Questions about the cancelled Blockbuster (Wayne's World) Park in Miami.

This is asking about a park that was planned for the Miami area before Blockbuster Video was sold to Vivendi.

How big was the property? Is the property still vacant an available for anyone wishing to build a park there? What kind of details were in the planning for the park? What kind of coasters?

Actually Blockbuster is part of Viacom.

The park was going to be in Miramar, Florida...north of Miami and slightly southwest of Ft. Lauderdale. The complex would have included a baseball stadium for the Marlins, a hockey arena for the Panthers, an amusement park element and possibly a golf course and resort hotel.

The land was developed for housing etc.

Wayne Huzienga, owner of the Dolphins was the thrust behind this idea. He actually developed a pretty nice FEC called Blockbuster Golf and Games that included mini golf, batting cages, driving range, a pretty nice arcade and bumper boats. That complex has since been sold and leveled.

When Viacom bought Blockbuster Wayne disbanded the idea. I don't think the people of Miramar were really thrilled with the idea anyway.

You might be able to get more information from the Sun-Sentinel or the Miami Herald.

I actually went to the Blockbuster FEC a few times when I lived down there, before moving away from the concrete jungle....;)

wahoo, is the Panthers home *near-ish* to the proposed site....my sister only lives five minutes from the arena. Sure, the Broward County Fair was a hike, but it's hard to beat a ten-minute drive to Boomers...:)

The signaTure attraction at the park was to be a 200 foot High, 5,000 foot long Intamin plug-n-play woodie very Similar to Colossus. I had a JPG of the blue printS...Not sure what fOlder I have that in but if I can find iT I'll post iT. It tRuely would have been something to make enthUsiats drool. ShamE it didn't see the light of day.

mOOSH

*** Edited 5/17/2004 2:10:18 PM UTC by Mamoosh***

If I didn't know better, I'd say there was some kind of hidden message in the post, mOOSH.

OMG!!!111 I must figure that out! what could the hidden message bee!!@;)

Somebody's been having fun reading The DaVinci Code......;)

Later,
EV

"Get Ready to start..." Oh, wait, wrong hidden meaning...;)

Moosh's comments aside (funny!) there were some conceptual drawings of the property released to the media back when this was a story. It never really went anywhere though.

gator...the Panthers Arena (formerly the National Rental Car Center now known as the Office Depot Center) is in Sunrise, Florida...right across the street from the world famous Sawgrass Mills. Sawgrass Mills is going to be the first home of the Wannado City concept which is a "theme park of reality for kids" where they learn to do jobs such as pilot, doctor, etc. The President of Wannado a former President of Paramount Parks. Wannado is expected to be rolled out across the country.

Miramar is about 10 minutes south of Sunrise on Interstate 75. I don't know the exact acerage Wayne had earmarked but seeing that Miramar is almost fully developed I can assure you that land has long since been sold to the highest bidder.

I didn't need to read the hidden message to figure that is wasn't true because Intamin did NOT make plug N play woodies back than.

Nothing slips by you, does it? ;)

You assume they didn't make PnP woodies back then because the first one [Colossus] came much later. Are you sure that is the case?

I'm still trying to figure out how you can be so obsessive over a type of coaster you've never experienced. On RRC you said you wanted to move to Dubai because you saw a model of a woodie you assume to be Intamin merely because "the model looked like one." And, might I add, that park that is not 100% confirmed to be built in the first place.

I'm not trying to give you a hard time, I'm just trying to understand why you drool over the Intamin PnPs. Shouldn't you at least ride one first and know how you feel about it before you become a PnP emgee?

I like record breakers if they work and give airtime! Intamin seems to be the only one that has the balls to build a 70 degree drop on thier woodies and from what I've heard have stronger airtime than other woodie! SOB is too rough (tracking) and the idea of a 250 foot Intamin woodie as smooth as a 60 foot woodie would make me drool. People always say giant woodies can't work and Intamin proved them wrong! OK I haven't ridden one but I've aseen enough TRs that are positive about them. I won't think of moving to Dubai if the ride sucks and I'd still try it out on a vacation trip before I'd make any final decision to move there (if I can). Parks in FL gets me POed because they are scare or airtime except for Boomers. Where's my B&M Speedcoaster or Intamin hyper in FL? The only way FL will get a #1 (or a top 3) airtime machine is if I win the lottery or Pepsi $1 billion prize ($250 million lump sum). No hope for a flawless airtime machine like S:ROS, Mamba, or Apollo Chariot in FL otherwise there would be one built already! I think there are a bump of wimpy park owners in FL! A world class hyper (w/beacons if needed) would have VERY LONG lines!! I'll bet the national debt on that!!

Granted, Florida lacks a world-clas hyper coaster, but look at what you DO have:

Three fantastic B&M looping coasters (Kumba, Hulk and Kraken)

Three outrageous B&M inverted coasters (Fire, Ince and Montu)

Rock 'n' Roller coaster

Space Mountain (one of those "too fun for words" coasters)

Big Thunder Mountain (one of the best mine trains in the business)

Two outrageous wood coasters (Hurricane and Gwazi)

The classic Schwarzkopf Scorpion

Plus, Expedition Everest and the Mummy are both on the way, and I don't see either of them being bad rides.

Much as I love Nitro, I'd take that ride package over my beloved B&M hyper any day!

Rob, don't forget the Dania Beach Hurricane which is perhaps the best "forgotten" coaster in the country. Anyone who has ridden it (including me) has nothing but rave reviews for it. The problem is that folks only visiting Orlando never get down far enough to ride it.

I didn't forget it- I included with Gwazi as an "outrageous wood coaster!"

Last May, we did our usual Florida trip- two 1/2 days in Orlando and 2 1/2 days in Naples, but allowed an extra day for a side trip to Dania Beach. We rode the Hurricane about 40 times that night and considered it one of the best wooden coasters we ever rode. We loved it so much that went back in February and spent another night on the coaster, when it was again running flawlessly.

It is off the beaten path, especially for Orlando-bound vacationers, but well worth the trip. I won't go out of my way to ride it each and every time we go to Florida (about twice a year), but I'm sure we'll include it in our plans more often than not. It's THAT good!

Just to clarify I'm not arguing here, just discussing....

I like record breakers if they work and give airtime!

Right. It's a shame they so rarely do work.

Intamin seems to be the only one that has the balls to build a 70 degree drop on thier woodies and from what I've heard have stronger airtime than other woodie!

Ah, but there are key words in that sentence there: "from what I've heard." You seem to base your whole obsession over Intamin PnP woodies over what other people say.

With all due respect to Tina [she knows I love her] she's obsessed with Top Thrill Dragster. She's even coined a word: dragstergasms, which explains how she feels about the ride expereince. But at least she's obsessed with a ride THAT SHE HAS RIDDEN!

SOB is too rough (tracking) and the idea of a 250 foot Intamin woodie as smooth as a 60 foot woodie would make me drool. People always say giant woodies can't work and Intamin proved them wrong!

Ah, but have both Balder and Colossus been open long enough to know for sure if Intamin's track system and supports actually does work over time? Many woodies are fine their first few years of operation.

Parks in FL gets me POed because they are scare or airtime except for Boomers. Where's my B&M Speedcoaster or Intamin hyper in FL?

Scared of airtime? How do you know that? Have you spoken to the decision makers? Isn't Busch adding a vertical drop coaster next season?

Secondly, let's be real here for a moment. You have to take Disney out of the equation. Disney will NEVER have the kind of coaster you want. That leaves Universal, Busch, Sea World, and Cypress Gardens. Sea World is not a ride park...it is an animal park with a few rides. Cypress would be a good candidate for a hyper *IF* the new park proves to be a success. Universal? Possible, I guess. That leaves Busch, and with Apollo at their sister park Busch seems to be the most likely candidate. But just because there isn't one doesn't mean there will never be one. You have to have patience.

The only way FL will get a #1 (or a top 3) airtime machine is if I win the lottery or Pepsi $1 billion prize ($250 million lump sum).

That's the ONLY way? Are you sure? Dreams are nice and many of us would love to open our dream park but it's time for a reality check: you winning the lottery is NOT the only way Florida will get the kind of coaster YOU want.

No hope for a flawless airtime machine like S:ROS, Mamba, or Apollo Chariot in FL otherwise there would be one built already!

You are going to eat those words someday. Just because a park has not built something doesn't mean it will never come. It just hasn't come soon enough for you. Well guess what? Parks aren't building for you only.

I think there are a bump of wimpy park owners in FL!

Again, consider the types of parks in Florida and what kind of demographic they target. Outside of Tampa and Orlando you're not going to find a park that's going to build one.

If you're calling Disney "wimps" because they have not build a hyper or large woodie you're crazy.

If you're calling Cypress Gardens "wimps" because they're not going to open with a hyper or large woodie instead of waiting to see if the park is a success, you're crazy.

If you're calling Sea World wimps because they choose to focus on ANIMALS instead of rides you're crazy.

A world class hyper (w/beacons if needed) would have VERY LONG lines!! I'll bet the national debt on that!!

Built at the right park it would be a hit. You're just going to be patient and faith.

*** Edited 5/18/2004 3:36:07 PM UTC by Mamoosh***

first it was said:

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Parks in FL gets me POed because they are scare or airtime except for Boomers. Where's my B&M Speedcoaster or Intamin hyper in FL?

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then, Mamoosh offered some words of wisdom:

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Scared of airtime? How do you know that? Have you spoken to the decision makers? Isn't Busch adding a vertical drop coaster next season?

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From what I've seen, Gwazi is no airtime slouch either, so Busch isn't shy about airtime. I would be more than happy to have Gwazi or the Dania Beach Hurricane in my area because they are airtime machines!

But see...he wants to know where HIS Speedcoaster or hyper is. What HE needs to realize is that the only park that is going to build one of those solely for HIM is PinkFloydFanatic Land.

If and when a park descides that a B&M Speedcoaster or Intamin hyper is best for THEIR park he is going to have to be happy with those that already exist.

But IMHO anyone to acts like a park should bow to their whims or owes them their favorite ride is acting like an emgee!

Just my .02 cents.