Look at Mason prior to KI...nothing around it really, nice small old town

That changed quick

If Kentucky Kingdom were located in a small rural town with excellent expressway access, it would be different.

And Mason did not change quickly. Even in the late Seventies, there was little economic development around the park.

And HRP opened with a much better ride line up than what Kentucky Kingdom has. Nothing is set in stone, just because ride improvements are slated to happen does not mean they will. After all Lighting Racer is still questionable in my opinion seeing as how a footer has yet to be poured and they plan on opening when? This is why I question so much about this park.

And just how has it done that? The full faith and credit of the Kentucky taxpayer. 2014 looks to be fine. It's 2015 and onward that this plan doesn't look even remotely workable.

And I beg to differ with you. Hard Rock Park had a superior location to Kentucky Kingdom. To claim a park is in a location where it doesn't have to deal with substantial competition is to overlook the problems with Kentucky Kingdom's location that contributed to the park's past failures.

How does 2015 and 2016 look to be downward? Unlike Hard Rock Park, Kentucky Kingdom has already set in stone improvements to the park that will be made. Both T2 and Twisted Twins will be returning better than ever. Hard Rock Park opened, but never showed signs of progressing, they were just trying to get by with what they had.

The plan is out there. It's public. The projected reinvestment for the outyears is pathetically small. This plan is either a plan to reopen the park to sell it or a it's a poltical stunt.

We are rehashing.

Might I suggest you read the thread. The first page alone is incredibly interesting.

I agree with Terpy that 2014 should be fine. Pent up demand should allow them to have good attendance from the locals with minimal marketing expense, so perhaps the little marketing they are doing presently makes sense. Hopefully it will ramp up in the spring, particularly in other markets they intend to draw from as it gets closer to time to open the gates. Also they will need spend more next fall to support 2015. I wish them the best and am trying to be cautiously optimistic about the parks future but I have not followed the industry as long or as closely as many that post here. I am very excited to see the park re-opening and plan on making several visits next year.

Kentucky Kingdom on the other hand has a much better set up. It's not within direct vicinity of major tourists spots, but there is enough draw that will keep the city's local attractions attendance up, without creating a bitter rivalry among each other, which is what Hard Rock Park had to deal with. Plus with Louisville being named 1 out of the world's top 20 travel destinations, I feel that Kentucky Kingdom has a much better chance of success.

Can you explain this a little more? The way I am reading this is you suggest that Louisville has no major tourist spots, but is still one of the top 20 travel destinations in the world?

Do you mean because of the horse race?

Louisville is a huge tourist area, yes even talked about in Vegas area, for sure. So much to offer, love the river banks of Louisville, and love the Bats Louisville slugger field, can you say Bourbon? Shopping, a zoo, not far from so much in Kentucky.

And yet, in recent years, the supposed largest tourist draw in Louisville was Kentucky Kingdom. Which failed.

Kentucky Kingdom on the other hand has a much better set up. It's not within direct vicinity of major tourists spots, but there is enough draw that will keep the city's local attractions attendance up, without creating a bitter rivalry among each other, which is what Hard Rock Park had to deal with. Plus with Louisville being named 1 out of the world's top 20 travel destinations, I feel that Kentucky Kingdom has a much better chance of success.

Can you explain this a little more? The way I am reading this is you suggest that Louisville has no major tourist spots, but is still one of the top 20 travel destinations in the world?

Do you mean because of the horse race?

I was just referring to this article posted the other day by the Courier Journal. http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20131213/NEWS01/312130099/National-Geographic-Traveler-names-Louisville-Best-World-destination

I don't think it's because of the horse races because those aren't year round.

Hard Rock Park had much grander plans actually. While I have a greater optimism for Kentucky Kingdom to say HRP never planned on progressing is quite an inaccurate statement.

Edit_ this was in response to a post on the previous page. Silly Tapatalk.

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I'm still lost why the hard rock park failed? but that is a subject for debate for sure:

SO KK has no visible, start of footers or anything yet? Interesting?

Construction of Lighting Run is slated for early January with an opening in May.

Surely there has at least been some ground prep-work. I was assuming that they mean vertical construction would start in January or at least pouring of the footings...Has any one on here been by there to verify if any work has been done at all?

Look at Mason prior to KI...nothing around it really, nice small old town

That changed quick

Well that little road running from Cincinnati to Columbus and from there to Cleveland was a nice boost to KI. Makes it easy to manufactor word of mouth when literally thousands of people drive by every hour. Even in the 70s this was part of it. Personally, unless a catastrophic failure of financial or physical type, KI could be open for years, just thanks to the millions of people who drive by less than 500 feet (hyperbole) from the sign...

And just how has it done that? The full faith and credit of the Kentucky taxpayer. 2014 looks to be fine. It's 2015 and onward that this plan doesn't look even remotely workable.

And I beg to differ with you. Hard Rock Park had a superior location to Kentucky Kingdom. To claim a park is in a location where it doesn't have to deal with substantial competition is to overlook the problems with Kentucky Kingdom's location that contributed to the park's past failures.

How does 2015 and 2016 look to be downward? Unlike Hard Rock Park, Kentucky Kingdom has already set in stone improvements to the park that will be made. Both T2 and Twisted Twins will be returning better than ever. Hard Rock Park opened, but never showed signs of progressing, they were just trying to get by with what they had.

Well, I can say that for sure, if funding is available, Im going to finish my basement and invest the 10K starting in the fall of 2014. But thats no more in stone than T2 and the twins returning.

To quote Terpy..... Watch what they do not what they say....

Currently, lots of talk has happened...

Currently, areas have been cleared, paint has been applied, I hope, for all parties, that they are able to continue what they say they will do. I wont count on lightening till January construction...

Perhaps marketing will now get better:

Ad Agency named:

http://m.bizjournals.com/louisville/news/2013/12/19/local-ad-agency-lands-kentucky-kingdom.html?r=full

One can hope.

A partner in the ad agency is quoted as saying there's a lot of pent up demand for the park. Tell me again how many season passes they've sold thus far?

A partner in the ad agency is quoted as saying there's a lot of pent up demand for the park. Tell me again how many season passes they've sold thus far?

How much of that pent up demand even knows that season passes are on sale?

Shouldn't they have secured the ad agency prior to season pass sales and prior to the announcement of Lightning Racer?

Shouldn't they have secured the ad agency prior to season pass sales and prior to the announcement of Lightning Racer?

Maybe they have just now realized their in-house marketing is not working?

Pieces of the new water slides being assembled today for the water park expansion.....

(Photo Courtesy of The New Kentucky Kingdom)

(The man pictured is Kentucky Kingdom's Director of Marketing and Communications, John Mulcahy)

All we can do is support, if we like the new Kingdom, and wish them the best.

John Mulcahy? Gee, I wonder what he did 22 years ago?

http://business.highbeam.com/53/article-1G1-10513171/kentucky-kingdom-launches-fiveyear-expansion-plan

Seriously? He did the marketing in 1991? He looks like he is in his late teens/early 20s.

Seriously? He did the marketing in 1991? He looks like he is in his late teens/early 20s.

That was exactly my thought.

That's not John Mulcahy.

That's not John Mulcahy.

Then who is it?

don't know. probably a park employee, possibly an intern.

I know with 100% certainty, that's not John though.

Sea lion show could be cool. I knew they would have to do something unique to the area. Didn't KI have a dolphin of sea lion show years ago? Seems like I vaguely remember there being one.

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They did. It was called Salt Water Circus. There are even pictures of it on some sites. It was behind the Eiffel Tower, I think where Internatational Showplace is now.

I know this post is from over a month ago, but small correction: Salt Water Circus wasn't where International Showplace was, but instead behind it. They both co-existed for ~20 years.

NOW, the Fair Board wants a master plan? Now? Really?

What's up with that? Wonder if Mr. Hart knows?

http://m.bizjournals.com/louisville/news/2013/12/19/fair-board-seeking-firm-for-master-plan.html?r=full

don't know. probably a park employee, possibly an intern.

I know with 100% certainty, that's not John

though.

Gee, I wonder who knew that!

Terp, who likes to ask questions

Sea lion show could be cool. I knew they would have to do something unique to the area. Didn't KI have a dolphin of sea lion show years ago? Seems like I vaguely remember there being one.

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They did. It was called Salt Water Circus. There are even pictures of it on some sites. It was behind the Eiffel Tower, I think where Internatational Showplace is now.

I know this post is from over a month ago, but small correction: Salt Water Circus wasn't where International Showplace was, but instead behind it. They both co-existed for ~20 years.

Oh...thanks for clearing that up...I was just thinking "general location" type thing, and never actually got to see Salt Water Circus (It was gone when I very first visited Kings Island as a kid in 2000, and even my memories of that are somewhat hazy).