Granite Park

[AyTrane]

So no rides have been erected yet? Is it all still pretty much in the state it was a year ago?

[Rideslover]

I don't believe gisco locked my thread www.themeparkreview.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=42528&start=10

 

I'm coming home from worked at Caruthers District Fair, Big Fresno Fair and stayed with my father in fresno but i already take pictures of lightning bolt kind of rusty around the track.

 

I have more photo but i don't believe gisco order to locked my thread and I will not put my photo update.

 

Now close and locked the thread please. Thank you.

[gisco]

^What??

 

So no rides have been erected yet? Is it all still pretty much in the state it was a year ago?

 

Nothing has taken place on the site. They have just moved the parts around. Supposedly he will get financing this month and around 23 rides will be open by spring. I don't think he even knows yet how he is going to put up the old MGM coaster. The supports were custom for the hill that it was on and the land here is flat.

[Rideslover]

Close this thread and lock it up please. Thank you

[larrygator]

Rideslover - Granite Park does not need two threads. It is the role of the moderators to assist Robb and Elissa in closing rendundant threads.

 

Sorry your thread was locked but deal with it.

 

Although TPR would prefer that you posts your photos, but if you want to take your ball and go home, then don't post them. That is your perogative.

 

But please don't backseat moderate and whine about this any longer. You spoke your piece and Robb and the moderators know of your displeasure.

 

Let's move on.

[mcjaco]

Just to add on to this, Bob's (gisco) thread was much older, and encompassed all of the park for updates. It's more of a centralized location to find ALL the information on Granite Park, rather than having two threads to bounce between.

 

rideslover, please feel free to upload you pictures in this thread.

[gisco]

Things are not looking good for the park. An article was in the paper today and although it doesn't mention the theme park itself it is about the whole development.

 

Rock legend Sammy Hagar is pulling his Cabo Wabo brand out of Fresno -- a setback to the cash-strapped Granite Park complex and, potentially, to city redevelopment plans.

 

Developer Milt Barbis licensed Hagar's Cabo Wabo brand and opened the Fresno location in August, making the wildly popular club the cornerstone of his Granite Park entertainment/sports project in central Fresno. As financial problems mounted for the complex, so did issues between Hagar and Barbis, prompting the ex-Van Halen singer to pull the plug on Cabo Wabo Fresno

 

No visible work has been done on the site since last August and then it was to get the club open. With the club losing its brand it is questionable if it will survive. The club was open 7 days a week at first and recently went to dinner only, Tuesday through Saturday and that is with the Cabo Wabo name.

 

The last I heard about the park they were going to open in the spring with 23 rides. Stay tuned.

[gisco]

There have been a number of articles in the paper lately about the development of Granite Park. I hate to say it but it looks pretty unlikely that this park will ever be built. With all that is going on I don’t think that any investors are going to come forward in this economic climate and save the day. Bankruptcy has not been declared yet but it is only a matter of time.

First off the amusement park was only going to take up a portion of the whole development they had planned. They were going to put in some offices on a small part. Work was started on a couple of buildings but I haven’t seen any progress in about a year. You can see the buildings in a couple of pictures. They got as far as plywood on the sides and that is it.

There was going to be at least 5 restaurants. 3 of them were completed and 2 are still open. The one that opened and closed is Cabo Wabo, Sammy Haggar’s restaurant. Haggar pulled the license agreement and both sides are suing each other over breach. Haggar did perform at the club once before it closed. The club was supposed to be remodeled and back open soon but I haven’t heard anything on that. The other 2 restaurants were close to opening but I believe lack of funds has not allowed them to be completed. One of these was going to take over the new reincarnation of what was once Cabo Wabo.

The back half of the property is owned by a non-profit that put in 3 ball fields , a batting cage and soccer fields, all lighted. They took out a loan for around $5,000,000.00 that the City of Fresno guaranteed. They are in default at the moment and the loan comes completely due this December or could be declared in default at any time. The city is weighing their options. They may pay off the loan and turn the ball fields into a city complex. If this happens, part of that land is what the amusement park was to be on.

A number of contractors have not been paid and have put liens on the property. One of the largest is an Italian company. They are owed something like 2.1 million for leasing some of the rides that are there. Most of the rest are local but it totals well over 3 million.

They probably need 12 to 15 million to pay everyone off and complete the park and restaurants. I just don’t see any one coming through with that kind of cash or making a loan. On to the pictures, taken around Christmas time.

Disko!

Flyers!

More fence parts and you can see the batting cage in the back ground.

Here you can see parts for a steel building. In the background you can see the unfinished office buildings and to the right you can see a ball field. Usually the field is surrounded by a green fence but it was needed else where.

These rides have bad luck.

They have picked up a few other rides along the way.

Pumps and what not. Hey Shane, do you want the coaster and log flume back?

and some log flume parts too!

Coaster parts!

On the other side of those trees and fence is ......

The ride has a name but no prices. I'm not sure if this ride was ever open.

Notice the green fence around the ride. You will see where it came from later.

They must have put this in for extra entertainment for the club. It sits right outside Cabo Wabo

Whatis that is that I see set up ....

I think the party is over!

Cabo Wabo is no more.....

This sign used to be at the front of the development. Now it sits in the back with the coaster parts

[WFChris]

Thats really too bad, Fresno will just continue to be that hole...thing...in the middle of California.

 

Chris.

[the ghost]

I think you should take the coaster track and build it in your back yard Really no reason to go to Fresno.

[gisco]

Things just keep getting worse.

 

Granite Park in Default

 

The liens and defaults on this project are approaching $35 million now. The article does hold a little hope that the debt can be restructured. Maybe if that happens then more capital can be found to finish the project.

[COASTER FREAK 11]

It doesn't sound like this park will ever get off the ground. Hopefully they can come up with something to get the place built and open.

[Jew]

The rides are currently for sale...I think it is safe to say that this park is dead.

[gisco]

News article

 

Granite Park developer Barbis files bankruptcy

He faces $8.5 million in debt, seeks Chapter 7 protection.

Published online on Monday, Nov. 09, 2009

By George Hostetter and John Ellis / The Fresno Bee E-Mail

Barbis on Oct. 30 filed a Chapter 7 petition in downtown Fresno's U.S. District Court. Chapter 7 essentially is a going-out-of-business filing.

 

The 170-page document, signed by Barbis and his wife, Heidi, lists more than $8.5 million in liabilities and about $360,000 in assets

Barbis filed as an individual, but states in court documents that most of his liabilities were incurred in business dealings.

 

Barbis on Monday declined to comment. The Bee was unable to contact Thomas Armstrong, Barbis' bankruptcy lawyer.

 

 

Barbis lists a 25% ownership stake in nine limited liability companies: Fresno Rock Taco, Ecco Food and Entertainment, Granite Park Food & Beverage Co., The Zone Sports Center, SPHERE Properties, Granite Park Professional Center, Brick Oven Investors, The Public House Fresno and JEG Ventures.

 

Barbis states that the combined value of his stake is zero.

 

Nearly $7.7 million is owed to hundreds of unsecured creditors, according to court documents. Among the unsecured creditors is Granite Park Kids Foundation, the nonprofit Barbis headed that was a key part of his vision for the central Fresno recreation-entertainment project.

 

Court documents list no specific amount for the claims of many unsecured creditors, including the foundation.

 

Government agencies, including the state Board of Equalization and the Internal Revenue Service, are owed more than $511,000. Most of the debt is for unpaid business taxes.

 

Anita Gore, a Board of Equalization spokeswoman, said tax debts owed to California cannot be discharged in federal bankruptcy court. She said the department is willing to work with taxpayers who owe taxes.

 

Fresno's Public Utilities Department is owed nearly $60,000. Assistant city attorney Doug Sloan said much of the debt is an unpaid water bill.

 

Barbis' filing also lists 15 pending lawsuits in which he or one of his business entities is a defendant.

 

Barbis and his wife list their Fresno home as their most valuable asset, worth $335,000 according to court documents.

 

Barbis' bankruptcy filing is the latest chapter in a tangled Granite Park story marked by years of lofty promises and financial controversies.

 

The 42-acre project is actually two parts designed to be complementary: 18 acres of ball fields owned by the foundation and 24 commercial acres owned by the for-profit Zone Sports Center. Barbis was a central figure in both entities.

 

The foundation still exists and retains ownership of the ball fields, but its authority over the fields is limited. City Hall is paying off a $5 million bank loan to the foundation that the City Council guaranteed in 2004. The 18 acres were the loan's collateral. The city is expected to take possession of the property or dispose of it to recover some of its money.

 

The Zone Sports Center lost its stake in the project several months ago when it defaulted on a $22.4 million loan from OMNI Financial.

 

Much of the for-profit side now belongs to OMNI.

 

Although it has been known for a long time, this pretty much makes it official that this park will never be developed. If you follow the link you will find a number of other articles relating to the trouble the development has had.

[robbalvey]

Oh well....Lightning Bolt will once again sit to rot away. Hopefully something can be done with that ride because, for what it was, actually was pretty decent!

 

--Robb

[Rideslover]

Hey what i found the lightning bolt roller coaster and over the edge log flume in south of Fresno. Location at the Heppner Iron and Metal. 3489 S. Chestnut Ave Fresno, CA 93725 can you check Google Satellite. I afraid roller coaster is scrap or not yet

 

I seen on Google satellite at Granite Park still have Flying Eagles, Rodeo Trail, Kiddie Train and Water Squirt Game on the field with around the chainlink fence. Kang-A-Bounce, Disk'o, Screamin' Swing TM and other rides are gone but i don't know where.

 

Larry

[robbalvey]

Oh, yeah....take a look....

 

 

What do I see there?

 

 

Lighting Bolt! Lightning Bolt! Lightning Bolt!!!

 

--Robb "At least I got all three Lightning Bolt credits!" Alvey

[gisco]

There is nothing left at Granite Park. Everything has been removed. I will check out the coaster later this week. My office is only a mile from Heppner.

[RandallDuell]

Wow, reading this thread is quite a journey. The most poignant part being the large boulder with GRANITE PARK ... the photo taken when things were just getting started, and the fairly recent one where it's been moved to the back, already tagged.

 

Crazy story, and unfortunate. Have never really heard about anything great ever going down in Fresno.

[Rideslover]

Hey i found those rides are for sale list on Rides-4-U check it out rides4u.com/index.php/rides/results/cat/46

 

Lightning Bolt sell for $510,000 and other rides as trailer mounted screaming swing can sell for $650,000 but more rides have in containers but they opened to see the Double Deck Carousel and Bumper Cars but yeah containers are in Heppner along with Lightning Bolt and Log Flume.

 

What is Boucon Bay on Rides-4-U? Look like name of the park and i thought Granite Park or The Forest at Granite Park?

 

 

Larry Joe Plants

[DBru]

Ginzo, I'd just like to thank you for taking the time to bring us all of these updates throughout the proposition and journey of Granite Park, and tell you I'm sympathetic that the plans fell apart. It's really sad when a park looks like it will soon come to fruition, but never does---especially if said park would have been within an arms reach of you.

[gisco]

What is Boucon Bay on Rides-4-U? Look like name of the park and i thought Granite Park or The Forest at Granite Park?

 

 

Larry Joe Plants

 

I'm pretty sure that Boucon Bay was the first name for the amusement park that was to go in. The whole complex of offices, sports fields, restaraunts and the amusement park was called Granite park. The location is still called Granite Park today, but there will never be an amusement park there, never.

[QueerRudie]

Truly sad, but hopefully some small park will restore this ride to it's unique goodness. My last ride on it was summer 98- in 115 degree Vegas heat... The push-pull effects on LB were stunning to say the least!

 

Good luck to a happy future for it!

 

R.D.

[COASTER FREAK 11]

Every time there are posts in this thread I hope to open it seeing an announcement that the park was moving forward, only to ever see bad news. Its defiantly been interesting following this thread, and sad to see the coaster sitting in a scrap yard. Oh well, time to move on.

[haiderodes]

I like how the link for the Log Flume shows one photo of the lift from the former Grand Canyon Rapids. And one (on its side) image of the Over the Edge (log flume) itself.