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Kings Island Inn & Resort PHOTO thread


KIfan73
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Whether the good old Kings Island Inn/Resort gets demolished or not, it probably deserves its own photo thread. Here's what I've got:

These are from 1972, from a visit made by my mom, aunt, and uncle (before I was born!):

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From the parking lot (it really doesn't show much, except for just how much there wasn't across the street):

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An overhead current shot of KII/R:

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It's always amazed me at what a sprawling complex the Inn/Resort is. When you look at an overhead shot of it, you can see it really quickly (and every section visible has two stories, I believe!). When it was the only show in town, it's size would have made sense. I've wondered how, for the last few decades, it has been able to support its footprint. I don't know how hotels rotate which rooms they rent, but I wouldn't be surprised if there's entire sections that haven't been used in years.

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From the parking lot (it really doesn't show much, except for just how much there wasn't across the street):

gailKIaug7211.jpg

Off-topic but: I spy a Pontiac GTO "Judge" in this picture. Awesome old muscle car. Sadly in 1972 they were starting to go "out of style" as the Muscle Car Era was dying...also nice photos of the resort, though to be 100% fair I have never stayed at ANY hotel near KI (we are close enough to drive there and back within a reasonable time fame) much less this one.

Edit: Wow, it really is a small world after all. Seeing this picture, I decided to look up "Pontiac GTO Judge commercial" on Youtube for some reason, and guess who did the music for the 1969 GTO Judge ad? Paul Revere and the Raiders, who's lead singer would go on to get married at Kings Island (and then he recently died). So the car has a link to Kings Island History to boot! Here is said commercial:

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Yeah, my mom gets a little ill when she sees what GTOs go for at Barrett-Jackson. She bought hers nearly new from her soon-to-be brother in law who worked at a Pontiac dealer at the time. 1970 GTO Judge Ram Air III 4-speed. I guess in the early '70s none of these cars were really worth anything as insurance rates began to soar. She sold hers for $1500 (in almost new condition) in 1973 or '74.

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The last time I stayed there was last year. That's the first time that I felt like it was just a bit "rough around the edges". While I don't doubt that there have been some people have some bad experiences, it isn't a place you'd walk through and think that it is dilapidated. It is just so (sorry to use the word again) sprawling, that all the small maintenance things it needs kind of adds up. I hope someone on here may have some more in-depth pics of it in its prime.

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Yeah, my mom gets a little ill when she sees what GTOs go for at Barrett-Jackson. She bought hers nearly new from her soon-to-be brother in law who worked at a Pontiac dealer at the time. 1970 GTO Judge Ram Air III 4-speed. I guess in the early '70s none of these cars were really worth anything as insurance rates began to soar. She sold hers for $1500 (in almost new condition) in 1973 or '74.

Oh dear- I just looked some stuff up on a web site called Nadaguides which games you a basic estimate of what a car/classic car is worth, and based it on these comments: today that GTO, according to them...

Runs but could def. use some work: $39,620

Runs great and is in good shape with only minor issues: $71,820

Excellent Condition with only VERY minor issues: $173,320

Then again, some solace: your mother is likely not the only one kicking herself as many of these old school classic cars were once around, then sold thinking they would never be popular again. The price tags they get these days however suggests otherwise.

Here's the link where I got these prices:

http://www.nadaguides.com/Classic-Cars/1970/Pontiac/GTO/2-Door-Hardtop-Judge/Values

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As a person who dabbles in collectible a (model trains, slot cars, comics, etc) something is only worth what someone else is willing to pay for it.....

In my years I have vastly under and over paid for collectible items. I sold a non-running 65 Mustang for $250 cash and an old train.... The train is worth, in a book, $400-700... To the kid who traded it to me, it was probably worth $100....

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That is why I always laughed at Auction Wars and all the value of the items that those junk hunters gave. Yea, you say it is worth that much, but how long did it take for you to sell those items and what was the dollar amount you received for them. But I once paid $200 for a 67 Mustang that was a piece of junk but I put 10,000 miles on it to and from work and leisure. But to me, it was worth what I paid.

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Just found some photos from a trip in October 1994.

A photo from the front:

KI_INN1.jpeg

For those of you not familiar with the Resort, you can get an idea, from this angle, how many rooms are in just one of the front buildings (that I have circled in pink in the photo below):

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A shot of the old sign, along with the bus waiting to take guests CLOSE to the front gate, back in those days:

KI_INN11.jpeg

A shot inside:

KI_INN12.jpeg

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  • 2 weeks later...

Well, it looks like it's fate is sealed. This is really too bad. The Kings Island Inn/Kings Island may just as well been Disney World when I was growing up.

In case you're wondering what kind of place it was in years past, here are some pics from a menu from the "Alpenhorn" restaurant inside the Kings Island Inn from 1980:

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Sorry about the sideways photos. I've tried several times to rotate them in Photobucket, but they just keep coming back like that.

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  • 4 months later...

When i went to KI yeasterday for a season pass, Kings Island Inn was still standing. It looks like they are clearing out the rooms and areas right now. The only thing that was torn up was a divider that went to the lobby and some rooms. I just can't see apartments being in that spot due to the freeway noise. If they are going to build them, then they are going to have to build some sort of noise reduction wall. The area needs more hotel rooms then anything. With Kings Island Inn now closed, the other area hotels will be booked full. When was the last time a new hotel went up in that area? Super 8 can use that area for a new hotel. The one they have now is just too run down. I know that there are other hotels down the freeway.

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  • 1 year later...

Took these photos a week ago...a sight that I never thought I would see.  From the photos from when it was new in my original post, to the ones at about halfway through it's lifespan, and now completely gone.

 

Strange they have left up the sign next to Kings Island Drive, as well as the one visible from I-71.

 

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  • 1 year later...

Came across some more pics of the Inn/Resort when I was browsing through iCloud photos today.  These are from 2009 and show both indoor and outdoor pools, and other general views around the property.

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