vice or CSI: Miami hype. If anything those shows have given the area a younger market than this place had decades ago when Parrot Jungle, Monkey Junlge and the Miami Seaquarium provided tamer tourist attractions for the elderly snowbirds. Those attractions are still here, though they have yet to cater to the younger locals and younger tourists with a bona-fide amusement park offering.

It's actually the ideal market that's starved for a park. Trust me. I'm not the only one who is tired of having to go all over the country to get my fix for the 50 weeks when the fair isn't in town.

What's the population of Miami? Is it bigger than the Twin Citie in MN (2.2-2.5 million)?

Miami's population is up to 2.3 million. It's also a few miles away from the 1.6 million residents of Fort Lauderdale and an hour away from the 1.1 million in West Palm Beach and Boca Raton. South of Miami you have Homestead and the Florida Keys. I don't have those population figures off-hand but it's not as high as those three. Still, it's a pretty large radius to be parkless.

Some day that void will be filled. I'll remember it well because it will be the night that I camp out in the parking lot.

Is Titusville close to W Palm Beach?

"My newphew have told me that just 2 blocks from the park is such a bad neighborhood that he saw an idiot running down the street chasing another idiot with a basebat bat."

How did you nephew know they were idiots?

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"I don't like poop singers." Peabody, discussing American Idol.

Titusville is about an hour's drive East of Orlando. It's by Cocoa Beach and the Kennedy Space Center. I've heard the Six Flags Titusville rumours but I don't buy them -- for a dozen different reasons.

Still, it's 2-3 hours from West Palm Beach and about 4 hours from Miami. Well outside the 4-5 million residents in the 100 mile radius that a regional park in South Florida would serve.

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Mamoosh said:
"My newphew have told me that just 2 blocks from the park is such a bad neighborhood that he saw an idiot running down the street chasing another idiot with a basebat bat."

How did you nephew know they were idiots?

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"I don't like poop singers." Peabody, discussing American Idol.

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They are idiots because the most likely were gang members.