Kentucky Kingdom Closure and Relocation Thread

[david]

Actually, they've got a breakdance, Greezed' Lightnin', and a couple other worthy flats. As you know, I wouldn't mind taking that Shuttleloop of their hands, My backyard is sizable!

Government still wants SF, they're like a kid that just lost their candy: http://bit.ly/9tvCzc

[forddude1416]

Honestly, if I was SF, I'd want to end this as quick as possible. Let Kentucky keep the waterpark and the rides. Yeah it would be nice if greezed lightning would come back but we all know thats not going to happen. Keep the rides there, set them up like its winter and then see if anyone else is foolish enough to buy the park. If they are, split the comission with Kentucky.

Maybe SF should hire a divorce lawyer instead.

[sccard01]

The was a post from a Day after the announcement!

The reason why Kentucky Kingdom has to operate is because it is the only major attraction besides Churchill downs in the city of Louisville and also Kentucky. The park brings in millions and millions of dollars into the city and If Six Flags leaves, then the park will be closed for this entire year and the entire city will go bankrupt. This will happen unless someone buy.

Here in louisville there will be a press conference with the metro council about the park. It looks as if the park will have a new owner WITH the same rides.

[rizash]

Six flags bought 20 acres of the park and the rides on that land.... The rest is up for grabs as to terms of the lease but NOTHING can keep six flags from moving rides off their own property for long. Yes the water park, gl and a few other things are stuck in that decaying park, but lease agreements can't control land not being leased.... As far as I know six flags hasn't removed any rides from the leased land....

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[FParker185]

Yes, the government want's to keep the park around because it is the #1 paid tourist attraction in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Does that make sense, or do we all need to explain the obvious to you for the next 30 posts?

[w00dland]

The park brings in millions and millions of dollars into the city and If Six Flags leaves, then the park will be closed for this entire year and the entire city will go bankrupt.

Yeaaaahhhh....I doubt that.

It won't help, but I don't think the city will go under because of it. What it sounds like is no matter what happens Kentucky will have a theme park operated by someone, even if its the mayor himself. The government is investing heavily to make sure that happens.

[BP317]

Six Flags really had no reason to keep operating the park, saw an opportunity to pull a Baltimore Colts (pack it up and leave) and we know from experience with SFNO when they get that opportunity they will do it. If the local media did their homework they would have easily seen that something like this was going to happen (closing 2 major coasters and an area of the park and not getting anything for several years) is the same thing that hapenned at Geauga Lake. There wasnt even a newspaper article or anything written about how SF was removing major rides and leading to a possible closure. Sorry Kentucky people the warning signs were definitley there, don't get all pissy now .

In regards to the legal battles, the media attention on the economy now is all about jobs and SFKK was by far the largest teen employer in that state. The board and politicians in the Louisville area are going to give SF as much flack as possible for closing the park in order to make themselves look good (or at least not as bad).

[rizash]

Right, but if six flags is in the right (looks like it) then the state has to be careful.... If they lie about facts, expect a lawsuit....

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[onyxhotel08]

Business is business if Six Flags did not make money on SFKK they have NO reason to stay...wonder if the mayor can make it profitable again

[rizash]

It depends who buys the sf land sf owned on that site. I doubt some state run program can afford the land and rides, so if they buy it it will likely be without the rides, so they would convert it to a water park with room for seasonal temporary rides.... I'm sure six flags would love to buy back gl and a few other rides they just lost, maybe they'll get their water park in exchange.

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[onyxhotel08]

A local Screamscape reader did a little homework and came up with a graphic that shows off which property Six Flags owned and which was leased at the Kentucky Kingdom theme park. From the look of things, Six Flags owned the majority of the land that Chang was placed on, as well as the land under the nearby former Batman stunt show theater, T2 and Blizzard River. In two other small parcels, they also own the land under a few sections of Twisted Twins as well as the entire site of Mile High Falls. Here are a couple of links (1, 2) showing off the property lines owned by Six Flags, listed as KKI LLC.

[tillenterprises]

^Well it looks like Greezed Lightnin or the Ferris Wheel is not on Six Flags owned land, too bad... Greezed Lightnin/Viper/Tidal Wave was the property of Six Flags and they moved it there though, so this could be interesting if they try to remove it. BTW, our family also liked riding that weird flying wooden shoe ride. Hope that one doesn't get scrapped.

[FParker185]

Also the Ferris Wheel was never owned by the park. It was leased from Vekoma, ditto for quake, but that's long long.

[david]

Just had to note something. Don't know if it was anyone here, or at SFKKONline, but the description for GL changed on Wikipedia, someone added that it was to be relocated, and is currently being removed. I changed it, so if anyone can confirm it, I can revert it.

[david]

Also, someone at SFKKONLINE noted that there are pictures of the removal of Enterprise. Which SF park doesn't have an enterprise?

[DejaVu2001]

Six Flags Great Adventure had an Enterprise but removed it in 2006 and replaced it with a smoking area (like Triple Play was in 2006)

[w00dland]

Just had to note something. Don't know if it was anyone here, or at SFKKONline, but the description for GL changed on Wikipedia, someone added that it was to be relocated, and is currently being removed. I changed it, so if anyone can confirm it, I can revert it.

This is why you don't cite wikipedia as fact. The fact that you just changed it should remind us of that.

I also don't buy the argument that whoever owns the land a ride sits in owns the ride itself. Whoever PAID for the ride owns it, saying anything different is insane.

[david]

If Ed Hart goes back to KK, that park would be amazing. I bet he'd instal a bunch of new rides, like GOOD rides. Maybe a GIB? Oh wait, I'm dreaming.

[FParker185]

Especially since GIB's are well over the height limit anywhere inside the park.

Also for anyone wrongly believing that Chang is sitting at Clearmont Steel Fabrication, aka B&M, even though roller coasters are a small part of their operation, someone I know drove by the place on Saturday and there is exactly one piece sitting in their yard which *appears* to be a support column for a ride and it is not yet painted.

[onyxhotel08]

So where is Chang people! How did only 2 pieces of the ride get noticed?

[FParker185]

I haven't heard a thing that's solid, but my guess would be some SF park has ride. I know parks with secluded parking lots include SFGAdv and SFNE. Neither parking lot can be seen without physically going into them. I'd put SFGAm on the list also, but I think people around here have paid enough scrutiny to SFGAm's employee and regular parking lot to rule it out, unless it's all the way back on the highway berm or something. SFStL also has oodles of storage that's out of public view, the haunted hayride during fright fest there goes though their boneyard and anyone who's ridden that can attest to how much land they have back there.

[onyxhotel08]

So, again, why send two pieces of Chang here and the rest somehwere else unless they sent it to St. Louis which is closer and has more room? Either we did not get all of it due to lack of space OR plans changed and we will not get Chang at all. I think them removing SSA now means we WILL get something new for 2011 there but if it is Chang or a water park expansion (completely unnecessary) remains to be seen.

[tp41190]

I would rather have the Breakdance then Chang. We need a new type of flat ride. We don't need another B&M...let alone just "meh that was ok" one.

[rizash]

Why rule out both? Or a new coaster? As stated two stand ups is an oddity.... So who knows what they're planning. Knowing the history, it wouldn't shock me if they took down two coasters to build chang. I really expect a water park expansion soon, but that can be done on the cheap so it doesn't rule out a new attraction. I don't get what six flags doesn't understand. Yes more flat rides and water park stuff draws locals back, but with a season pass all they make is food sales (most people don't eat there if they're only there part of the day, or if they live nearby. On the other hand people who drive a bit farther usually don't get season passes, do buy food and merchandise, and often buy flash passes. This means more money per customer! Make them happy and add WORTHY new rides and once again draw crowds from Canada, Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota, and pretty much the entire Midwest. What's going to draw them back time and again? A weak waterpark, new flat ride,Or a new range of coasters?

I'm not saying we need the best epic coasters, but raging bull was given the best coaster in park by the deceased shockwave, so we've had no signature ride since 2002. Chang, a re themed used coaster would be our flagship.... Kinda sad for a most profitable park.

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[Cole]

^^Agreed. Our park has some ...

Good, original rides- Whizzer, Eagle, ect.
But it lacks GREAT rides.

I really wouldnt mind getting Chang (FLOORLESS) and removing Wolf, Demon, Whizzer, ect.