Coney Islander Posted December 29, 2009 Share Posted December 29, 2009 The Midway: The Big Dipper, own and operate a piece of history And this was posted on usedrides.com- http://www.usedrides...20ssionint=True This can't be true, can it? Who would buy something like this without any real plan for it? (This was originally pointed out to me by a moderator on Ohiocoasters.com) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted December 29, 2009 Share Posted December 29, 2009 An ad posted two days after the proposed 'merger' with Apollo is announced? Yep, I'd say it could be true... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PREMiERdrum Posted December 29, 2009 Share Posted December 29, 2009 This part grabbed my eye: Complete, intact and ready for removal or possible operation on site. Former Geauga Lake Park Very interesting... The price is $150000 firm and that is just for the coaster. I understand that the property owner may be willing to sell a small piece of the former park so that the ride could be operated on its current location. The owner tells me that the costs of relocating and reinstalling it are steep, so please only contact me if you are serious about starting a new business venture or in adding this one to an existing amusement park or tourist enterprise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted December 29, 2009 Share Posted December 29, 2009 From the first source linked: ...I understand that the property owner may be willing to sell a small piece of the former park so that the ride could be operated on its current location. The owner tells me that the costs of relocating and reinstalling it are steep, so please only contact me if you are serious about starting a new business venture or in adding this one to an existing amusement park or tourist enterprise.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aaron88stang Posted December 29, 2009 Share Posted December 29, 2009 If only I had bought the winning powerball ticket... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maverick2007 Posted December 29, 2009 Share Posted December 29, 2009 Thanks for the plug! This is a very interesting turn of events. I also wonder why you would buy a coaster only to sell it later. Maybe they got caught up in the moment bought it without a business plan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted December 29, 2009 Share Posted December 29, 2009 IF the seller is the original buyer at the Geauga Lake auction, it is very difficult to believe Cedar Fair actually sold the coaster without requiring its removal by a date certain that has long since passed. There are times I wonder just who is advising that company on such matters. If, on the other hand, Big Dipper's seller is Cedar Fair, how interesting that the "property owner" may be willing to sell a small piece of the former park so that the ride could be operated on its current location. Somehow I do not see that as a feasible proposition without an amusement park attached nearby...and I cannot realistically see Geauga Lake's Wildwater Kingdom as either qualifying or lasting very long into the future. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PREMiERdrum Posted December 29, 2009 Share Posted December 29, 2009 If, on the other hand, Big Dipper's seller is Cedar Fair, how interesting that the "property owner" may be willing to sell a small piece of the former park so that the ride could be operated on its current location. Somehow I do not see that as a feasible proposition without an amusement park attached nearby...and I cannot realistically see Geauga Lake's Wildwater Kingdom as either qualifying or lasting very long into the future. I think WWK will only survive until the land it sits on is worth selling... then we'll see a much needed (and colorful!) expansion to CP's Soak City. It's interesting that they did whatever they could to eliminate the chances of a park opening on the former GL site (razing infastructure, etc), and now they almost seem open to that very idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted April 11, 2010 Share Posted April 11, 2010 And up for sale again: ...Now that buyer has a new representative -- Medina County resident Jeff Shimko -- and Shimko says the coaster can now be purchased for $65,000. Reached Thursday, Shimko did not have any idea why the coaster's owner wants to re-sell the Big Dipper. Cedar Fair, Geauga Lake's parent company, has been marketing the 550-acre park for sale for nearly three years but no sale has come through for all or part of the property.... http://www.wkyc.com/...=133933&catid=3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shark6495 Posted April 11, 2010 Share Posted April 11, 2010 wow... well the future of this ride seems unknown.... so guy A owns the ride but Company B owns the land the coaster is sitting on? Does Guy A have to ask for permission to see his ride? Is anyone taking care of the ride or is it just sitting out getting weathered? Man TERP I agree with you, who is making deals for this company? If I sold something I wouldnt want to hold on to it..... I think I may make a trip over to GL this week and see if I can get any cool shots on the ol camera.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted April 11, 2010 Share Posted April 11, 2010 One would have thought Cedar Fair would have required the removal of the ride within X days of purchase... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IndyGuy4KI Posted April 11, 2010 Share Posted April 11, 2010 One would have thought Cedar Fair would have required the removal of the ride within X days of purchase... You know this will be part of the agreement this time! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted April 11, 2010 Share Posted April 11, 2010 Nope. a. The same buyer who bought the Big Dipper the first time is the one selling it. b. The last sentence of the quoted article: ...Shimko said the Big Dipper is still perfectly intact on the Geauga Lake site and Cedar Fair "has been gracious in making possible the opportunity to keep the Dipper where it is." There's a lot of detail in that posted article. . . http://www.wkyc.com/...=133933&catid=3 My favorite part: ...Why the interest in the former Geauga Lake Park and the new price for the Big Dipper now? Late last year, Cedar Fair announced it was in negotiations to have asset manager Apollo Global Management take over Cedar Fair for $635 million. But then Cedar Fair just announced Tuesday that the takeover was off after Cedar Fair shareholders balked.... Apparently, suddenly Cedar Fair is now suddenly very interested in selling the park property.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhantomTheater Posted April 12, 2010 Share Posted April 12, 2010 wow... well the future of this ride seems unknown.... so guy A owns the ride but Company B owns the land the coaster is sitting on? Does Guy A have to ask for permission to see his ride? Is anyone taking care of the ride or is it just sitting out getting weathered? Man TERP I agree with you, who is making deals for this company? If I sold something I wouldnt want to hold on to it..... I think I may make a trip over to GL this week and see if I can get any cool shots on the ol camera.... If you shall go, there is a green tarp on the fence along Aurora Rd. (OH 43). To get a shot of the dipper, I recommend parking at the Speedway across the street and stand on top of your car. As for the state of the Dipper, aside from a few boards near the turn around, she hasn't been touched since 2007. As for the trains, they are in covered storage on the WWK side of the park. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PREMiERdrum Posted April 12, 2010 Share Posted April 12, 2010 In my rant last week in the Cedar Fair / Apollo thread, I got all worked up about stupid and shortsighted decisions by CF management. I didn't mention my issue with the Aurora property but I might as well here. The land in it's current state isn't likely to sell anytime soon. I doubt Dick is going to sell to anyone with the intentions of opening a park, and traditional developers are staying away because of 1. NE Ohio's economy, and 2. Near saturation in that area. I would love to see a small (at first) Town Center development on the land. I'm picturing 2 or 3 anchor stores, a boardwalk along the lake, A large park/greenspace in the middle with an enclosed carousel and a kids water play area, and of course the Big Dipper. I'd like to see smaller "strips" of storefronts against the boardwalk (picture the old games setup), with a few restaurants and cafes spread around. Maybe build a special events center against the lake at one end, for weddings and parties and whatnot? In the winter, a temporary ice rink could be set up for rentals, they could do holiday programs, carriage rides, "hooks" like that to get people to come out in the cold. Then, once the development was established (and the real estate market stabilizes), develop some small condo and apartment units. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shark6495 Posted April 28, 2010 Share Posted April 28, 2010 So I took a trip out there today to scout the park, with out my camera. Man just driving by the park is sad. The green tarp might as well be a funeral shroud, with the Dipper standing defiantly among the dead. With that being said I drove around the whole park, down 43, taking a right and coming up the backside of the park. From that angle you get a beautiful view of the dipper. The ride looks to be in decent condition (again all things considered, not being run and driving by at 25 MPH). But driving by the park just reminds me how sad that place has become. The water park is hidden from sight (from the road) and the remnants of the parks "glory days" are all over the surrounding area. Be it the wide open desolate parking lots, or the business surrounding the park. Ill go back in a week or so with the camera to see what I can take from the road. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shark6495 Posted April 29, 2010 Share Posted April 29, 2010 ok so I went back to the park today. Took the pictures. I will post them when I can. So it looks like I misspoke before. I got a picture of the dipper and also a white coaster located near what looks like white water canyon ride. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PREMiERdrum Posted April 29, 2010 Share Posted April 29, 2010 ok so I went back to the park today. Took the pictures. I will post them when I can. So it looks like I misspoke before. I got a picture of the dipper and also a white coaster located near what looks like white water canyon ride. The white one would be Raging Wold Bobs, near the Intamin-built Grizzly River Rapids. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shark6495 Posted April 30, 2010 Share Posted April 30, 2010 http://www.flickr.co...s/49728734@N02/ the photos are posted... too many to swamp this board with..... but maybe it could bring back some memories for the board members Photos now have descriptors..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheSonofBeast Posted August 30, 2010 Share Posted August 30, 2010 http://cgi.ebay.com/World-Famous-Big-Dipper-coaster-Geauga-Lake-Park-/320582076717?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4aa42e492d looks like this coaster just keeps getting passed around, while it is slowly rotting away... lets hope this time something is actually done to it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted September 3, 2010 Share Posted September 3, 2010 http://www.ohio.com/.../102130839.html I still cannot believe Cedar Fair did not include a term in the sale requiring the coaster be restored or removed within X period of time. IF it did not. Or if the last known buyer is even the seller... In any event, I suspect this is at least one coaster Cedar Fair wishes it had nothing to do with... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted September 7, 2010 Share Posted September 7, 2010 Ride May Be Demolished? http://www.wkyc.com/life/community/persona.aspx?U=7956a447f9cf4cf1b03fb33fd8ad689a&plckPersonaPage=BlogViewPost&plckUserId=7956a447f9cf4cf1b03fb33fd8ad689a&plckPostId=Blog%3a7956a447f9cf4cf1b03fb33fd8ad689aPost%3a1bab145a-cfce-46d3-8a15-50f972471ce8&plckController=PersonaBlog&plckScript=personaScript&plckElementId=personaDest Perhaps the comments are more important than even the article. It is important to read the entire thing, if you are interested. September 15 may be the important date...I'd add that date could have something to do with Cedar Fair, not just the original buyer... Terp, who still can't believe the original sale didn't require removal or permanent plans by now... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IBEW_Sparky Posted September 7, 2010 Share Posted September 7, 2010 I got an email from Geauga Lake Today linking me to this... I cant even find words to describe how I feel about it. Terpy, the way You felt when GASM was being demolished is very, very similar to how I feel about this news I read today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted September 7, 2010 Share Posted September 7, 2010 And, I, too feel much the same. Big Dipper is far, far more important to me than Great American Scream Machine at Great Adventure ever was. There are very few John Miller coasters left, and very few coasters with NAD trains, even if they were rebuilt in the park numerous times... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PREMiERdrum Posted September 8, 2010 Share Posted September 8, 2010 From a historical standpoint, it's sad to see the Dipper go. This is where the line between business needs and emotional attachments blurs severely. Parks make their money selling emotions: Memories, nostalgia, idealistic family fun. On the other hand though, they're strictly businesses, and exist to make money. If you read the auction details from the GL sale, a definitive removal date was published (though the exact timeframe eludes me at this time), but there definitely was one. It seems that CF has been more than accommodating with the mysterious new owner of the Dipper. I agree with Terpy. The 15th had to have been chosen for a reason, and I doubt it's because they have a buyer for the property. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhantomTheater Posted September 8, 2010 Share Posted September 8, 2010 http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09108/963722-109.stm http://www.wkyc.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=147408&catid=3 More news on the situation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RingMaster Posted September 8, 2010 Share Posted September 8, 2010 Huh....selling it on eBay for $65,000, and we're getting a flat ride that costs $5 million. Or, rather, the original price tag as $150,000 on the blog site from last year, and we're getting a flat ride that costs $5 million. Granted, yes, Coney Mall is finally getting a much-needed flat ride installed for next year, but to have simply ONE attraction cost five million (let alone a flat ride, of all attractions) is not only overkill, but also really a poor decision money-wise. Several small flat rides can be bought for that amount and placed in several areas of the park and not just Coney. Even a GCI woodie could be installed for another mil or two. Firehawk, Thunderhawk, Dominator, Possessed, and Carolina Cobra were all moved from GL. Why can't Big Dipper be moved as well (despite Villain and Raging Wolf Bobs being demolished)? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pillsberry123 Posted September 10, 2010 Share Posted September 10, 2010 Will really be sad to see the Big Dipper go. I've only visited Geauga Lake once, only ridden the Dipper once, and enjoyed the heck out of it. Looking at pictures of what the coaster looks like now is heartbreaking to say the least. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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