California Great America (CGA) Discussion Thread

[Tmcdllr]

Went last night from about 6 until closing to get my creds in. The park is beutiful like always and I don't remember seeing any trash anywhere. Crowds were very light which meant everything was a walk on-it was great! The longest we waited in line was 5 minutes for Invertigo. It's been years since I was able to ride those coasters in the dark and I forgot how different and more exciting they are. Demon was awesome because most of it is unlit and going through the tunnel it was REALLY dark. Firefall looks really nice with the effects and themeing but I did not ride it. The fire was also working on Survivor and you really feel the heat from it standing in line for Drop Tower. After a beer we rode Flight Deck multiple times...loved it! The staff in the park was very friendly and the restraint checker on FD even asked me how I was doing. Eventhough it was slow, the coaster crews were all hustling to get trains dispatched. Never once saw trains get stacked. It really was a 'great' day at Great America.

[thrillgeek]

^When I went it was exactly like that too! Very, very, light crowds and exceptionally fast ride ops. It's way better than at Six Flags. Or at least my home park

[carolinacaniac]

I was just checking out the coasterbuzz site, and apparently they found an article about the possibility of Cedar Fair selling the park to the 49ers for around $110 million, but the 49ers are fighting the price since the county estimated its value to be around $44 million.

 

here is the link to the article:

 

http://www.mercurynews.com/politics/ci_9939802?nclick_check=1

[Angry_Gumball]

Link doesn't work.

 

Edit: Went into CB website and read. I hope none of this pulls through, I'd really hate to see the park be taken out just for a football team I could absolutely care less for. Maybe it's another publicity stunt for both Cedar Fair and the 49ers to be in the spot light again...

[thrillgeek]

I love both the 49ers and CGA. I would much rather keep CGA though because I have a season pass

[Tmcdllr]

The 49ers should give up...they can't win. Don't the people of Santa Clara still have to vote on this or has that happened yet? I for one would much rather have an amusement park instead of a crappy football team/stadium and I am sure there are many that feel the same and I am willing to bet those people, especially the ones with kids, would much rather take their kids to a fun and safe amusement park instead of a boring and dangerous football game. Yeah I hate the 9ers and what they are trying to do, I admit that, and I just can't see how this could possibly be good at all besides maybe bringing in more revenue. But then don't the Santa Clara residence have to pay more taxes for this? Traffic would be a nightmare. I have a feeling this will all go away and CF will expand the park and make it better. If there is any good in this then that is what will happen....In my opinion.

[jerriblank]

check this out:

 

http://www.santaclaraweekly.com/NC/0/946.html

 

"Cedar Fair has missed their timetable to get the coaster on-track and rolling by the 2009 season."

[mattnz]

That's one of the more casually written articles I've come across! It's really very annoying for CGA. Normally I would say it's good to have some public debate about planning permission, etc, yet oddly when it comes to theme parks - well, I would side with Cedar Fair.

[Tmcdllr]

Whatever Prudential. Grow up and stop complaining, it's gonna be built anyway.

[Xmeister]

I just hate it when someone or something comes in and tries to control something that was there before it. CGA was there for years before those buildings were built.

 

Amusement parks are noisy, its in their nature. If you don't like noise, don't build next to an existing Amusement park!

[PeoplemoverMatt]

^ But you don't understand. They couldn't have known that this amusement park was going to build another roller coaster! They were totally mislead and are completely not at fault!

[Mechanic]

I just hate it when someone or something comes in and tries to control something that was there before it.

That's pretty much the history of the world in a nutshell. I wouldn't count on it changing any time soon.

[Airtime&Gravity]

Are you sure this is on CGA and not Alton Towers?

 

Looking at Google Maps, this office building is also located right next to a highway, and as everyone knows, highways aren't quiet. So, why are they complaining about one noisy neighbor, when they have another one right outside the front door? Also, the park was built in 1976, and I'm sure that the building was built sometime in the last eight years. So, if I were Cedar Fair, I'd try to sue Prudential for lost revenue if they keep this up. Did they just not see the large amusement park behind the property when they decided to build a new office building? One last thing, how is one coaster going to drastically change the noise level coming from a park with eight other coasters? Yes it will be built on the edge of the property, but the park will still make noise regardless of wether-or-not this coaster gets built.

[TopThrill182]

Unfortunately I really don't see a bright future for this park. CF doesn't seem completely committed to the place, and there is certainly a lot of people in the area that wouldn't mind this place being closed if it meant an exciting new 49'ers project. I think that this park could very well end up like Geauga Lake (aka CF decides that selling it would be more valuable than continuing its operation).

 

A shame since its a nice park, but I just don't have a good feeling about all this.

[Manic Monte]

This does not surprise me at all. And it's got nothing to do with the crappy 49ers. Paramount had major headaches trying to get anthing built at Great America once the area became over run with office buildings and whiney neighbors. So muh so that they eventually gave up on coasters all together.

 

And we know Cedar Fair. If they can't build coasters, then they will want nothing to do with that park.

[KGA29]

Unfortunately I really don't see a bright future for this park. CF doesn't seem completely committed to the place, and there is certainly a lot of people in the area that wouldn't mind this place being closed if it meant an exciting new 49'ers project. I think that this park could very well end up like Geauga Lake (aka CF decides that selling it would be more valuable than continuing its operation).

 

A shame since its a nice park, but I just don't have a good feeling about all this.

 

Actually I do think that CF is more committed to the park than Paramount was. They just added Firefall, not just a flat ride, but a heavily themed flat ride. I highly doubt that if they did not care about the park they would put in something like Firefall. Plus, they are actually trying to get the coaster in, it's not like GL where they didn't have any additions except water park and cheaply placed flats. Introducing the Halloween Haunt and the ice show this year also helps me to believe that CF values this park. Attendence (in the days that I've been) has been up, especially compared to these past years. I have a hard time thinking that CF would sell the park.

[sam06pr]

well this really sucks for CGA hope everything turns out well for them...

[tkkyj]

I'm getting the urge to go pay Prudential a little visit... just run through their lobby screaming my head off about "how cool roller coasters are" and then out the door.... maybe bring an air horn along and wait for the elevator door to open.

[Mechanic]

^ Yeah.. That'd help..

[tkkyj]

if it was downtown San Francisco, that kind of act would be just about normal... especially if I smelled like urine and asked for spare change.

 

wait.... ahhhh.... ok 1 out of 2.

[swampfox]

Psh... Prudential lives up to its prude name.

 

Next we'll hear that suburbs move next to theme parks and complain about the noise... oh wait...

[SharkTums]

Well, at least this kind of gives us something to look forward to in the future! I mean California is already getting a GCI for 2009, surely that can hold us off for another year or two right?

 

Unless Cedar Fair decides to pave the place!

[Angry_Gumball]

Stupid businesses. Common sense tells you: You move next door to a theme park, expect noise. Move to a location on a major roadway, expect a bunch of traffic noise in front of your doorstep. I really don't get people these days. Hopefully Cedar Fair follows through and not drop this plan and then eventually throw their hands up toward CGA as the 49ers take over.

[YJG(Ride On)]

Honestly though...why build a building next to an amusement park...and why should prudential have the right to go and complain when the park was there first and none of the other businesses are complaining?

[DBru]

We all know that a roller coaster goes up and goes down but is it possible that one might go sideways?

 

No, that would be stupid.