New Hard Rock Park owners ditch the name

Wellif the new owners read this forum I offer my thoughts for new names.

Park - Music City

Led Zepplin - Heavy Metal

Eagles - Midnite Rider (I know it's not mine but it's still cooler than Eagles for a ride name)

I don't really think the name is such a big deal to begin with.

I always thought it was silly to have to pay over a million bucks a year for the name, not to mention all the royalty money that goes to the bands. I wanted to get to the park to check out the attractions, not because it had the hard rock label on it.

This will save the park a ton of money every year, and actualy gives them more freedom for theming and such.

Why not just call it "rock n roll theme park" and not have to change much about the park as it is now?

So long as they don't have to change the dark ride.......!

BTW: Anybody else see the Visa commercial with the guy taking his daughter to the aquarium and immediately think of the HRP dark ride?

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

Not going to say "Told ya so" But time was growing short and the judgement kinda sealed the deal. I said from the start that the Hard Rock limited its interest among visitors. The lack of marketing they did only confirmed that. Those going there went because it was Hard Rock and to that end. It was horribly attended.They seem to have a plan. What condition things will be in if they open on time is yet to be seen. Id hire Kent Bruesher to run the place. Get some concerts ect and go.

RideMan said:
So long as they don't have to change the dark ride.......!

They've already announced NIWS as a casualty of the more 'family friendly' approach they're taking in reopening the park. :(

Such a shame, particularly given that it was really the only attraction in the park that was both unique and incredibly well done. And oddly enough, probably done "on the cheap" given that it used existing buildings, and most of the stunts inside were done with lighting and video projection.

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

How about "Musicland"? :)

(am I showing my age with that one?)

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

How does the Visa Aquarium Commercial remind you of the HRP, it reminds me of Tim Burton movie or Mark Romanic music video, Sea World or Journey to Atlantis at the most?

Because it shows them at an 'attraction' while an old school Moody Blues track is playing.

Sucks that they are abandoning that ride as I agree , next to Zepplin it was probably the FAVORITE part of the park and as equally well executed. Not to mention the cheapness of it, your upkeep is black lights for crying outloud...I am thankful for youtube videos of the ride so it can live on at least there though none of them even give a hint of the real feel of it.

I have to wonder tho.. you have Zepplin, RPM???, NIWS, Eagles, and Slippery When Wet, Only 1 of which is an above the cut coaster. RPM has a neat start but from there is lil more than a crazy mouse type. So my concern is with such limited "big drawing rides" , will the park be able to sell tickets with generic music/theming. Honestly if Zepplin has some knock off song playing on it - instantly way less cool. Considering me having actually gone last summer ( and LOVED IT) , without the existing songs/ride theming or the addition of a new coaster that ruled all, I would not spend more than $30 to get in the park.

Dave:
• I thought about the name "Musicland" a while ago!
• That Aquarium Commercial made me think of that too!

Anyway, it's a shame that they couldn't agree to keep the name. "Hard Rock" was really a good "Brand"

After seeing the park last summer, I really don't expect it to survive without the Hard Rock name or any of the theme that went with it. Remember when CF had like a month to remove all the Six Flags crap from Geauga lake and how terrible that ended up looking? That was peanuts compared to what they will have to do with HRP.

Yea, but this park did not survive WITH the hard rock name.

Agreed that it's probably going to be a bumpy ride for the park this year. Will this be the "transition" year?

A cheaper gate will help.

Offer ten bucks off at all the campgrounds and hotels in the area. It will do well.

Lord Gonchar said:

RideMan said:
So long as they don't have to change the dark ride.......!

They've already announced NIWS as a casualty of the more 'family friendly' approach they're taking in reopening the park. :(

NOOOOOOOOOOO :(

NIWS was the best attraction in the park! :(

I still hope the park does well, but I don't see how changing names and owners is going to help matters. Look at Geauga Lake!

Oh well, I am glad I bought some HRP collectables last summer! :)

-Tina

Might as well change the name now, rather than pay for the HR name for another few years and then change things around. Now's the time to start fresh.

Something to think about here, as its be mentioned several times about 'cheaper gate pricing'. The debt service is only $25 million, plus whatever capital they are adding. They are adding 5 kiddie Zamperla's, plus everything you have read, with new signs, painting of new buildings, and the biggest expense, marketing.

Probably all of that is lumped into one line of credit, minus the cash that was put up front start up expenses. Its a hell of a lot cheaper to service this debt than it is to service $400 million. If they do 1 million guests, which is feasible, compared to Pavillion's and Grand Strand's (whoops, Family Kingdom) numbers, these guys will make out fierce in the bottom line.

They are probably using a $20 million line of credit, and putting $10 million up front. That park, if it was a used car, was garage kept, with super low mileage. Outside of a category 5 hurricane moving to a stationary position over Led Zepplin for 3 straight days could stop this marvel from turning a profit.

They will sell more advance tickets in the area's hotels this summer than what walked through the gates all of the 2008 season.

^AJ....I agree with you on almost every point. My concern for the park is based more on the price of gas than anything....at around $2/gal., Myrtle is hopping and the park can take OFF. At $4/gal., Myrtle is deserted like last year, and there's noone around to go to the park.

P.S. Forgot to add - the timing of the whole IP snafu involving Goodwin might have prevented the park from even attempting to fight his claim at this point in time considering the season is ready to start and they don't want to risk being forced to pay - esp. after the first round went to Goodwin.