New park in West Virginia?

I heard a rumor that there is going to be a Kennywood sized amusement park built by Cabellas on interstate 70 in Wheeling/ Dallas Pike, West Virginia. I think it would be a great value and bring in a lot of business to the area. Has anyone else heard any more on this?

With the location between Cedar Point, Geauga Lake and Kennywood, I think it would do quite well if it were managed well enough. There is a huge amount of land by Cabellas to be developed into a great park.

I believe this is the news article responsible for such rumoring. :)

Does anyone remember Paradise Lake?

Maybe Cabellas can pull something off but its going to take something really special to draw people away from KW and the Ohio parks.

I just don't see KW sitting on its butt just because the highway hasn't been built if something like this comes along. Also, Cedar Fair might just do more to get GL turned around quicker as well.

I have on a source,the park will be owned by
anheuser-busch and phase one will be open
for the 2007 season. Also part of the park
will be indoors to allow for year round
operation. I am assuming since anheuser-busch
has more financial resources than kw-what
will kennywood do to stay competive with them?

AB used to have a presence in the area because of Sea World of Ohio. It would be interesting to see what they would be up to. Would such a park impact other parks besides KW such as CP, PKI, and GL.

Of course there have been rumors of new parks in the Pittsburgh area before including that dispelled one regardind a park near Pittsburgh International Airport. If Pittsburgh had a sunnier climate, it would be a good location because a large part if the population of North America would be a day's drive or less away. Notice, however, that CP and England's BPB are in locations not known for an abundance of sunshine.

I believe that the most likely move for AB would be a California park themed upon Asia. Many people in the Pittsburgh area to go to BGE on vacations visiting Colonial Williamsburg and going to Virginia Beach as well. Wouldn't an AB park in the upper Ohio valley cannibalize this park to some extent just as Sea World of Ohio gave some people in the area a reason to skip Sea World of Florida in favor of other Florida attractions.

As for KW, its traditional attractions and affordability must be considered. I don't see the locals foregoing that annual visit there. What some of them might do is to go to the new park as well or to go there instead of going to another major park in OH or PA.

The name of the proposed park was revealed today as "Wild Escapes". I dunno, doesn't sound like the name of an A-B to me. Could be, but, who knows? We'll just have to wait for the official announcement of who it might be.

http://www.theintelligencer.net/articles.asp?articleID=8813

Its time for the PA Turnpike Commission and DOT to get moving on that highway. KW needs it more than ever now so that they can expand. Of course, we don't know how good the new park will be and KW is a known quantity. The new park could end up as a "Busch Gardens" or it could end up as a "Paradise Lake" (referring to a defunct eastern Ohio park that closed after only two seasons of operation).

I remember seeing Paradise Lake on the way to Kings Island years ago.

I believe thats the park Kennywood got their former big ferris wheel from.

I think the place where they are talking about putting the new park is a great location,easy access I-70,no parks too close by.It will give me reasons to visit the dogtrack(Wheeling Island) more often. :)

So this could be a reality and not a rumor.

I think that there is something definitely being looked at for the site, with an 'amusement park' being one of the proposed projects. As to what kind of park (could be a large FEC or water park, not necessarily a true amusement or theme park.), we won't know until the plans are revealed. Then, it comes to the hard task of actually raising capital to build the project, not to mention get it's approval by all sides involved. My guess is that it won't be a large amusement park like Kennywood, but who knows? Stranger things have happened. *** Edited 7/27/2006 2:15:15 AM UTC by Brother Dave***

Well, news is still a bit sketchy, but, it sounds like an indoor/outdoor waterpark hotel with some rides, to be called Wild Escapes. It will be part of a large shopping and entertainment complex near the Cabella's store on I-70.

http://www.wtov9.com/news/9580693/detail.html

http://www.wtrf.com/story.cfm?func=viewstory&storyid=12621

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Arthur Bahl said:
As for KW, its traditional attractions and affordability must be considered. I don't see the locals foregoing that annual visit there. What some of them might do is to go to the new park as well or to go there instead of going to another major park in OH or PA.

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KW isn't very affordable considering that CP is just a few bucks more....

There was just a news story about the possible park on the local news. Wheeling WV, indoor outdoor water/amusement park, 1000 acres, nothing confirmed. Looking forward to hearing more about this.

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nastynate242 said:

KW isn't very affordable considering that CP is just a few bucks more....

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Kennywood and Sandcastle, multiple-day combo, is $18 for AAA-Ohio members.

Kennywood/Sandcastle single-day combo is $28 for non-AAA-Ohio members,

CP alone is $32.75 for AAA-Ohio members, and 39.95 for non-AAA-Ohio members.

CP/Splash City 2-day combo is $64.95.

Plus, Cedar Point also charges $10 for parking, while you have the option of free parking or nearest-the-gate parking at Kennywood for $5

*** Edited 7/27/2006 5:29:34 AM UTC by midwave***

I just don't know if it would work around here. You have 4 establihed parks within a 4 hour drive. The econmy sucks around here. Cabela's is just an overpriced outdoors store and I can't figure out what is so amazing about it....Well, they do have really good food.

Sure Wheeling Island Race Track and Gaming Resort(The Downs) is only a few minutes from the Highlands, but how many people are taking a bus trip to play the slots and go to an amusement park the next or same day. Plus, Pennsylvania is trying to get slots legalized(and I hope they do so that my beloved Penguins stay put). If PA does legalize slots, thats gonna be a big hit against The Downs.

Originally, I heard that there was going to be an indoor waterpark. I think that would be good enough. The closest waterpark we have is Sandcastle near Kennywood.

I would love to have an amusement park 10-15 minutes from home, but I think it would take some really good management and assortment of rides to keep me from going 45 minutes north to Kennywood or 2 1/2 hours to Geauga Lake.

If it does come to life, I hope it doesn't turn into a babysitter for the local lazyarse parents.

Here's a litlle info from wtrf.com-

Seven News has confirmed that a new indoor outdoor theme park called Wild Escape is coming to the West end of the site. With the water park and theme park combined, it's larger than the Mall Of America, which is the largest mall in the United States. The project costs 200 million dollars and phase one will be completed by next summer. The resorts hotel will initially have 700 rooms, but when completed it will have 1700. Another plus, the park will be open to the public, you don't have to stay in the resort.

The existing parks in the region already offer good value. CP is the least expensive of the big megaparks that have a dozen or more coasters. GL is very inexpensive for a park of its size and it also includes a waterpark. KW has very reasonable food and drink prices unlike most major parks. It is going to be tough for a new park to offer comparable value.

In all reality, I think the development as a whole of the Highlands will be a huge gain for West Virginia and the Ohio Valley. As long as Wild Escape isn't over priced I think it will be a huge sucess.

A lot of local people will take a weeks vacation and travel to Cedar Point, Geauga Lake and Kennywood. This will add one more nice place to stop to enjoy a vacation. The park will have a perfect location right off of interstate 70. Wild Escape is set to open 40 acres (phase one) in 2007, but is set to be over 100 acres (bigger than Kennywood, from what I hear).

More information: http://www.wtov9.com/news/9585118/detail.html#

Paradise Lake 2. Maybe.

(To be fair, it's not out in the middle of BFE like Paradise Lake was.) *** Edited 7/27/2006 6:44:10 PM UTC by PerrysburgGuy***

This is great news.

You have seen a lot of parks close recently, but none opening.

Two other new parks are on the way. Hard Rock Park will be opening in Myrtle Beach next year. A new Western themed park will soon be opening near Wichita, Kansas. Unfortunately one coincides with the closing of the Pavilion and the other might lead to the end of Joyland.

The good news about the WV park is that it is unlikely to cause any existing parks to go under. *** Edited 7/27/2006 8:50:35 PM UTC by Arthur Bahl***