Zorba Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 ^ Exactly! Especially with the economy the way it is. Folks that will be going to Myrtle Beach this year are going to be on reduced budgets and they might already know about HRP and its history from last year. The park needs to greatly discount this seasson. Set your standad ticket price around $30 - $35 and then offer discounts through hoteliers, AAA, and other businesses in the area. The park does not have enough attractions or shows to justify a high admissions price and I doubt that changes between now and their slated opening day. I agree that the price is too high for what they have, even at $40. I think they should be in the $25-$30 range. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted February 20, 2009 Share Posted February 20, 2009 SOLD, It's Official: http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/679/story/790882.html Hard Rock Park Wants To Rehire Last Year's Workers: http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/news/brea...ory/791428.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KIfan73 Posted February 20, 2009 Share Posted February 20, 2009 I think the best theming would be anything related to the Myrtle Beach area. People travel to MB for the ocean. Why wouldn't you want to play up to that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jzarley Posted February 22, 2009 Share Posted February 22, 2009 ^ Although, the California theme didn't take off too well at first at a park in Orange County (But, the revised CA theme should be a big hit...) I agree they should probably lose the Hard Rock theming...first of all, it's not cheap; secondly, it may actually be hurting them in that market. While it maybe could work in Orlando (or even Vegas), I think a more family-friendly "generic theme park" theme might work better in MBSC. The layout of the park always reminded me somewhat of Port Aventura in Spain (even more so than IOA). I think they could remove the musical theming, and they've already got some ready-built lands. For example, the British Invasion area could be rethemed to a more generic England (or even general Europe) theme. "Lost in the 70s", maybe some sort of carnival or festival theme, Born in the USA/Cool Country could be made into "The South" theme (where they could work in some of that SC Low Country charm...) Let's just hope these guys don't make all the same marketing mistakes as the first group (twilight tickets are a must there!!). If they play their cards right, they've got a great investment there--who wouldn't want to buy a 1-year old property for only 16% of its new build price!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RailRider Posted February 23, 2009 Share Posted February 23, 2009 Let's just hope these guys don't make all the same marketing mistakes as the first group (twilight tickets are a must there!!). If they play their cards right, they've got a great investment there--who wouldn't want to buy a 1-year old property for only 16% of its new build price!! Some great ideas and I could not agree any more with you about the twilight tickets. That is definately a must for the park. The development of the pricing strategy is going to be very interesting Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted February 23, 2009 Share Posted February 23, 2009 First the smashing success at Cypress Gardens (what was that you said?), then: About six months after ending its management agreement with Cypress Gardens in Winter Haven, Orlando's Baker Leisure Group has a new project: Hard Rock Park in Myrtle Beach, S.C. President Steve Baker said Baker Leisure is now the operating company for the failed music-theme park, having helped arrange the partnership that bought and intends to revive the bankrupt attraction. . . . http://www.orlandosentinel.com/travel/attr...,0,761384.story Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted February 24, 2009 Share Posted February 24, 2009 Not much new here, except this: . . . That capital came in the form of $25 million from Freestyle Park International, part of a Russian development company that is building a 3 million-square-foot indoor resort featuring an indoor ski slope, restaurants and a shopping center outside Moscow. . . . . . . Baker says owners are budgeting for about 750,000 visitors — a dramatic decrease from the 3 million the park's previous owners anticipated. But attaining even those diluted goals may be optimistic, one industry consultant says. "With everything lined up perfectly, 750,000 people would be a double grand slam home run," said Dennis Speigel, president of Cincinnati-based International Theme Park Services who called the park's failure his industry's worst. "I wish them the best, but there are so many issues that have to be corrected, and some of them can't be corrected, like the location." http://www.usatoday.com/travel/destination...rock-park_N.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tigellinus Posted February 24, 2009 Share Posted February 24, 2009 ^^I think ol' Dennis boy should stick to what he knows best...Dive Machine coasters!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted March 2, 2009 Share Posted March 2, 2009 Former Hard Rock Park employees excited to get back to work: http://www.scnow.com/scp/news/local/grand_..._to_work/36137/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 FPI MBE Employees Moving In While 2008 Hard Rock Park Crew Reunites: http://www.scnow.com/scp/news/local/grand_...reunites/36273/ http://www.carolinalive.com/news/news_story.aspx?id=267471 http://www.thesunnews.com/news/breaking_ne...ory/804201.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RailRider Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 Will be a nice shot in the arm for the MB economy with the amount of jobs HRP is bringing in to the community. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RailRider Posted March 5, 2009 Share Posted March 5, 2009 Signs of Life at Hard Rock Park Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 The 'old' Hard Rock Park Is Getting Ready For Guests: http://www.scnow.com/scp/news/local/grand_...r_guests/37090/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted March 8, 2009 Share Posted March 8, 2009 Park's Owners Reach Out to Area: http://www.thesunnews.com/business/story/811370.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RailRider Posted March 20, 2009 Share Posted March 20, 2009 Parks Name Not Yet Settled. The Sun News Just my observations, they have 2 months to market and promote the park like crazy, they need to start yesterday. At this point I would keep the name and move on. Yes there is a lot of negative publicity about HRP, but it has name recognition and it would be an extremely up hill battle with zero name recognition to attract guests in 2 months. If they can do a media blitz regarding the park, partner with local resorts and shows like Dixie Stampede, Carolina Opry, and Alabama Theater to offer discounts and maybe buy an adult ticket and get a kids ticket free to HRP. They can pull off the Myrtle Beach regulars more than the original HRP. Also I dont care what anyone says, the location is awful. Fantasy Harbor was a complete failure and a lot of that had to do with location. Medieval Times is the only thing that survived out there and they have been looking to move for a few years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rollercoast19 Posted March 27, 2009 Share Posted March 27, 2009 Former CEO of Hard Rock Park asks for cash from new owners The Sun News Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted March 27, 2009 Share Posted March 27, 2009 Apparently the gentleman has not heard of bankruptcy court before: ...The new owners say the sale of the park was approved by the bankruptcy court "free and clear of all encumbrances'' and that Goodwin's corporation has no more rights over the park because he failed to object to the original sale order. ... This may well be an example of a case where even if you are right, fighting it takes too much time, money, distraction and frustration. It might be better to just rename the place and move on...but even that would not necessarily compel the plaintiff CEO to drop his case... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted March 28, 2009 Share Posted March 28, 2009 Bankruptcy Judge Considering Issue, Decision Expected By Sunday: A Delaware bankruptcy judge is considering whether the founder of the Hard Rock amusement park in South Carolina will get a licensing fee and royalties from the park's new owners, an attorney for the founders said Friday. Judge Kevin Carey heard arguments over the issue Friday and told attorneys he will issue a ruling by Sunday, said Dennis Drebsky, an attorney for HRP Creative Services.... http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2009/03/27/ap6224479.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted March 29, 2009 Share Posted March 29, 2009 Rock n' Roll may never die, but Hard Rock Park just might: The re-opening of Myrtle Beach's spectacularly failed $400 million Hard Rock Park is in danger. The bankrupt amusement park found a buyer this winter, which got it for a song: $25 million. Maybe that price was too good to be true. Now that the sale has mostly gone through and the attraction looked like it stood a chance of resuscitation, the park's former CEO, Steven Goodwin, has filed papers demanding a $500,000 royalty fee every year, plus 1.5% of revenues, for the use of the Hard Rock name. He says the Hard Rock name and design is his intellectual property.... ...Hard Rock Park was a flop that lasted one season, so the idea that it could be a cash cow this year, in its second and possibly last chance, is pretty ridiculous. The rebirth of the park could potentially redeem the Hard Rock name after last year's disastrous failure. If these demands scupper the resuscitation, the company will live in theme park infamy as a catastrophic Chapter 11 loser. How's that for intellectual property, Goodwin? Perhaps the reputation of the Hard Rock name is worth that $500,000. http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/03/28/r...ark-just-might/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beast1979 Posted March 29, 2009 Share Posted March 29, 2009 This is playing out just like one of my RCT3 Parks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted March 31, 2009 Share Posted March 31, 2009 Buyers Denied Injunctive Relief, Park to Be Rebranded, Owners Claim Still On Target to Open Memorial Day: FPI MB Entertainment LLC (FPI MBE) confirmed Monday that although it did not receive the expedited injunctive relief sought through the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware regarding claims of Steven J. Goodwin to some of the Park's intellectual properties (IPs), it will proceed to rename and rebrand the Park's attractions as deemed appropriate and as originally planned. Park management is moving forward with its target of a Memorial Day opening.... http://www.scnow.com/scp/news/local/grand_...rk_brand/41585/ As originally planned? And now they intend to rebrand to improve the park's appeal? What's this about? Now that they have not won the right to keep the name, they never intended to? Yeah, right: ...We plan to move forward with a Memorial Day opening and today's ruling doesn't change anything to affect our timeline," said Steve Baker, President of FPI MBE. "If anything, this provides us more of an opportunity to totally rebrand many areas in the Park we felt needed to be more family friendly and better represent everything we have to offer. Sure, we'll have to move a bit faster, but we feel today's outcome in no way affects our plans to unveil a brand new Park experience for our guests starting in May."...(SC Now again) The national media seems to have a somewhat different take: CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) - A federal bankruptcy judge on Monday refused to finalize the sale of Myrtle Beach's Hard Rock Park to new owners, saying its founders retain rights to some of the creative touches originally built into the theme park. The park's buyers said the decision by U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Kevin Carey in Delaware won't stop them from reopening Memorial Day, but added some attractions may get different names.... http://news.moneycentral.msn.com/provider/...&id=9734962 If the sale is not finalized, I don't see how the park can open... ...Steve Goodwin, who founded the park, said it would be impossible for new owners to reopen this year without using the original creative touches. They include such things as the themed areas and a replica of the Statue of Liberty holding a Zippo cigarette lighter with a Neil Young quote on the pedestal: "Keep On Rockin' in the Free World." Goodwin said he was making "a very fair offer."... (MSN and AP again) Again, I do NOT see how the park can reopen if the sale is not finalized, nor can I see how they think they can remove all the intellectual property before Memorial Day. Then again, these are the same owners who insisted they were keeping the branding, then when they found out they do not, at least not yet, have the rights to it, say they wanted to change it to something with more family appeal. Credibility here is not high, in my opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KIfan1980 Posted March 31, 2009 Share Posted March 31, 2009 Sounds to me like Mr Goodwin wants to drive the park out of business not once but twice - and he obviously knew how to manage the legal system to perfection. That said, I think rebranding makes the most sense for the new owners, but it is clearly going to cause a problem with re-opening. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted March 31, 2009 Share Posted March 31, 2009 The new owners were insistent (until now) that they wanted to keep the Hard Rock theming. If this keeps them from doing that, Mr. Goodwin, meaning to or not (and it is most decidedly not), did them a tremendous service. In no way was the Hard Rock aspect a net plus for this park, given its location and demographics of any sensible target market. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RailRider Posted April 3, 2009 Share Posted April 3, 2009 No longer known as Hard Rock Park, park to loose name of park and some key rides. Hearld Online I honestly think this is for the best, Hard Rock is not a brand that will draw huge crowds from the MB demographic. I wonder if Led Zeppelin becomes dergible the ride, Hindenburg, maybe the Lakehurst escape. That way the onboard audio system could still be used and going down the first drop you could have "Ohh the Humanity!" Screaming in your ears. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tigellinus Posted April 3, 2009 Share Posted April 3, 2009 ^^Haven't the science geeks been claiming that the on-board audio is what's killing that coaster's smoothness?? I never made it to HRP last year, but I know on many a TR the claim was LZ was unusually rough for a Beemer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted April 5, 2009 Share Posted April 5, 2009 Intellectual Rights Property Loss Is Owners' Gain: ...Indeed, the president of Baker Leisure Group, manager of the park, said this in a statement: "If anything, this provides us more of an opportunity to totally rebrand many areas in the park we felt needed to be more family friendly and represent everything we had to offer."... http://www.thesunnews.com/opinion/story/848209.html I truly believe this decision may perhaps help to save the park from itself, if that is possible...though I still think it is incredibly deceptive for the owners to now claim this is what they intended all along, when their very public statements were to the contrary, and when they had attempted to negotiate the rights to keep using the name. Part of me suspects that only after those negotiations failed and the new park owners threatened to keep using the name did the Hard Rock Park name owners pursue legal action...I don't KNOW that, but it sure does look like it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted April 8, 2009 Share Posted April 8, 2009 We should soon find out the new name for Hard Rock Park. A spokesperson for the park's new owners, FPI MB Entertainment, says there will be an announcement on the name before the end of this week.... http://www.carolinalive.com/news/news_story.aspx?id=283939 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RailRider Posted April 8, 2009 Share Posted April 8, 2009 And the saga continues.... I had high hopes this park would get turned around, now Im not sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted April 8, 2009 Share Posted April 8, 2009 I'm not heartened by the inconsistent stories the owners told in turn: a. We need and want the Hard Rock name and are negotiating for it. b. Hard Rock does not have the rights to the name, and we got it in bankruptcy. c. Oh, we may not have? We never wanted it anyway, and are changing names to reflect a more family image. Sigh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RailRider Posted April 8, 2009 Share Posted April 8, 2009 Dont hold your breath because HRP errrr whatever its new name will be is not off to a good start under the new ownership. Like you said Terpy the inconsistency is amazing. I really wonder about their overall plans for the park now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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