How to save Miracle Strip???

I'm horrified to learn that Miracle Strip Amusement Park in Panama City is closing. The Starliner was my first roller coaster ever and I believe that the absense of the park will cause a cultural void in the beach atmosphere of Panama City Beach.

I would like to know if anybody has any experience with saving amusement parks. I know that there are many others like me who grew up going to Miracle Strip and have strong feelings about the park. How do you mobilize these people and get an effort started to prevent Miracle Strip from closing?

The park is closing, it's a done deal. The only thing we can do now is find a new home for Starliner.

Couldn't we have it declared a landmark or something so that it is protected from being moved? (like they did with the Big Chicken in Atlanta)

Or raise enough money to make a better offer than the condo developer?

There must be something that can be done to prevent this travesty.

The owner has sold the land...as SFGadv said the only thing we can do now is hope another park relocates the Starliner.

Unfortunately, I agree.

My suggestion: Write to parks. Tell them that a nice wood coaster is available and you think it would make a positive addition to their park. Explain to them the success of the Phoenix, Great Escape Comet and Wild One. Make it known that preservation is a good thing AND a viable alternative to building a new ride.

As I understand it, the new property owner has not decided what to do with the site yet, but has announced that MSAP is going away at the end of this season.

About the only way to save Miracle Strip would be to convince the new property owner that amusement parks are a pretty cool business. Kind of like what happened with Frontier City when Tierco bought it, and we all know what happened to Tierco...

(Hint: Tierco CEO = Kieran Burke)

...But for that to happen would take a miracle...

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

And for those still confused:

Kieran Burke = Premiere Parks = Six Flags

While it is too late for MSAP, this is another equally significant little park that can and should be spared:

http://www.americanaamusementpark.com/

Best wood and airtime in the state, if I lived in the area, I'd for sure be at that meeting next Thursday.

While we're at it, let's not forget Myrtle Beach Pavilion is on the endangered list as well. Prime beach front property has been the target of real estate developers for years. You can start in Maine and work your way south. Salisbury Beach, Revere Beach, Hampton Beach, Nantasket,Savin Rock, to name a few are mere shadows of their former glory. In most cases they are nothing but expensive condos now. In others, the promises of the developers didn't materialize and they are ghost towns.

Yeah, but announcements don't mean anything....

Are you guys sure that the deal has actually been inked?

I'm not as concerned about the Starliner by itself as I am about the park as a whole. The Abominable Snowman and Dante's Inferno are one-of-a-kind customizations to classic rides.

I think that all future visitors to PCB are entitled to the touristy fun of MSAP, not just a ride on the Starliner. I mean, boring old condos??? Who cares?

I am pretty sure that this deal has been inked. And even if no deal has been inked for the actual site, its a given that the park is going to close and disappear. The rides are currently listed for sale on www.rides4u.com.

I agree that the park should be preserved, but I think the most viable option right now is to work on getting the individual pieces of the park saved.

If they do decide to go for retail as opposed to condos it would sure be neat if it were to wind up like Belmont Park with a coaster and a few rides.