California’s Great America Announces Massive Capital Investment and Retail Project

[SonofBaconator]

1 hour ago, Kenban said:

Is it?  I suspect Cedar Fair will attempt to sell it, or depending on how badly they need parts they might just immediately scrap it for Steel Venom and Wicked Twister.  Possessed is 20 years old and this would be the second time it would be moved, about the same age as Volcano when it was scrapped.  This is also the oldest impulse coaster which is still operating, the original model was scrapped several years ago.

I'm just going off of speculation. In their proposal to Santa Clara, it mentions an impulse coaster 150'+ which matches Possessed's description. Add that to news that Possessed is being removed so I just put two and two togeather. I could be wrong, it just seemed likely since CF is trying to build up CGA and a relocated impulse could satisfy that desire until they build another group up coaster like a hyper.

[Kenban]

Just now, SonofBaconator said:

I'm just going off of speculation. In their proposal to Santa Clara, it mentions an impulse coaster 150+ which matches Possessed description. Add that to news that Possessed is being removed so I just put two and two togeather. I could be wrong, it just seemed likely since CF is trying to build up CGA and a relocated impulse could satisfy that desire until they build another group up coaster like a hyper.

Yea that proposal was purely a bid to increase the parks height limit.  It was never intended to be viewed as an actual blueprint for exactly what the next 20+ years will bring to the park.  They were stuck with a height restriction of somewhere around 40 feet for most of the life of the park and every attraction was a hard fight.  The very first attraction which was added after that document was created and the height restriction changed was RailBlazer, which was not one of the coasters listed anywhere and was built where the Impluse coaster was shown to be located in the park.  Its a bad idea to put much faith in the document.

[Rivertown Rider]

One interesting option would be if they did something like the Gravity Group coaster that Dorney is getting.  It would seem to check a lot of boxes (small footprint, likely low cost).

[SonofBaconator]

I think that park should get some additions these next two decades.

California's Great America is in a great location that can pull from large cities like San Jose, Oakland, San Francisco, Fresno, and even Sacramento. Yes Discovery Kingdom is their direct competitor but they got a very strict limit as to how high they can go where as Great America's is more lax. The amount of land at both parks is sparse but I think the odds tip in CGA's favor, especially considering the 49ers are right next door and could bring in more visitors.

Some things come to mind in terms of additions. The hyper, in my opinion, needs to happen sometime this  to gauge things. They've been having smaller additions with Goldstriker, Patriot, and Railblaizer but I'd like to see what a coaster like a B&M hyper would do. That, again in my opinion, would be a huge differentiator between them and Discovery Kingdom. 

Other additions I would like to see happen would be an RMC Grizzly and some type of launched coaster. CGA already has an awesome wooden coaster with Goldstriker so converting Grizzly wouldn't be a loss. As I mentioned earlier there's a rumor that Possessed could be relocated to CGA which would fill the launched void but without concrete evidence its just speculation at this point. 

Side note- I do like what they're doing in theming their to California rides: Patriot, Railblaizer, Goldstriker, and their drop ride resembling the giant trees found in the Northern Cali region.

If CGA does well, they could become the go-to park of Northern California. I'd like to think they could maybe even the destination park for out of state cities like Portland and Seattle but given that both cities are over 13 hours away that might be stretching it a bit.

[SonofBaconator]

Double post:

How do y'all think CGA will do in the 2020s? Do you think they'll be a priority park with its current place in the Northern Cali market or do you think CF will keep it a mid-tier park. I personally see a lot of potential with this park, but I'm not in the amusement park business either.

[gforce1994]

They’re going to be likely targeting families, as they’ve done since the end of the Paramount era. With the new South Bay Shores WP, they’re going to be going after families, since they are the ones who are likely going to spend more money per guest.

[malem]

One focus of CGA is events and corporate buy-outs, owing to their strategic location in Silicon Valley next to Levi's Stadium. We may see more development along the lines of the event pavilion that was built a few years ago.

I don't see them becoming a huge destination park like Knott's or Kings Island, but I think they will remain a development focus for the chain.

[SonofBaconator]

Not everyday you have a hyper go through thr middle of the park...at least that looks like a hyper

Posted from Place Workshop. I believe these were super early plans since the name on the download says "4-24-2014"

https://placeworkshop.com/portfolio-items/californias-great-america-master-plan/