No takers for Conneaut Lake land sale

That's really unfortunate for CLP. If they had managed to find a buyer, it would have been such a huge boon for their campaign to save the park.

I can't wait to ride Erieview's former dark ride there next year.

If there is a CLP for Erieview's former dark ride to even exist in next year. This is a bad bad bad situation that I can definitely see the closing of this park by the powers that be...IE: The Courts.

Am I reading this correctly? They were hoping to sell 3.3 acres for over a million dollars (which would be the "majority" of the 2.2 million dollar debt)?

I have no idea what real estate prices are like in the Meadville area, but I could easily see 3.3 acres on the waterfront going for a million for condos or other things. That is part of why so many lake front parks have gone out of business (and also why so many drive in theaters have gone out of business)...

The only problem is that the Conneaut Lake area is dead. You'd be amazed at how many houses/properties are for sell. You see signs left and right when heading to the park.

It's an area who's time has passed.

^^ That is if things like condos are allowed in that area under the zoning. A developer could make back that investment by putting up dozens of condos. But if all you're allowed to build is single houses on acre lots, well, who's going to pay 400 grand for a lot THEN construct a house? I think if you had the money to do that, CLP might not be your first choice in location.

Per lot size, house size etc, property values around chippewa lake are going for a great deal more. And that's with a dead-park in eye-shot.

Meadville: Major industry/employer is Channel-Lock. last time I checked, they were laying off.

The area around Conneaut Lake is surprisingly the only part of the community that is NOT dead. How many trips have ANY of you taken from within and around the lake itself this past summer? I've taken two...That area is more active than the park itself, and shows no signs of slowing down. The extensive and expensive homes and businesses surrounding the lake are a clear sign of the lake's prosperity.

The problem I see with the land sale is that possible condo's owners are also looking at the close proximity to the park and it's patrons as an issue, and that of the noise, drunkiness, and loud music from 'The Beach Club', and the weekly teenage dances next door to it.

I have immediate family that live in a condominium estate, and most of the tenants would love to have the golf course shut down, which is how the condo estate came to be in the first place. The same people who are the candidates for condo ownership are the same people who frequent the Beach Club. Just because you enjoy the atmosphere in your leasure time doesn't mean you want to live that close 24/7.

Housing development doesn't equal a good tourist economy.

I was under the impression that most of the houses on (or near) the lake were summer home-type things. Basically a place to disappear to on weekends and vacation time. At least everyone I know who has (or rather *had*) one used the house like that.

I imagine living there is a totally different situation - perhaps that market is strong...but like Jeff & midwave said, there's a big difference in the benefits to the park in full time residents who probably don't visit the park often, complain about the place, and aren't interested in all the hubbub and vacationers who are probably looking for some fun while in the area.

Maybe I should have been more clear in my assessment - my observation and experiences say the area is dead as far as an interest in tourism.

Consider this, those who say Conneaut Lake is dead. The park has been dying for years. It hasn't thrived since the early 90s. The crowds (if you can call them that) get smaller every year.

And yet the town survives. It's not flourishing, but it's never really flourished. Most of the businesses that were there in the 80s are still there. A new restaurant just opened near the park, and you can't get a table on a Saturday night.

Tourists still come because it's an inexpensive vacation. With the lake, there are plenty of things to do, even without the park.

It will hurt the town if the park closes, but it won't kill it.