Ghost Town In The Sky Discussion Thread

[gromithere]

http://www.facebook.com/groups/gtinthesky/

 

Comments in the threads of this Facebook group state that they are waiting to hit water in their wells before they can announce an opening date. While it definitely makes for some uncertainty, it sounds encouraging that there may be progress once water is hit.

[thrillerman1]

From Ghost Town's Facebook earlier today:

 

http://www.facebook.com/#!/GTMAGGIE

 

Good Morning - can you sing "Zippity Doo Dah, Zippity Day, my ole' my, what a wonderful day!"

 

Zip lines are coming to Ghost Town! Construction started this week! Phase One opening includes 2 ziplines around 400 feet long each. Once you... complete the zip, you will be lowered off a tree house that is about 45 feet off the ground! These dual zips are just a taste of what's to come in later phases of the park opening.

 

Are you brave enough to come zip with us?

[cfc]

^So, the zipline prophecy is fulfilled. Makes sense for a property like Ghost Town in the Sky.

[ernierocker]

Sounds awesome. I'll try and head over there when they open and check it out!

[gromithere]

Great to see progress being made on Ghost Town.

 

From the Official Ghost Town Facebook Page:

 

Making room for kiddy rides on Level Fun!

[BeemerBoy]

And speaking of those zip lines, we just happened to roll past Ghost Town a couple days ago. We noticed a couple guys sawing some wood on site, so we pulled in and spoke with them for a couple minutes. It turns out they were working on the zip line structures, and gave us a little insight into what to expect. My memory's a big foggy, but I believe they said they hope to have it open in a month or so? Again, don't quote me on that.

 

Either way, what they told us was in line with what was mentioned a few posts above. They expect to open two 400 footers first, and then larger ones later in conjunction with the park. The second picture is a crude example of how I think I remember them explained to us. I know for certain that the line headed to the top of the pole will be the finale, and you'll rappel down from that point.

 

They weren't privy to any specific park information since they were an outside contractor. Other than that, there was nothing else going on, and it essentially looked like, well....a ghost town.

[gromithere]

Ghost Town has announced a new website where they will be posting updates on the progress of the park. There isn't a lot to it at this point, but I'm hoping they keep it updated often.

 

The url is www.ghostowninthesky.com/ (only one "t" in "ghostown") Up until this point they've been using their Facebook Page for updates. I imagine they will likely keep updating there as well.

[disneyfan1313]

Interesting on the website that it lists phase 3 as "Holy Land". I read quickly through the thread and I didn't see any mention of a religious component to it. I wonder whats up with that!?!?!?

[jedimaster1227]

^The owner Alaska Presley wants to build a religious section of the park with the centerpiece being a large statue of Jesus modeled after the Cristo Redentor in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil.

 

http://www.themeparkreview.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=1156255#p1156255

 

[gromithere]

I've always been a bit hesitant of the Holy Land concept in an amusement park since it was announced, but I guess we'll see how that plays out IF all goes well with the progress of the first two phases. Perhaps it is something that will set it apart from other parks enough to bring crowds that may not normally visit an amusement park.

[SharkTums]

I imagine a religious tone at the park would probably go over quite well in this area of the country.

[Hilltopper39]

I imagine a religious tone at the park would probably go over quite well in this area of the country.

 

Yeah, I agree, as long as all of the witches in Asheville don't boycott the place .

[gromithere]

I'm not liking the odds of Cliffhanger being saved from what I'm seeing around lately. This is a quote from the park's Facebook Page in response to a question asked about the coaster.

 

Ghost Town in The Sky

Tommy. Steve here again and unfortunately the phases as listed by Ms Presley currently do not include the coaster repair and last I heard it was to be removed. In my plan that is being executed now for phase one by Ms. Presley we did have the coaster as the next biggest necessity to bring the park back to a viable operation. Unfortunately there are very limited resources available and the coaster is not in the plans. We are working with Ms. Presley diligently to bring more resources to the table to actually put the park back to its formal glory and have the over 200,000 annual visitors it will take to actually benefit Maggie Valley and ensure the parks long term viability. I will be happy to share the plan that I developed over the past 2.5 years while we worked on the wall and keeping the park in as good as shape possible if you send me and email address to steve@shiver.com. Ms. Presley is currently doing several things in that plan which she received from me some time ago. I've said for several years that I wouldn't be here if I didn't believe in GT and as I've said more times than I can count, please keep the faith and pray that the right thing will be done. Love this place. Steve....

[cfc]

Maybe they'd be better off scrapping Cliffhanger and putting in a better coaster somewhere down the road--if the park proves viable.

[ernierocker]

^I agree. With the costs it would take just to get the ride back up and running, plus maintain it, it would seem easier just to take it down and build a small spinner or family coaster eventually.

[disneyfan1313]

Yeah - agreed. I have a feeling that scrapping it and possibly putting a custom design ride there down the road would be a better use of their time and money.

[palmerleeberry]

Oh Boy, I really hate to say this . . .

 

After news like that, is is any wonder why my next year's vacation trip has Florida, Texas, and Colorado as its top contenders, and why Maggie Valley never ever cracked the top 100? Of course, Gatlinsburg, Tenneessee can also be a contender if I wanted to return to Dollywood and Ober Gatlinsburg next year; alas, no plans to return to Maggie Valley I'm afraid.

 

I'm thinking to believe that maybe Ghost Town in the Sky has finally given up its ghost?

 

"I may be white, but I'm not a ghost; so don't be scared and treat me like I'm a ghost!"

[larrygator]

As a step in the right direction the park has re-opened. For now only the three newly installed zip lines and the chair lift are open.

 

http://www.citizen-times.com/article/20120708/NEWS/307080060/Ghost-Town-Sky-back-from-dead?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CFrontpage

 

Ghost Town in the Sky, one of WNC's most unique tourist attractions comes back to life

Asheville Citizen-Times

Written by Jason Sandford

 

MAGGIE VALLEY — The more “no vacancy” signs Alaska Presley sees along Soco Road, the better.

 

Those red neon words posted at local motels and hotels mean tourists are in town, and that’s good news for Presley, the owner of Ghost Town in the Sky, one of Western North Carolina’s oldest and most beloved tourist attractions. First opened in 1961, the Wild West theme park rode a wave of pop culture interest in cowboys at the time that drew tens of thousands of visitors each year. Those visitors, and steady advertising, helped put Maggie Valley on the map.

 

The amusement park fell on harder times in recent years. The park’s former owners fell into bankruptcy in 2009, and a massive mudslide that originated on the park’s property in 2010 damaged three nearby homes.

 

Presley, a Canton native who moved to Maggie Valley in the 1950s, hated to see the park’s decline. After all, she recalls seeing the first miniature model of the park, and she and her husband, Hubert, invested in its construction by selling bonds. During bankruptcy proceedings, she bid $1.5 million for the mountaintop attraction and was awarded the property.

 

“I thought to myself, what more good can I do for Haywood County and Maggie Valley than to put my life’s work into it?” Presley said.

 

“It has had its ups and downs, and I’ve had a difficult time getting it cleaned up. But I think with the goodwill of the people of Maggie Valley, I think I can make a success of it,” she said.

 

The park partially opened last week after the installation of three zip lines constructed by Morganton-based Beanstalk Builders.

 

The zip line rides are offered separately from rides on Ghost Town’s well-known chair lift, which carries visitors more than 900 feet up the side of a mountain.

 

Visitors who glide to the top on the chairlift can take a bus tour of the faux Western Town, but its cowboy gunfights, can-can girl dancing and amusement rides aren’t scheduled to open until next year, spokeswoman Julie Dion said. The park also plans to build a replica of Jerusalem’s Holy Land and open that attraction in 2014. Presley said the Holy Land, built on the highest portion of the park property, has special meaning to her.

 

“It’s what we need in our society today,” Presley said. “We need to bring people closer to God, and I think this is the way.” Presley said the attraction will add a new dimension to the Wild West theme, which she acknowledges has become “a little passe.”

 

In its heyday, though, Ghost Town was a must-see. Nestled atop a 4,600-foot-tall mountain in a picturesque valley, it drew up to 400,000 tourists a year, visitation powered in part by a television marketing campaign that aired across the Southeast, featuring leather-clad gunslingers and thrilling roller coasters.

 

Guest appearances by celebrities such as actor Dan Blocker of “Bonanza” and movie star Burt Reynolds further boosted Ghost Town’s popularity.

 

The park became critical to Maggie Valley’s economy, employing more than 200 people and once credited with driving $20 million in annual spending on everything from souvenirs to hotel room stays to restaurant meals.

 

Ghost Town may not return to be that powerful a player in the little tourist town, but Maggie Valley Mayor Ron DeSimone said he’s glad to see the park on the rebound.

 

“We’re supportive of Ghost Town. Every business is a help to Maggie Valley right now,” DeSimone said.

 

The town is hard at work on a cohesive marketing strategy with the help of consultant Craig Madison, the former president and CEO of one of Asheville’s most well-known tourist attractions, the Grove Park Inn. The goal is to create “a new identity and overall business plan for Maggie Valley, something we can all get behind,” DeSimone said.

 

“Ghost Town is coming back and morphing into something new,” he said, “and that is echoing what we want to do in Maggie Valley, which is to recreate ourselves.”

[Moose]

It's great that they were able to reopen, even if only with the ziplines and chairlift. Any money coming in will likely help the place. I hope they stick to realistic goals and cash expenditures.

[gromithere]

Ghost Town in The Sky

Would you like to play a part in the opening of Ghost Town Main Street and other levels?

 

At this time we have lease availability for 3 merchandise shops, 3 restaurants, 2 former ice cream shops, fudge shop and 2 saloons (no alcohol).

 

If interested please email us at ghosttownintheskymaggievalley@gmail.com

 

Thought this was an interesting post on the park's Facebook page. Does anyone know if shops and restaurants have been leased like this at prior incarnations of the park? ...or we're they run by the park?

[jedimaster1227]

http://www.ghostowninthesky.com/public/about_ghost_town/whats_happening/index.cfm/story/9/

 

Projected Opening Date

 

Saturday, May 25, 2013

 

Plans are in motion to have the "Old Western Town" operational with gunfights in the street and the Parisian CanCan Dancers on the stage of the Silver Dollar Saloon!

[gisco]

Nice to see the park making a go of it. Maybe in time they can add a coaster or two!

[gromithere]

www.smokymountainnews.com/news/item/10411-ghost-town-falls-short-of-summer-opening-target

 

Not a great way to start the season for an already struggling park.

[Sooner21]

It's such a shame. It really is. I went to the park back in 2007 (I believe) when it was "resurrected" for the first time. It was a real nice and unique experience. This was still before they finally had Cliffhanger running for a limited period haha. The concept of rides on a mountain summit is a brilliant idea.

However, the whole idea of the new "Holy Land" phase incorporated into the theme park industry is kind of weird. Not saying that it is a bad concept, it just doesn't seem that it can be very profitable or attract a steady crowd to carry an already struggling amusement attraction. In addition, the rumor about the new giant "Christ the Redeemer"-esque statue at the top of the mountain is where the concept gets a little more bizzare. Can anyone confirm that this rumor is still true?

 

I hope the best for the park, but wouldn't it be awesome if a large corp bought the park and built steel monsters on that mountain summit? I could see the world's best B&M Flyer now haha.

[palmerleeberry]

^ I had a dream about the brand new Ghost Town in the Sky building a roller coaster that would have the worlds tallest first drop. After the train is pulled up to the top, it will go down into a natural ravine and come out on top of a plateau, where it will go up and down and all around before going down this ravine one more before heading back into the station. This was thought up upon before my ill-fated 2007 visit. Inside the park, I couldn't find anything nor anywhere that this coaster would fit. To bad; if this park had this ideal location to put in this world record coaster, then riders and amusement park flyers from all over the world would be flocking in droves to Ghost Town in the Sky and the park would be thriving like never before.

 

Ah well, maybe someplace else.

 

I'm not perfect; I just love to ride