Abandoned Freestyle/Hard Rock Amusement Park on NBC’s Revolution
People are fascinated by abandoned amusement parks. It must be the juxtaposition of a normally happy place looking sad, abandoned and creepy. One of the most recently abandoned parks in the country was the backdrop of recent episode of NBC’s Revolution. The show is based on an apocalypse caused by the end of electricity and in turn all electronic devices. Last week, our heroes found themselv...[Read More]
What’s the Best Defunct Coaster You’ve Ridden?
Roller coasters like Wildcat, Disaster Transport, and Son of Beast will be or have already given their final rides this year. With all of these roller coasters retiring in 2012, it got me thinking about the best roller coasters that I’ve ridden that are now no longer with us. Let’s discuss our favorite defunct coaster this week and least favorite next week. It’s So Hard to Say Go...[Read More]
Featured Photo #4 – The Best Currently Defunct Coaster on the Planet?
This great Bolliger & Mabillard looping roller coaster, formerly known as the Led Zeppelin Roller Coaster and The Time Machine, has to be one of the best defunct roller coasters anywhere. It was the marquee roller coaster at Hard Rock Park when it opened in 2008. It was a pretty photogenic coaster with its zeppelin shaped station and white steel track partially situated over a pond. I took thi...[Read More]
Interview: Freestyle Music Park President Steve Baker Part 2
This is the conclusion of my exclusive interview with Steve Baker, President of Freestyle Music Park. In Part 1, I spoke with him about his experience in the amusement industry as well as Freestyle Park International’s vision. With reports of low attendance last year, most of my questions in the second half focused on the park’s obvious first hurdle; getting guests in the park. Again, ...[Read More]
Interview: Freestyle Music Park President Steve Baker Part 1
Last week, I spoke with Steve Baker, the President of Myrtle Beach’s Freestyle Music Park. His company is in the process of transforming the park from Hard Rock Park to Freestyle Music Park with a target opening date of Memorial Day 2009. We discussed his plans for turning last year’s failure into this year’s success story. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to tape the interview...[Read More]
Hard Rock Park Renamed Freestyle Music Park
After having to rename and re-brand the former Hard Rock Park the new park operators didn’t waste any time. Today, the park announced the new name, Freestyle Music Park. In the press release, FPI calls the park, “the launching point for the Freestyle Park brand throughout the world.” “Choosing ‘Freestyle Music’ as the name of the Park is a strategic move that we see as a key bene...[Read More]
Hard Rock Park Finds Buyer
Myrtle Beach Online has reported that there are now two potential buyers for the Myrtle Beach park. After only six months in operation, the $400 million park closed and is now receiving bids for only $25 million. The latest bid is from a group of investors, not a theme park operator like Cedar Fair or Six Flags. They have hopes of opening the park by Memorial Day. There’s still no official s...[Read More]
Theme Park Travel Odyssey 2008 Edition
I figured I’d recap my 2008 theme park trips all in one post including my favorite and worst rides of the year. Thanks to reader Daniel for the idea after he recapped his year. If you have trip reports you’d like to share for last year or in the future feel free to send them in and I’ll post them. 2008 was a great year and I hope to visit at least three or four parks in 2009. Har...[Read More]
Hard Rock Park Closed For Good
No Revival for Hard Rock Park Myrtle Beach’s doomed Hard Rock Park will likely never reopen. Last Friday, the park converted its bankruptcy from a Chapter 11 to Chapter 7. The change in bankruptcy status was made because the park was unable to find any bidders willing to pay $35 million for the $400 million park by the December 15th deadline. This change takes the park’s sale into the ...[Read More]
Hard Rock Park For Sale, Future Uncertain
Hard Rock Park for Sale, Several Companies Interested According to MytleBeachOnline, Hard Rock Park is up for sale in hopes of finding a new owner. In addition, ScreamScape recently reported that there are: "no less than three other qualified operators are taking a serious look at buying Hard Rock Park." Even with all of the venom on the 'Net for this park and expert...[Read More]
Hard Rock Park Closes, Declares Bankruptcy
Hard Rock Park Closes Early, Files BankruptcyIn its first season of operation, Hard Rock Park has closed its doors with hopes to reopen in 2009. As the saying goes, the writing has been on the wall. Word that the park was not hitting the attendance numbers it had hoped for having been swirling around the ‘Net for months. Many in the theme park community point to the $50 ticket price as the m...[Read More]
Bohemian Rhapsody Fireworks @ Hard Rock Park
Happy Fourth of July Theme Park FansToday, Americans celebrate our independence from those British tyrants of the 1700’s. We might also want to celebrate our country’s dominance in the the theme park world. There are some exceptional parks and amazing roller coasters outside of the states, but the U.S. has the largest and most critically acclaimed collection of roller coasters in the w...[Read More]