Kings Island Inn & Conference Center closing soon?

[upstop]

Woo hoo! Luxury section 8 housing...if I were going to pay that much for housing, it certainly wouldn't be on the right berm of the freeway.

[The Interpreter]

On the other hand, in DC they are discussing whether to shut down an Interstate for a year to shorten a developer's three year project by a year.

Oh, yeah? What's he building?

Luxury housing. (For real). Atop a bridge. Over that Interstate.

Yep.

[jsus]

Luxury housing over an interstate? Whoa. Wait, why would someone who can afford luxury housing want to live over a blasted freeway??

[The Interpreter]

Location, location, location.

Mere steps from the Capitol.

Will cost about six times the average cost of housing in most of the rest of this Nation.

Terp, whose rent here is more than four times his last monthly mortgage payment. Sigh.

[Oldiesmann]

Hopefully they won't be stupid enough to shut down part of the freeway there for a year. I've heard that DC traffic is bad enough as it is right now due to a lack of good alternative transportation for those commuting from the suburbs.

[Outdoor Man]

I've got some swamp land in Florida I'd like to sell...

[The Interpreter]

For those interested, we are talking I-395.

[italianchef]

My first reaction to the news was sadness because the Kings Island Resort was part of Kings Island history - and I fondly recall it being featured on The Brady Bunch and The Partridge Family. But the resort is closed and will be razed. That is the sad reality.

However, as an MBA who works in the financial services industry,I am very, very disappointed that there is no opposition to building apartments in a commercial district. With 300 apartments across the street from KI, how congested will traffic be?

What if the apartments attract residents that don't appreciate park guests across the street and do things to make them unhappy or complain at civic meetings that the park is too loud and they want to make changes to it? At worst case, what if non law abiding people move into the apartments and break into cars in KI's parking lot?

I think that it is a very, very bad decision and will have a negative impact upon Kings Island and Mason. I think that the land should be used for something else commercial. But that is just my opinion.

[Thrill_Biscuit]

The current apartment industry is a corporate cash mill. Outrageous late fees, no line-of-sight to lease rate increase amounts until 30 days out, and usually ridiculous renewal rates, false "Utility" companies that are really the same company disguised as a utility, so they can get around PUCO regulations and charge water and common electric rates by the square foot, which is why many of these companies refuse rent payment unless the "utility" company is paid (so they can claim to charge $740, but really it's whatever they adjust it to so that they can pad their investors' yacht cushions.) Say you agree to $740. Great. You pay the $740, but they won't accept it until you pay your "Midland Power LLC" bill of $140. "Midland Power LLC" is really a subsidiary of your "Larry Connor Apartment Co." or whatever. You're paying $880 for rent. You still have to pay your own Duke or DP&L bill, and any other "real" utilities. Then, you're comfy in your little apartment. You've been there a year, it's too soon to go through the stress of moving. You get your little renewal reminder. Effective next month, your lease will be $820 (i.e., $960). This happened to me. I was furious. I moved into a privately-owned complex in Mason, and everything was fair going forward (but uncomfortable; nosy, noisy neighbors, etc.)

I'm going to buy a house. Way out in the country. Cheap. Quiet. Mine. /rant off.

[The Interpreter]

Really? Try DC. Two months rent to cancel early PLUS at least a 30 day notice. $150 monthly UP for a parking place. Application fees NOT refundable if you are not accepted. Rents three to four times the national average, with extremely low vacancy rates...

[Thrill_Biscuit]

Which is why I live in Ohio, for now. You're a trooper residing in/around that Beltway. I can't imagine living there. Ever.

[The Interpreter]

I spent an entire career saying I'd never work here. And now I do and live inside the beltway to boot. I spose I'm here another year, as the notice period to not renew my lease ended Wednesday...

And I much, much prefer DC to Atlanta, and would even take Atlanta over Florida...

[westcoaster]

Only thing about the apartments that close to KI very negative impact in my opinion, plus people living there starting to complain, and what KI/ Cedar Fair can and cannot do. Its ashame.

[The Interpreter]

Perhaps the entire "plan" is a ruse to try to force Cedar Fair to buy the property at an inflated price?

[Magenta Lizard]

Yes, because it still isn't zoned properly for apartments, is it? If not, I encourage those in the area to attend those zoning meetings.

[Thrill_Biscuit]

Enjoy your fireworks this season, folks!

Progress.

[The Interpreter]

Cinci rent prices soaring.

See #8:

http://wallstcheatsheet.com/business/top-10-cities-where-rent-prices-are-soaring.html/?a=viewall

[Diamondback96]

Only thing about the apartments that close to KI very negative impact in my opinion, plus people living there starting to complain, and what KI/ Cedar Fair can and cannot do. Its ashame.

And if Kings Island were to lose business and close, those same people would complain that they lost a place to have fun at (and a babysitter for some...).

[Dalefan]

Only thing about the apartments that close to KI very negative impact in my opinion, plus people living there starting to complain, and what KI/ Cedar Fair can and cannot do. Its ashame.

And if Kings Island were to lose business and close, those same people would complain that they lost a place to have fun at (and a babysitter for some...).

If KI closed, then everyone's taxes in Mason would skyrocket. The people living in the apartments can't do anything about KI. They know it's there, and the risks of living that close. CP has houses right next to the park on the other side of the parking lot.

[The Interpreter]

That certainly was NOT the case at Kennywood, where the park was forced to buy out the constantly complaining, whining neighbors.

That certainly was NOT the case at Dorney Park, where the whining, complaining neighbors were finally bought out, to allow more development.

That certainly was NOT the case at Bell's in Oklahoma, where the whining, complaining neighbors got a court order requiring the Zingo roller coaster to close no later than 9 PM.

That certainly was NOT the case at The Great Escape, where the whining, complaining neighbors were able to force The Comet to close at dusk.

So, although I am not engaged in the private practice of law in Ohio, the District of Columbia, or any United State, I'd not be inclined to rely on Dalefan's understanding of the rights as between Kings Island and its neighbors. I'd advise the park to use competent legal counsel licensed to practice in the appropriate jurisdiction, should it have, or think it may have, a legal problem. No legal advice for any particular client is intended herein, nor a legal representation created hereby. Situations in other jurisdictions may or may not be analagous. This is a disclaimer.

[Diamondback96]

And IIRC didn't a lot of neighbors of Geauga Lake complain about noise and traffic from the park? Not saying that park wasn't going to close anyway, but...

[The Interpreter]

Indeed. And caused such stringent zoning requirements that park development on the Busch side was severely restricted...

[Delirium13]

Still really hoping Kings Island and Cedar Fair do something about this (at least what they can), or at least make their opinion heard. I hate to think of the effect these apartments could have on the park. From whining, complaining neighbors to an increase in unwanted clientele. I'm surprised I haven't seen more opposition to this as of yet, from the park or from the residents of Mason.

... Admittedly though, I haven't been to any council meetings so I may not be completely up to date.

[BlondyRidesOn]

The park does wel for the Mason economy, so I would hate to see it go downhill because of this. Like most have said, it's already bad enough that they have complaining neighbors to worry about.

[Outdoor Man]

have they started to demolish yet?

I would think it would be a great location for a marquee, true, flagship Kings Island Resort location.

And before it gets shot down, I know that GWL is the "official" hotel...

[ohiougrad95]

In the 90's, Kings Island drive felt like you were entering a vacation/resort area. I can only imagine what it was like in the 70s and 80s. Parcel by parcel it is slowly moving away from that, even as Kings Island continues to prosper. Even the McDonald's down the road had a neat feel to it, only to be replaced by what looks like a 1950s office building (which is a whole other topic!). I have to say one of the bright spots for the area is GWL opening, but, of course, it did replace the campground.

[BlondyRidesOn]

If the housing development doesn't take shape, I would like to see a little shopping district with restaurants, something similar to what is being built in Liberty Township, but smaller.

[The Interpreter]

That wouldn't amuse the park, either.

[Outdoor Man]

I love 'Terps play on words. I always come away thinking, "why didn't I come up with that?"

Probably not large enough for a shopping district. You'd have to have a lot of parking to pull that off; in addition there's probably not enough housing around it to support one.

Now, something linked the park, an entertainment district like CityWalk or Disney Springs would be neat... but then again- there's the parking.

[Creed Bratton]

I am against this idea. As many of you have stated, I can only imagine the amount of people from those developments that would complain about the noise. When Diamondback was built and even in 2010, the park had got complaints, from the development behind the park. that the coaster was too loud in the morning when testing (because of the air horn) and at night after dark. I have heard complaints from a development about 10 minutes away from the park about the nightly fireworks.

I can only imagine what those people in the complex would think when they heard Banshee's cry every cycle. IMHO I highly doubt that those who actually will be able to afford rent there, will visit the park often, even if they do, they'll go home to eat a meal, spend the least amount of cash as possible due to proximity. I honestly don't see the proposed idea as a good thing for the park.

I would honestly like to see employee housing on that land. While a lot of people live close enough to the park to commute, having the option to stay, some I'm sure would rather live by the park(not at your parents house, on campus or pay a fortune for rent at an apartment semi-close). Employee housing at Cedar Point is fairly cheap for employees to stay (not the absolute best conditions) but it's something. I know when I worked at the park, I had generally a 30-45 minute commute every morning. I would have rather had the option to roll out of bed, cross the street, clock in and go to work. Employee housing would have, in my opinion, higher benefits than that of a luxury apartment complex.