coasterfreaky

I agree that we mostly agree. These are two mutually exclusive ideas we're talking about. Open/Available Land doesn't necessarily translate in to 'land available for an amusement park'. The community has/(should have) the final say of what its used for. The community has to be okay with the added traffic, all the added burdens, if you will, that come with said park...and willing to risk it for the payoff...jobs, increased revenue, etc. I just don't see any community in sumner embracing that, and the truth is we'll never know until that happens, so i concur. For the Dolly/water/snow park, we saw the community come together. The city approved some financing measures to help the park get started, knowing it would pay off. Later down the line the park failed to materialize when Dolly decided, i guess, not to do business with Gaylord having Marriott in the equation. "Everybody" in Nashville, wants an amusement park, but when you say that its going to be in XX community, then the XX people are all the sudden opposed to it. Not In My Back Yard, heck no! The only exception has been the Dolly/water/snow park...still a lot of folks were opposed to it, i think mainly for the financing measures more than anything else. I think you're saying that every community (or some) would embrace an amusement park. I say, based on the community pushback from other proposed Nashville parks, that is not the case. I think that's what our disagreement boils down to. In the end, we are just speaking in hypotheticals since nothing is even proposed right now. Its fun, thanks for the conversation. I swear, if i could put an amusement park on every corner, i would do it! - Coasterfreaky

Land for residential is available. Land for a large or medium scale (300 to 500 acres, say, for example) amusement complex (or commercial dvpt)...i wouldn't say that it's plentiful. So, i disagree that land is not an issue. It is one of the issues, in my opinion. I do agree about political hoops and the initial costs to build. And i agree too, that its a poor investment, unfortunately for us fans. That is, unless you're Dolly Parton, apparently. I think if you proposed to build an amusement park off of V.V.B., and add thousands more vehicles to an already crowded interstate and part of town, then sumner county residents would be ready to tar and feather you. I don't think they're willing to make the trade off for revenue vs. inconvenience, i just don't. Yes, very familiar with Sumner county. I'm from Hendersonville myself. Way back when i was little kid, Hendersonville was considered the "sticks" of Nashville. My dad tells tales of what Rivergate used to look like way back when - Gallatin road was a dirt road essentially, lol.

Disagree 100% If you drive 3-5 miles outside the 65/40 loop, there is ooodles (that's a technical term for lots) of land that is begging to be developed. As far as the NIMBY sentiment, from what I hear from people on a day to day basis is that they would love to have a local park here again. That and everyone is still confused as to why Opryland was very suddenly closed. The reasoning is still shrouded in mystery. Even ex employees tell me how shocked they were to find out that they wouldn't open the next year the night they were clocking out for the last time. I didn’t say there wasn’t any available land, I said that there is little land available, which is true. You need a few hundred acres so that you can have a buffer zone as well as room to expand. Opryland park had buffer, with the river and Briley parkway. They did not have room to expand, they claimed, although they could have expanded to the park employee parking lot if they really wanted to. Have you priced a thousand acres of land in or near Nashville lately? I would not classify it as affordable, not in Davidson county. As far as Nimby goes, people say one thing, then do another. Not everyone wants an amusement park in their back yard. For examples, Look no further than all the proposed Nashville parks since Opryland’s closing. There is a history of NIMBY’ism associated with each and every one – despite there being a level of excitement from some, but not from all of Nashville, about wanting a new park....which helps explain why a park hasn’t been built since Opryland’s closing. As a former park employee, I know exactly why they closed, because I am observant and have eyes and ears. They said at the time ‘we couldn’t compete with Dollywood’, they ‘didn’t have room to expand’, ‘we’re not making money 12 months of the year’, and most importantly, they did not have any type of future plan or vision for the direction of the park. They came right out and said so. It was clear to me that was the case, at age 15, seven years before they shut it down. I hope one day a new park is built for Nashville. Unfortunately, no one is building parks in the US at this time. Many parks are struggling to make it, some are shutting down. Cedar Fair is trying to sell off Worlds of Fun and Valleyfair (Right?), with no luck doing so, so far. The most successful recent park that I’m aware of, correct me if I’m wrong, is Universal in Orlando. And it was done on a grand scale, with lots of money and little risk b/c ORLANDO. If someone were to build a park in Nashville, who would that be?? Who has the money, or time (by time, i mean years to start small, and slowly grow) to do that? I can't come up with anyone.

It's so expensive to build a park from scratch. Rides are expensive, good roller coasters are expensive, overhead is, i'm sure, very expensive. Look at the small parks that have closed….Alabama Adventure, Miracle Strip, Ghost Town in the Sky to name a few. Just to put my .02 simply, of course. It is always more complicated than money I really do not understand why Gaylord/Marriott doesn’t go for an indoor water park, like Great Wolf or Wilderness in the Smokies. Wilderness is part indoor, part outdoor so at least some of it can be enjoyed 12 months of the year….which was their chief complaint in closing Opryland amusement park back in 1997. I’ve never been to Nashville Shores, but they seem to be in the best position to start adding flat rides and maybe eventually some coasters. They add and improve each season, which is a good indicator of financially stable park. Personally, I think Nashville has exploded so much so, that there is very little available land for a park, and the NIMBY sentiment is very strong in Nashville, so that’s a battle that’s difficult to win…which is why I think N.Shores already has that advantage…they’re there, no one (that I know of) seems to complain, etc.

^^I don't keep up with Gaylord (b/c I am not a fan!)...but i think this restructuring is a result of a few years of their stock prices bouncing up and down. I don't know if this plan that was approved this week was just the latest attempt to try and fix that problem, or if this is another attempt in a series of other things they've tried...i dunno. Being a publicly traded company, there should be lots of information out there about this, but what i've managed to dig up is mostly about the flood, and my eyes gloss over as i try to read about it and understand it...mostly because i really don't care any more after all their shenanigans. It didn't help that they had the flood in 2010...they had to bolster their levy, fix the hotel, on top of the lost revenue while the hotel was closed...they've had a lot of problems to fix. And they're adding more convention space and rooms to the nashville property, not cheap. I would think the waterpark plan was another attempt at trying to fix their problems and their negative image with Nashville in general from the old days of having torn down the amusment park. Note all the negative comments directed straight at Gaylord in the nashville news websites. They are still bitter. Either way, she saw the writing on the wall and got the hell out. Wise for her, sad for Nashville.

Gaylord announced a plan to restructure at some point in the spring. IIRC, Gaylord shareholders were relunctant at first to go along with the plan, but this week it was voted for and approved. This vote was the reason for the comment she made about six weeks ago when she mentioned that this project was "in a holding pattern" - she was waiting for the outcome of the shareholder vote.

http://www.wsmv.com/story/19668111/dolly-parton-ends-partnership-with-nashville-water-park

Dolly Parton says Nashville theme park on hold http://www.wkrn.com/story/19247428/gaylord-opryland-theme-park-dolly-parton

^fair enough. It seems to me like an "unfinished" ride when it hits the brakes, like it hasn't fulfilled it's roller coaster destiny. But, it is what it is. ^^yes I love that on Wild Eagle! You definitely notice that more on the right-hand side (or right-wing side)

I like the layout, but it seems like it needs another 1,500 feet or so...in the form of bunny hills. The brake run, wtf?

This probably belongs in the Ole South thread, but i'm putting it here as it discusses this park as well. I give Ole South about zero percent chance of taking off! http://www.nashvilleledger.com/editorial/Article.aspx?id=57683

Chaos' train was 10 cars longer than Revolution at Bobbejaanland, it had 50 cars and held up to 100 passengers...which i guess is still the current record for longest coaster train ever and most capacity. On the circular lift, the back of the train would be underneath the front part of the train. Once it got started it really hauled a$$. edit! doh, my bad. I know Chaos had 10 more cars than the Bobbejaanland coaster, but i was thinking Chaos had 50...Chaos is 40 cars/80 people and it was a 240-foot long train and Revolution is 30/60 and it must be about a 180-foot long train if my math is good.

Well, it was put in storage way before the park closed in 1997. I bet the Cincy Mall was the 2nd carousel. I know the Antique Carousel was removed after 1986 for fact...but i'm not sure if it was 1987 or 88 or even 89...i know i was in junior high when it happened though...i'm thinking 87 or 88. But it was long gone before the whole park closed in 1997. And i almost positive that it did not go to Old Indianna...it was too special and they had put a lot of work in to restoring it. Thrillerman1, that's true. It was replaced with a bird show first, for two seasons i think. Then after the bird show i think there might have been a kids show maybe...then it was some other type of modern carousel after that. The wavy floor was still there for the bird show...not sure if the wavy floor was there for the 2nd carousel. I was referring to the typewritten 'fact sheet' on page 1 of Montezoomas....maybe 3/4 of the way down the page...it talks about finding the carousel in Copenhagen, and recreating from nothing other than a postcard...i couldn't imagine. http://www.themeparkreview.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=22489 Here's a retro trip report on Opryland and she thinks its in storage too. I'm not sure how that rumour came about, but it seems to be well accepted. Anyway, it would be nice to see it rise again some day.

I don't know if this is true...i think it is. But in 1987 or 1988 Opryland took out the Antique Carousel...and its my understanding it was put away in storage...it has not resurfaced anywhere else. Maybe they will find a use for it for Phase 2? That would seem like a nice tie-back to original Opryland. This pic is from Montezooma's Opryland thread. There's a fact sheet on page one of his thread that had more details about the carousel. http://www.themeparkreview.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=40134&hilit=opryland

Yeah, but they dunno what all this project is gonna entail yet and they already think it sucks... it's a bit ridiculous if you ask me. This land was never gonna be home to a new theme park anyway, it's not large enough. I agree 100%! I'm saying when any amusement park related news in Nashville happens, it brings out some crazy emotions. Salt on wounds...that kind of thing. It's been a generation and a half since Opryland closed. they prob deserve a little slack, and like Eric said, not necessarily best and brightest make comments. We know what Dolly is capable of, Nashville doesn't, yet. It will be great.

^Well, Opryland was my home park from 1974-1992, and Nashvillians are still upset about it's closure. It truly is a sore subject...they want coasters and rides, not so much slides. "it's complicated" sort of sums it best, I think. I was taken aback by some of the comments about Dollywood...in The Tennessean comments.

Interesting that when Gaylord shuttered Opryland they listed competition with Dollywood as one of the (many) reasons...and now they're teaming up. Regardless, this is good news for nashville and the state. You can never have too many water or amusement parks!!

I don't think it would ever happen, but using TTD's tower to build a Zacspin would be pretty cool and not take up much space. Build the station off the Gemini midway, utilities off to the side towards the paddle boat.

It's an awesome show.....i do work at HGTV though My favorite so far has been the episode with the 'Kid Steam' Rail Road running through it - jealous!

Spreading out across the river was a rumour in 89/90 when i worked there...which never made sense to me b/c of the big flood in the early 1970's. They could have easily moved the employee parking lot elsewhere and used that land for park expansion without building a bridge and having the same threat of flooding as you would across the river. They never owned the property across the river, so, also weird. To me that just means it was a rumor...they were not clever enough to have an actual plan in place. no plan = failure.

I remember when they did it, but i did not get to experience it Opryland did it before CP did, neener! Yeah, Dollywood and Opryland are nothing alike when you take a closer look at both. An outsider would say, well, they're both musical theme parks and yes that's true, but that's where that comparison ends. Opryland, with its Grand Ole Opry base, created areas of the park that emphasized different geographic locations that were music-centered, like New Orleans, the wild west, appalachia (Hill Country area)...whereas Dollywood's areas (loosely) represent different areas of Tennessee at different times in it's history...the 50's area is a recreation of Sevierville in the 50's...Showstreet is a victorian street, Craftsman's Valley is dedicated to the smokies where these craftspeople thrived, the grist mill and all that....and on and on. To me, there is a more coherent theme at Dollywood, where Opryland seemed disjointed...not quite right...forced/phony. Opryland had some cool things too i think. I still believe Grizzly was the most exciting of the white water rides i've ridden - dolly's is pretty tame by comparison...but i like it too. SFOG's is very Grizzly-like, last time i rode it anyway. Loved the fact that the Flume Zoom was mostly up in the trees, rather than at the ground with several lifts. Opryland had in-park transportation down well - with a Von Roll and the train you could get around with very little effort. The Barnstormer, the airplane ride, remains one of my favorite flats. When the star would get to the top and it would lock in and the cables would snap - you could hear a collective gasp from the people that hadn't ridden it before...fantastic! The Little Deuce Coups - ahhh, good times. Bumper cars were fun...Tin Lizzies were fun when i was really young. Opryland's coaster collection was pretty much garbage imo. All off-the-shelf coasters except for tragic little Rock'n Roller coaster (i do miss the skid brakes, however, and the various ways they would stop it). in general, awful awful coasters. So, yes, very very different. Opryland kind of suffered from too many cooks in the kitchen with putting "Music & Opry Stars" up there as its main billing, Dollywood has the one, the only Dolly, and people IDOLIZE HER. She's giving back to her family, her friends, her community by way of jobs and has philanthropic stuff going on all over the place, genuinely cool, salt of the earth, a real working class hero. We know now, Opryland was only important in the accounting books....how different the two parks are.

Opryland was totally focused on shows, the Opry and the hotel/convention center, not rides and the amusement side of the theme park. They didn't know what a 20-year plan was, or a 5-year plan, or any type of plan that had anything to do with rides and coasters, they just winged everything they did for the entire 25 years of existence, so they were unable to keep up with other parks who did know what they were doing - SFOG, Dollywood, etc. Also, they were landlocked and had no where to expand since the hotel got the bulk of the extra property. When an opportunity came along in 1997 to provide something (an outlet mall!) that generated revenue 365 days per year vs. 180 or so, then that was the path of least resistance, everyone who cared about the park-be-damned. That is the short answer, read back through this thread if you want more of the story.

Yes that was the underbelly of the station...it used to be hidden by a wood fence. Pumps, conveyor belt motors, etc were all housed there. Thanks for posting, sad, but not unexpected. IIRC, Griz was going to be leveled a few years ago, but the sagging economy and probably the flooding in 2010 put the brakes on the demo/hotel expansion work.

Nothing a little magnetic brakes and duct tape can't fix!

Yes, they should rename this proposed park "Red Flags".