Another USA Park Under Threat

[porterm]

Just thought I'd post this item I saw on the European Coaster Club e-mail list; a former Kansas park called Joyland, with a similar iconic wooden coaster to Dreamland. Some fairly eerie resemblences to Margate too it appears sadly.

Here's the link: http://www.kansas.com/news/story/652684.html

Interesting to read some of the public's posted comments below the article too.

Martin

PS Don't miss the park's archive photos; just click the bottom of the coaster photo - classic stuff, rather reminiscent of days past at Dreamland

[Jim Douglas Jr.]

Modified PTC out and back coaster. Nice one.
Hopefully someone will want it. It's a perfect coaster for a tight corner space.

[zamfir]

Cypress Gardens (Florida) also announced last year that it's removing it's rides / animals from the attraction over the winter break.

The vast majority of the rides are advertised for sale with dedicated amusement ride sites.

Shame, their Starliner out & back is an excellent coaster (http://www.cypressgardens.com/starliner.php), and is up for sale at $900k

[Jim Douglas Jr.]

Looks like they have a smaller one for sale, also. 40 feet tall. Both built this century, so not a huge loss if dismantled. the Starliner looks like it's modeled on a standard PTC out and back similar to so many they built in the 1960s and 1970s.

[zamfir]

Think that's the Triple Hurricane you're describing.

They spent a fortune purchasing, moving and restoring the Starliner. So probably be good to move if someone else wanted to buy it.

I'm taking a trip to Cedar Point in June, have you been before Jim?

[Scioneer]

Starliner is not a new coaster. It is a classic coaster that was moved from The Miracle Strip in Panama City Beach, Florida. It is quite a well known Woodie in this area and is one of the few John Allen coasters left. It looks like its from the 1960s and 1970s because it is, It was built in 1963. Starliner would be a huge loss to Florida if it were to be scrapped, as it and its former home, the late Miracle Strip, had a huge part in making Florida's tourism industry what it is today.

If the insurance company used by the former owner of CG didn't bail on them after four hurricanes hit the park while it was being renovated, they would still own the park, instead of the incompetent company that owns it now. However, the bad insurance deal left the former owner, who had a proven success record with Wild Adventures in Valdosta Georgia, too far in debt to recover and had to sell both parks. Now Wild Adventures went to another good company and is thriving, while Cypress Gardens went to some boneheaded Real Estate company that only cared about the park's value, not actually keeping it running as it is. Their new plans, to turn it into yet another cookie cutter waterpark, will cause Cypress Gardens to fade into the past once again, even after the economy recovers.

edit: spelling