Kentucky Kingdom

[The Interpreter]

...to be fair, much the same could be said for Holiday World or Michigan's Adventure, for that matter.

[thekidd33]

A factor which strongly contributes to those being two of my favorite parks.

[stashua123]

Ive seen some pictures of Greased Lightnin' and it really is beyond repair. the launch stuff is rusting away there are even trees going through the tracks!

[sccard01]

From working at the park, Greezed Lighting had the most downtime than any other ride in the park. Sometimes it would be out of service for a week or two.

[TheBEASTunchained]

Another article about the reopening of KK

http://coaster-net.com/news/2026-kentucky-kingdom-reopening-date-revealed/

[thunderbeast1968]

Sorry if this question has already been asked, but I did not read all 37 pages of the topic. What coasters are left standing, and what shape are most of the rides in?

Maybe a hard question to answer without doing a walk thru, with inspection of all of the attractions.

[fyrfyter]

Sorry if this question has already been asked, but I did not read all 37 pages of the topic. What coasters are left standing, and what shape are most of the rides in?

Maybe a hard question to answer without doing a walk thru, with inspection of all of the attractions.

Chang isn't there, neither is the freefall swing. Everything else is there. So far, we haven't gotten a clear picture how bad some of the rides are, or what shape they are in. The article this week said there were some surprises, as well as some let downs. If I had to guess at surprises, that is probably most of the water park is in decent shape. I mean, its meant for water, and I'm sure it has seen enough of it even when closed to keep things in decent shape. Most pumps can be cleaned up and made operable again which is good considering what some of those items cost.

I suspect the bad relates to conditions of rides, most likely coasters, and even more specifically those that are made of wood. I suspect Thunder Run is worse than they originally thought. It probably needs new trains, a complete retracking, and possible repair of some of its supporting members. There was a broad statement this past week where they said it could take 150k or it could take 1m to make the ride work correctly again. They just did not know, and would not know until it was all inspected. They of course have some percentage set aside for contingencies or unexpected expenses.

The only ride not expected to open in 2014, if all this goes through is Twisted Twins. It looks like it needs a lot of repairs. I think it needs a scrap heap. I saw it run one time, with only one train on each loop during one visit, and that was all. Its performance history has to be as bad as The Bat at Kings Island, or possibly worse.

[TombRaiderFTW]

^ On a side note: the wild mouse is gone, too. It's at Six Flags New England with the world's longest coaster name ever.

The Gravity Group was apparently willing to refurbish Mega Zeph, complete with Timberliners, as a part of a proposed SFNO/Jazzland renovation from a while ago. I wonder if something similar could be in the works for Twisted Twins.

[TheCrypt]

The only ride not expected to open in 2014, if all this goes through is Twisted Twins. It looks like it needs a lot of repairs. I think it needs a scrap heap.

Greezed Lightning is not set to reopen at Kentucky Kingdom. Twisted Twins's future looks brighter than the Schwarzkopf looper.

[TheBEASTunchained]

^ On a side note: the wild mouse is gone, too. It's at Six Flags New England with the world's longest coaster name ever.

The Gravity Group was apparently willing to refurbish Mega Zeph, complete with Timberliners, as a part of a proposed SFNO/Jazzland renovation from a while ago. I wonder if something similar could be in the works for Twisted Twins.

By the way Hart has been talking about Twisted Twins, it seems like something like that could very well be one of his ideas, He does seem to be thinking big for Twisted Twins. Maybe one day TT will recieve the glory it never got.

[sccard01]

Do any of you see Kentucky Kingdom succeeding?

[Creed Bratton]

As I don't know the market and what not down there, I don't know. I have hopes that it will succeed.

[The Interpreter]

I think it has a shot. A long one, but a shot. If Hart can get financing with no monetary state backing and if he doesn't reject the lease during this 90 day window. At least at first, it would be primarily a water park. I think his projected admission charges are far too low for the park to sustain itself, as are his projected levels of future reinvestment.

[jdawg1998]

Do any of you see Kentucky Kingdom succeeding?

The question is, would people rather drive an extra 1-2 hours to two other great amusement parks? I know Kentucky Kingdom already dealt with that competition, but it'll especially be hard because people may already have set parks to visit thanks to its closing for a few years.

[fyrfyter]

The only ride not expected to open in 2014, if all this goes through is Twisted Twins. It looks like it needs a lot of repairs. I think it needs a scrap heap.

Greezed Lightning is not set to reopen at Kentucky Kingdom. Twisted Twins's future looks brighter than the Schwarzkopf looper.

Greezed Lightning was already junk when SF installed it. I realize they didn't have any money for a ride, and what a stupid ride to install. They would have been better off keeping the vampire and refurbing it.

Do any of you see Kentucky Kingdom succeeding?

Perhaps. Louisville needs a shot in the arm in one way or another. The two new bridges and major interstate work will help with being able to navigate around town easier. It depends upon how everything falls out. I suspect the first two years they will see high attendance. We will have to see what happens beyond that. If they can double the waterpark and continue to use up the remaining plots of land nearby, and increase the size, I think they have a chance on surviving. Getting enough tax credits to equal the service on the loan will be the big thing. If they can make the two equal out, They would be able to start a season with a zero balance, not a 25m deficit. That would be extremely helpful, since all the money that comes in after paying expenses would be profit. We will have to see if that model actually works and comes to fruition.

Do any of you see Kentucky Kingdom succeeding?

The question is, would people rather drive an extra 1-2 hours to two other great amusement parks? I know Kentucky Kingdom already dealt with that competition, but it'll especially be hard because people may already have set parks to visit thanks to its closing for a few years.

Is 1-2 hours really that long of a drive to visit a park? Cedar Point is 4 hours from Cincy. There are a lot of other parks that are further away than that. I think KK can probably survive with Louisville alone if it really must.

[sccard01]

If you want to hit Kings Island, Kentucky Kingdom, Holiday World it will be 1-3 hours

[Gordon Bombay]

Do any of you see Kentucky Kingdom succeeding?

The question is, would people rather drive an extra 1-2 hours to two other great amusement parks? I know Kentucky Kingdom already dealt with that competition, but it'll especially be hard because people may already have set parks to visit thanks to its closing for a few years.

I think the question is, will people come back? The park had reputation for being rough and despite hardly any major capital investments in its last few years, Six Flags always maintained that it did very well in season pass sales.

Yet, the accident.

I don't think it recovered well from that publicity and Six bailed pretty quick, taking the only things they felt were worth taking.

Now with being closed, the park has a stigma.

[The Interpreter]

The park cannot succeed on Louisville alone. The tax incentives require it draw from out of state in certain proportions. If it does not do so, the tax incentives go away. Mr. Hart himself is insistent that the incentives are necessary.

Remember, there were no other parties interested in reopening this park. No other bidders. Only one other party even looked into it on a serious basis, and that party did not bid.

[FOFreak]

Who was the other party that looked at bidding?

[The Interpreter]

That has not been publicly disclosed. Mr. Hart has said he knew the representative who showed up at the pre-bid viewing.

[fyrfyter]

Do any of you see Kentucky Kingdom succeeding?

The question is, would people rather drive an extra 1-2 hours to two other great amusement parks? I know Kentucky Kingdom already dealt with that competition, but it'll especially be hard because people may already have set parks to visit thanks to its closing for a few years.

I think the question is, will people come back? The park had reputation for being rough and despite hardly any major capital investments in its last few years, Six Flags always maintained that it did very well in season pass sales.

Yet, the accident.

I don't think it recovered well from that publicity and Six bailed pretty quick, taking the only things they felt were worth taking.

Now with being closed, the park has a stigma.

KK was rough a year when Hart owned it. Unlike SF, he at least had the sense to hire Police for evenings/nights to patrol the park, especially on the weekends. There were a lot of things that were banned, including walking around the park with a baseball hat on backwards. You could do it for a ride or a coaster, but after that it had to be placed back normally. If the Police saw you, they would ask you to change it. If you didn't you were leaving quickly. This only lasted one summer, but seemed to work wonders.

SF only made it away with Chang. They wanted more. Brought in cranes and trucks. The Fair Board put an end to that with getting a permanent injunction against SF when they broke their lease, and had Metro Police at the park waiting for SF to show back up. Needless to say the cranes and trucks left and never came back. The bankruptcy settlement for SF and the state clearly shows SF being let out of their lease, and the state getting all remaining rides, and all the property SF owned around KK as belonging to the state.

Unless you live in the area, how would you know if the park has a Stigma? I have a lot of family in Louisville. The only stigma is, they want it opened again or get rid of it. Other than swimming pools there is no place anymore to take kids during the summer, in Louisville much less the rest of KY. We all know Noah's Ark Encounter is never going to be built in Grant County.

[Shaggy]

"SF only made it away with Chang. They wanted more. Brought in cranes and trucks. The Fair Board put an end to that with getting a permanent injunction against SF when they broke their lease, and had Metro Police at the park waiting for SF to show back up. Needless to say the cranes and trucks left and never came back. The bankruptcy settlement for SF and the state clearly shows SF being let out of their lease, and the state getting all remaining rides, and all the property SF owned around KK as belonging to the state."

Six Flags also removed Road Runner. Of course if were not talking rides, SF also removed all theming elements, games and supplies. The park was stripped and what was left were the things SF found to be of "non importance."

[sccard01]

"SF only made it away with Chang. They wanted more. Brought in cranes and trucks. The Fair Board put an end to that with getting a permanent injunction against SF when they broke their lease, and had Metro Police at the park waiting for SF to show back up. Needless to say the cranes and trucks left and never came back. The bankruptcy settlement for SF and the state clearly shows SF being let out of their lease, and the state getting all remaining rides, and all the property SF owned around KK as belonging to the state."

Six Flags also removed Road Runner. Of course if were not talking rides, SF also removed all theming elements, games and supplies. The park was stripped and what was left were the things SF found to be of "non importance."

Actually, Everything is in storage. Equipment, Games, Food Appliances, etc.

[The Interpreter]

And there was a court approved agreed settlement as between the Fair Board and Six Flags as to who got what. Six Flags didn't "make it away" with anything.

[Gordon Bombay]

Unless you live in the area, how would you know if the park has a Stigma?

Having been down there and talked to several locals when I wrote an article on it. Worked at another nearby amusement park that picked up a lot of former SFKK clientele who frequently discussed the accident or erroneously believed that the accident was the cause for it closing. Also, numerous article comments, enthusiast message boards and the "fans" of KK who post on facebook.

As for where else in Louisville is there to go?

...Holiday World.

Also, Ark Park seems to have more definite planning that Ed Hart's "word."

And there was a court approved agreed settlement as between the Fair Board and Six Flags as to who got what. Six Flags didn't "make it away" with anything.

Thank you.

[fyrfyter]

Unless you live in the area, how would you know if the park has a Stigma?

Having been down there and talked to several locals when I wrote an article on it. Worked at another nearby amusement park that picked up a lot of former SFKK clientele who frequently discussed the accident or erroneously believed that the accident was the cause for it closing. Also, numerous article comments, enthusiast message boards and the "fans" of KK who post on facebook.

As for where else in Louisville is there to go?

...Holiday World.

Also, Ark Park seems to have more definite planning that Ed Hart's "word."

>And there was a court approved agreed settlement as between the Fair Board and Six Flags as to who got what. Six Flags didn't "make it away" with anything.

Thank you.

Ark Park was supposed to start construction in 2012 and be open by 2014. They haven't even broken ground yet. I am pretty sure their timetable has been delayed. They have less than 50% of the 24.5M they need to build the first phase. When is Ark Park going to open again? Who is more realistic with their plan? Ark Park ranks right up there with the Cincinnati Streetcar, in terms of worthlessness.

[sccard01]

Unless you live in the area, how would you know if the park has a Stigma?

Having been down there and talked to several locals when I wrote an article on it. Worked at another nearby amusement park that picked up a lot of former SFKK clientele who frequently discussed the accident or erroneously believed that the accident was the cause for it closing. Also, numerous article comments, enthusiast message boards and the "fans" of KK who post on facebook.

As for where else in Louisville is there to go?

...Holiday World.

Also, Ark Park seems to have more definite planning that Ed Hart's "word."

>And there was a court approved agreed settlement as between the Fair Board and Six Flags as to who got what. Six Flags didn't "make it away" with anything.

Thank you.

People blamed the accident on everything. You would assume that the park closed because of it but it didn't. We all know or most of us that Six Flags was causing Kentucky Kingdom to go down hill before that accident. That's why Jay Thomas came along to help turn it around in late 2005. However, after the Accident Jay was relocated immediately to SFMM and future plans for Kentucky Kingdom was scraped.

Random Note...Holiday World (Not Splashin Safari) is way overrated.

[coasterfanatic83]

Random Note...Holiday World (Not Splashin Safari) is way overrated.

What makes you say that? Just curious.

[The Interpreter]

Holiday World and Splashing Safari is a single gated attraction. And Kentucky Kingdom, at least at first, will primarily be a water park.

[Gordon Bombay]

Ark Park was supposed to start construction in 2012 and be open by 2014. They haven't even broken ground yet. I am pretty sure their timetable has been delayed. They have less than 50% of the 24.5M they need to build the first phase. When is Ark Park going to open again? Who is more realistic with their plan? Ark Park ranks right up there with the Cincinnati Streetcar, in terms of worthlessness.

If I was a betting man, and at times I am, I'd place my chips on the plan with some financing and repeated gubernatorial support than the park currently seeking financing that had skeptical gubernatorial support. Who is more realistic with their plan? At this point, I wouldn't say the guy who claimed there'd be a B&M in Louisville in 2015 and is now saying that it's going to be just a waterpark for now. Hopefully his hart is in it though.

As for the streetcar:

"You mad, bro?"

Taking swipes at me just because I don't view the Kentucky Kingdom situation through the same rose colored glasses you do isn't going to help you convince me otherwise.

You know what the main difference is between Kentucky Kingdom and the Cincinnati Streetcar? I'll ride a streetcar through downtown Cincy before I even have the chance to ride a coaster at Kentucky Kingdom.