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Conneaut Lake Park (CLP) Discussion Thread


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It looks like it is the end!  It's actually surprising the owner still keeps it open!  Probably a matter of weeks.  While it's very sad to see it go, CLP went on for so many extra years.  The park was doomed many times but somehow always survived.  This is why we should never take any park or coaster for granted.  You just never know when it will be the end so you have to go to the parks while thay are open.  I'm glad I went there a couple times.  I really enjoyed the Blue Streak.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Well apparently the owner is in sort of some trouble for tearing down the Tumble Bug ride and some historic buildings as they were protected by a Covenant.  According to Screamscape; (Some interesting news has come up that could affect the future plans for Conneaut Lake Park. According to a post on Facebook way back in 2013 a Covenant was placed on the park by the Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission and the Board of Trustees to “protest and preserve the park’s historic attractions and buildings”. Included in the list of protected structures are the Blue Streak coaster, the Hotel Conneaut, the Carousel and many other park structures. The Covenant was signed for a period of 15 years, so it remains in effect through to 2028, and remains in effect and passed down to new owners, including the current one).  So it seems this may prevent the Blue Streak from being demolished, which is good news because it seems the owner was going this way.  Even if the park closes, with the coaster still up, it could entice a new owner in the future. 

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Talk about grim...there was supposed to be a "Corn, Chili, & Ribs" festival at the park this weekend, but no vendors were in sight.  A worker at the craft show taking place in the old bumper cars structure said that the reason was because no vendors signed up for it.  There was one guy in the corner yesterday selling corn, and that's it.  The future for this place never did look too bright, but I don't see how the park can be "saved" when there's no support like this.  I give them credit for trying different ideas, but it seems to be only a matter of time at this point.

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My best possible hope for this park at this point is that Knoebels buys the Blue Streak and transports it to their park, the same way they did with Rocket/Phoenix.

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I suspect this park will end up in a similar situation as Williams Grove, which now makes this the second park in PA I missed out on even though I had every opportunity to check it out. I suspect the coaster won't be demolished, but wouldn't be surprised if it just ends up SBNO to the point it's not salvageable.

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Park owner is not responding to anyone!  But while he wants to tear everything down, will the state of PA step in in time with the park's historical status before it's too late!?  So far it's not too late.  The park has a long history of closing and reopening when everyone thought it was doomed.

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Well I totally agree with you!  I think the park was doing ok before the pandemic but 2020 kind of killed it.  Then being sold to Todd Joseph, it was pretty clear and easy to see that he purchased it for the land to be developed in a not so distant future.  It is just sad because CLP is or was such a unique place!  Yes it looked delapidated but it was part of the experience.  And what other park has houses into the park with people living in them!!  The Blue Streak is a very fun coaster and yes the fact that it seems as it may fall apart adds to the experience!  Honestly, I dont really see CLP or the Blue Streak survive, unless the state of PA and ACE really step in with legal rights regarding the historical issues, or if the owner ends up selling the park to somebody else like Gene Staples who has saved a few so far.  Also, there could be someone out there fond enough of the coaster to save it and relocate it, like Knoebel's!!  But the clock is thicking.  I think after Labor Day week end the park will close for good, never to reopen.  The Blue Streak will be demolished and the rest will be history.

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I really think that this park wouldn't have even been on the radar for someone like Gene Staples (as nice as that would be).  he seems to be resurrecting parks that have some potential to come back or already have rides that make it worth while.  1 very old Blue Streak and some old but kind of cool surrounding area doesn't really seem to fit his mold.  The way it's currently laid out with houses inside the park it makes it pretty much impossible to gate the park effectively.  I understand that the trust existed to keep the park maintained until a buyer could come in, but it really seemed like they were at least doing the best they could.
When the new ownership came in and decided to knock down dilapidated buildings and repave pathways I was all for it.  I think most people saw the writing on the wall and I probably did too, I just didn't want to admit it.

I was hoping it would be cleaned up in the near future to be able to take my kids to in the near future, as my parents took me.  At least Waldameer is still here and doing well.

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Destruction of the park and Blue Sreak will likely take place very shortly.

 From screamscape.com

(9/4/21) A couple of new interesting developments came to light yesterday regarding the potential demise of Conneaut Lake Park. Sensing, or perhaps knowing a bit more than they can say, ACE stepped onto the field and issued a press release of their own entitled “”IMMINENT DESTRUCTION  OF CONNEAUT LAKE’S BLUE STREAK ROLLER COASTER FEARED”.
    I’m going to embed that below for everyone to read, but the breakdown is that ACE is “deeply concerned” about the future fate of the 83-year-old Blue Streak coaster. They remind everyone that Blue Streak is on the short list of only 45 coasters in the world given “ACE Roller Coaster Landmark” status, one of only 30 granded “ACE Coaster Classic” status. It also mentions that ACE itself has previously donated $30,000 to the restoration of the Blue Streak, and helped obtain a $50,000 grant from PEPSI in the not too distant past to help keep the Blue Streak alive. While imploring to the current management of Conneaut Lake Park to find a way to keep the Blue Streak involved in whatever future business model proves viable for the property, ACE also encourages the PHMC to ‘hold the park’s ownership accountable for complying with any and all covenants and restrictions to which it is legally obligated”.
    That last part, which Screamscape has mentioned in the past, now apparently has hit a major snag and may actually no longer be true. According to Tweets sent out from @OnlineHyde who is worth listening to,, the bankruptcy court rulings from the sale of Conneaut Lake Park to the current owner appear to have wiped the slate clean. I’ve also embedded his tweet showing a court document that appears to make it clear that the successful bidder on the property from the bankruptcy auction will be “free and clear of any and all” liens, encumbrances, claims, mortgages, deeds of trust, pledges, liabilities as well as “covenants”, restrictions, etc…
    So based on this new fact, it does indeed appear that the new owner of the park would be free and clear of the previous 2013 Covenant that tied development of the property and changes to existing structuctures and such to the Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission (PHMC) as part of the terms of purchasing the park through the bankruptcy auction. While our modern litigious society notions would give the impression that this would be a matter that would probably need to go before the court to get a final judgment, somehow I don’t think ACE or the PHMC are going to try and back up their case with expensive legal fees required to take this to the next level. So barring the arrival of some kind of financial angel investor to buy up the park, the fate of Conneaut Lake Park and the Blue Streak does seem to entirely rest with the park’s current owner.
    Stay tuned...


 
   

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