New Rock and Roll Theme Park for Phoenix metro area?

[Rachel127]

Has anyone else heard about this? It would be awesome if it really worked out but haven't there been rumors about parks coming to phoenix before? What are your thoughts?

 

Rock 'n' roll theme park proposed for Eloy

Ronald J. Hansen

The Arizona Republic

Nov. 7, 2007 01:24 PM

 

A Phoenix-based investment team said today it wants to build a 240-acre rock 'n' roll theme park in Pinal County intended to rival Orlando's Disney World complex and the Busch Gardens amusement parks across the country.

 

The $800 million project, which is proposed to include a luxury hotel and retail space, would be known as Decades Music Theme Park. One of the consultants for the project was a project manager of Disney's Epcot Center.

 

Key state lawmakers seem intrigued by the proposal, said Kevin DeMenna, a lobbyist who is pushing for legislation that would help provide bond funding for the park.

 

 

 

 

 

Jason Rose, another lobbyist working for the project, declined to identify the private investors who intend to help support Decades.

 

The park would be located in Eloy, with roller coasters and other rock-themed rides divided into sections associated with music through the decades, starting in the 1950s.

 

With the state's usual tourism base and with residents of Phoenix and Tucson nearby, Decades could attract at least 5.4 million visitors annually, according to Peter Alexander, the Epcot project manager and a consultant who worked on other parks, including Disneyland and the Six Flags chain.

 

Eloy is roughly 65 miles from downtown Phoenix and 60 miles from downtown Tucson.

 

"It's the only large metropolitan market . . . that doesn't have a theme park," Alexander said of the Phoenix area. "Obviously, it's the perception that it's too hot here."

 

But the heat index in the area averages 93 degrees in July compared with 92 in Orlando, Fla., home to Disney World, Alexander said. And Orlando was a small, sleepy town before the park opened there, he added.

 

Arizona's theme-park laws would have to be rewritten to allow Pinal County to establish a locally controlled district with bonding authority, DeMenna said.

 

If approved, it would allow the park's builders access to a $1 billion state fund for theme park construction, he said. Sales taxes that could reach 9 percent at the park would help repay the project's construction costs.

 

Martin West, the creative director of Decades, said he first envisioned a rock-themed amusement park more than a decade ago.

 

He and Alexander publicly discussed the proposed theme park a day after Mesa voters easily approved a land sale that helps clear the way for Waveyard, a water-sports resort planned for that city.

 

Next spring, Myrtle Beach, S.C., expects to open Hard Rock Park, a 140-acre, $400 million rock 'n' roll theme park after years of planning and construction.

 

Like the Decades plan, that park is divided into different sections based on genres of music. Decades is positioned as the West Coast counterbalance to that rock-themed park, which is owned by another investment group.

 

Decades' design plans include an 850-room luxury hotel on the park's grounds as well as at least 120,000 square feet of retail space.

 

West envisions an amphitheater similar to the former Compton Terrace in Phoenix and a 55,000-seat indoor concert hall.

 

Attractions could include an MTV logo in the center of the park intended to resemble the Arc de Triomphe in Paris and busts of rock legends reminiscent of Mount Rushmore.

 

Rose said licensing agreements with the various musical artists are among the details that need to be worked out if the state provides help with the legislation.

[JimmyBo]

I don't care if this is a huge rumor but I seriously think Arizona needs a theme park. Only having Castle's 'N Coasters really sucks. I bet they are looking at the place that was suppose to be built as a theme park right off of Interstate 10. Eloy is the perfect place because it's half way between Tucson and Phoenix (the 2 largest cities in the state) and would definitely attract college students. If this really picks up then I am totally going to try and find a job for whatever company it is.

[dj snow]

Here is their website:

 

www.decadesusa.com

 

Not a big fan of the name. Hopefully (if this even gets off the ground) they can come up with something better, or license the Hard Rock name.

[Scaparri]

^^Yeah, I must say that it seems really unusual that such a huge city with good weather year-round like Phoenix doesn't have a major amusement park within a four hour radius.

[Jew]

The concept art looks like it was a middle school art project.

[SharkTums]

I never believe in the 'we'll put the park between two big cities' to make more money. I've seen this before, and it always ends poorly.

 

Put the park IN a city so at least it has a core group.

[RaptorBoyASU]

^^Yeah, I must say that it seems really unusual that such a huge city with good weather year-round like Phoenix doesn't have a major amusement park within a four hour radius.

 

I don't call 118 good weather. They have good weather from Sept-March. But that might be the right equation, since it's when the other parks are all closed.

[RIP Psyclone]

^^ SFGAdv

 

I think some east coasters may disagree, but I think dry and hot is much more tolerable than humid and hot.

[Scaparri]

^Yes, true, but you know what I mean. Though it may be balls hot out, the weather is still favorable for operating amusement rides year-round.

[Airtime&Gravity]

Anyone else notice the Chance Toboggan?

 

I don't know, and while it is a cool concept, I just don't know if a project of this size will work. Granted, this area of the country lacks a major park, but the project seems a little too ambitious. This could be a really nice park, but I just think it will be hard for it to be a success.

[RIP Psyclone]

The biggest issue here is that NO ONE goes to AZ on vacation.

[Airtime&Gravity]

^people who want to see nature go on vacation there. Other than that, it's just something to drive through on the way to California.

 

As for the location, I guess it will work out as desert cities are the fastest growing in the nation. However, a city like Houston or Corpus Christi might be a better choice IMO.

[TheGreatOne]

I never believe in the 'we'll put the park between two big cities' to make more money. I've seen this before, and it always ends poorly.

 

Put the park IN a city so at least it has a core group.

 

Cedar Point pulls it off really well.

 

I think the theme park would work there because Phoenix is a one of America's fastest growing cities and either the 5th or 6th largest metropolitan city in America. Another thing this place (if it happens-seriously, there seems to always be a proposed project in AZ) is that there are some casinos along that way that draw really well from Phoenix and Tucson. People in Phoenix love to take weekend day trips, it wouldn't be a stretch at all. On top of that, there aren't that many options for families to do things outdoors in Phoenix, surprisingly.

[Rachel127]

No one goes to AZ to vacation? AZ has a huge tourism industry! especially the Scottsdale/Biltmore area of Phoenix which is rapidly becoming Spa city. Plus every year we get tons of snowbirds and winter visitors. Sedona is also a huge destination spot. I actually think the location of the park could be good because analysts predict that within the next 10 years Phoenix and Tucson will merge to become one giant metro area like New York, LA or Jacksonville-Miami. I think its a decent concept although It would be awesome if they could affiliate with the Hard Rock group, its a much stronger brand name and has much better marketing appeal.

[RaptorBoyASU]

^Yah, this is true, but are snowbirds and people going to a spa likely to want to visit an amusement park? I don't know that there will be a lot of crossover in those tourists.

[J man]

I personally don't think this will go through. I don't know how many times I've heard about theme parks proposed for construction in the Phoenix area. They never happen.

 

Now that doesn't mean that I don't want a park built here. I'd be one of the first in line. Having Castles n Coasters for a home park is embarrassing. So I'm all for them building the darn thing.

 

I'm kinda iffy on the theme. It sounds a little too much like that new Hard Rock Park. Don't they have a Mount Rushmore thing also? And the name doesn't really sound like somewhere I would go to have fun.

[Axman]

^ I don't know if you've noticed, but themeparks have been popping up like pimples on a teenager's face. There's already, like, 6 or 7 amusement parks set to open in 2008-2009 in America alone.

 

There's no doubt in my mind that this park could happen.

[TheGreatOne]

^ I don't know if you've noticed, but themeparks have been popping up like pimples on a teenager's face. There's already, like, 6 or 7 amusement parks set to open in 2008-2009 in America alone.

 

There's no doubt in my mind that this park could happen.

 

But there are numerous parks closing as well. Just because other parks are opening doesn't give this one a better chance of opening. There are an amazing number of hurdles to clear to get a brand new theme park up and running.

 

However, there is a great population base in this area to support the park if it opens.

[JimmyBo]

Having designed stuff in Pinal County recently, this county is one strict SOB. If they do get this theme park approved (and I sure hope they do!) it will be sometime before we even start seeing ground breaking construction. Pinal County likes to take their sweet time to approved plans. I would still like to know what parcel they own in Pinal County. I might just look it up when I go into work on Monday and see if I can find any info where it might be in Eloy. If anyone knows where in Eloy it might go that would be helpful.

[Team Thriller]

I hope Arizonia gets a new park. They have only Castles and Coasters and thats not really a 'world wonder park'. It's nice, but the state could use more.

 

Thanks for sharing the news

[RIP Psyclone]

Okay, I admit I myself have been to AZ on vacation (Summer '89). It's just that other than the exceptions like my family, families with kids generally don't go there. Like it's been said, it's generally older married couples who want a spa experience. Or people who do meth. The only real places to go are CA & FL.

[JimmyBo]

^So you're saying people that do meth won't have fun at a Rock and Roll Theme Park? Living in Arizona, I can tell who the tourists are and I can tell you that yes there is a majority of older people that need to learn how to drive and get the hell off the road but then surprisingly there are a lot of families that do come through here.

Like someone has said before...Arizona is just a state between California and Texas. Do you think those Californians or Texans wouldn't stop in AZ for one day on there way to another state?

[RIP Psyclone]

^In the mind of a drug addict, drugs always win when it comes to finding ways to spend money.

 

Come on, Jimmy! You're a CA boy like myself.

[Bubba83]

I'm with Elissa on this one. I lived in Phoenix for a long while as I was attending college. I could see myself visiting the park a lot if it was within easy driving distance, but probably only a couple times a year if it was an hour drive. It makes more sense to position it on the outskirts of Phoenix since that is the much larger Metropolitan area. Perhaps on the south-east end in Chandler where land is still cheap and abundant?

 

The only other big problem I could see would be dust storms. If you build in the desert on the outskirts of the city or in the middle of nowhere (Eloy) the dust picks up and places get hit hard when it's dry. Also, where would all their employees come from if it was in Eloy? I wouldn't expect High-School/College students from either Metro to drive an hour to and from work everyday in the summers/winter weekends.

[Axman]

If this forum was around in 1971, we'd be saying a lot of the same things about Disneyworld. Orlando was void of excitement and full of old people, and now its a flourishing family getaway supporting 3 multi-million dollar themepark branches.

 

I'm not saying that Arizona will be home to the next Orlando, but I think a good park between Tuscon and Phoenix would really work wonders. Having lived in AZ, there were several occasions where the weather was lovely, but the will-to-do was low because of a lack of outdoor attractions in the area.