Kentucky Kingdom (SFKK, KK) Discussion Thread

[KCForce]

I visited this park in June of 2007. I liked the park, it's coasters (eh, well maybe not so much T2), found the staff to be friendly, the park clean and had a good time. I am glad they are going to reopen Twisted Twins and giving it new trains. I gathered from the video discussing this they are going to do some re-profiling. I personally don't care much for the style of Gerstlauer trains they used, on this coaster or on the Boss at SFSL. Not very comfortable. My personal hope is for Millennium Flyers, I think they are the "Cadillac" of wood coaster trains. It's like a love seat on wheels, and the restraints still allow for some good negative G's. I'm going to try out the Timberliners at Holiday World, so who knows, after I try them, they may be my personal preference. This park has so much potential, and had a good variety of rides when I last visited. I look forward to returning when they reopen! Peace! KC

[Midgetman82]

I just read this in the newspaper, this seems very interesting.

 

$150 million amusement park likely headed to Kentucky

 

Read more: $150 million amusement park likely headed to Kentucky | Business First

 

A $150 million Noah’s Ark-themed amusement park is being planned for Williamstown, Ky., halfway between Cincinnati and Lexington.

The project is expected to create 900 full- and part-time jobs and will take three years to build after ground is broken, said an official in Williamstown who was briefed on the project but asked not to be identified. The theme is designed to piggyback off the success of the nearby Creation Museum, which is about 40 minutes northwest.

“Supposedly, there will be an announcement made in Frankfort at the end of this month confirming this,” the source said. “And it is going to happen.”

Grant County has been buzzing for months with speculation about the project, which the source said will be built on a 300-acre site near Interstate 75 and Ky. 36. Most of the land already has been purchased or optioned for the project, the official said.

Details of the proposed attraction weren’t available. But there’s speculation that it could be modeled at least in part after a full-size replica of Noah’s Ark that opened in May 2009 at Ma Wan Park in Hong Kong.

Economic development officials have estimated that Grant County will need as many as 20 new hotels to support the project, averaging 100 rooms each, the source said.

‘I hope it all materializes’

Grant County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Wade Gutman, who also oversees economic development for the county, declined to comment on the project.

“If there is a project, I don’t want it jeopardized ...

 

 

Read more: $150 million amusement park likely headed to Kentucky | Business First

Link: http://www.bizjournals.com/louisville/print-edition/2010/11/19/150-million-amusement-park-likely.html

 

The one in Hong Kong doesn't have any rides, but it does ave a cool theater.

[Jew]

My main question is whether or not Ed Hart is going to cover any revenue shortfalls...assuming taxes will cover it is a huge risk.

 

Not to mention all the other costs the state is going to incur from the park...unemployment benefits to seasonal workers, maintenance of the property, insurance, and so on. Hope the state writes themselves an ironclad lease, or this could end up costing them a lot more than just interest payments on the bond.

Edited November 20, 2010 by Jew

[jps294]

www.kentuckykingdom.com site has been fully lunch!!!

[ginzo]

The theme is designed to piggyback off the success of the nearby Creation Museum, which is about 40 minutes northwest.

 

Wouldn't it make more sense to put this attraction closer to the Creation Museum and not in a barren wasteland? Anyway, that sounds like rumor thread fodder more than anything.

[KDCOASTERFAN]

Hart makes a good statement on why the park failed under SFI's management....it's about adding new rides on a regular basis to keep things fresh for the consumer & this is something SFI doesn't care about as all they are concerned with is making the most money as soon as possible & that is what's ruining more than half their parks.

[snowboard83]

http://www.kentuckykingdom.com site has been fully lunch!!!

 

Mmmmm lunch....

[larrygator]

http://www.kentuckykingdom.com site has been fully lunch!!!

 

Cool, because I'm hungry!

[Jerrykoala2112]

"Wheeeeeeeee want our Kingdom back!"

 

I'm sorry, but that's totally awesome! I really am looking forward to the park reopening, will be heading there as soon as it does!

[Jew]

Hart makes a good statement on why the park failed under SFI's management....it's about adding new rides on a regular basis to keep things fresh for the consumer & this is something SFI doesn't care about as all they are concerned with is making the most money as soon as possible & that is what's ruining more than half their parks.

 

It's easy to say that when you are spending someone else's money. It's safe to assume that if SFI was given $50 from the fair board to improve the park, they would have added some major attractions...

[larrygator]

Hart makes a good statement on why the park failed under SFI's management....it's about adding new rides on a regular basis to keep things fresh for the consumer & this is something SFI doesn't care about as all they are concerned with is making the most money as soon as possible & that is what's ruining more than half their parks.

 

Guess what? Ed Hart is going to be concerned with making the most money possible. That is what you do when you run a business. Happiness doesn't pay the bills.

[lilsam1993]

Hart makes a good statement on why the park failed under SFI's management....it's about adding new rides on a regular basis to keep things fresh for the consumer & this is something SFI doesn't care about as all they are concerned with is making the most money as soon as possible & that is what's ruining more than half their parks.

 

It's easy to say that when you are spending someone else's money. It's safe to assume that if SFI was given $50 from the fair board to improve the park, they would have added some major attractions...

 

When you said, "it's easy to say that when your spending someone else's money", thats like when Six Flags took Kentucky Kingdom's money in the late 1990s/early 2000s and used it somewhere else. If SFI was given $50 from the fair board, I bet the park may still be the same way it was when the park closed.

[Midgetman82]

Well, SF wanted to run a good park and, at the same time, keep themselves above the waters when it came to paying the bills. On the bright side, Six Flags did leave a great water park and I noticed there was more greenery in the park than there used to be in the early 2000's; but that's just little stuff I noticed.

like when Six Flags took Kentucky Kingdom's money in the late 1990s/early 2000s and used it somewhere else.

They did that?

[lilsam1993]

Yes

It is also rumored/confirmed by former employees who worked at Kentucky Kingdom for years, that Six Flags relocated Superman The Ultimate Escape, and X flight to Six Flags World of Adventure in 2000/2001/2002 to compete with Cedar Point at SFWOA. Both coasters were paid for and meant to go into Kentucky Kingdom on its own profit the park made.

 

3 kids rides and 1 major flat ride was taken from Kentucky Kingdom and put into Six Flags Worlds of Adventure in 2002 to compete with Cedar Point.

 

Tea Cups

Star Castle Voyager

Jester Juice Bugs

 

Thriller Bees

 

Those former employees told me that the rides were relocated because Six Flags didn't want to compete Kentucky Kingdom with Kings Island.

[snowboard83]

Yes

It is also rumored/confirmed by former employees who worked at Kentucky Kingdom for years, that Six Flags relocated Superman The Ultimate Escape, and X flight to Six Flags World of Adventure in 2000/2001/2002 to compete with Cedar Point at SFWOA. Both coasters were paid for and meant to go into Kentucky Kingdom on its own profit the park made.

[ernierocker]

Yes

It is also rumored/confirmed by former employees who worked at Kentucky Kingdom for years...

 

Did these former employees happen to work at the Dippin Dots stand?

[Swimace]

Yes

It is also rumored/confirmed

 

Wait, does this not make sense to anyone else?

[Midgetman82]

So, KK was supposed to get a Vekoma Flying coaster and an Intamin Impulse Coaster? Could both have fit during that time?

[SharkTums]

As much as I hate to give this thread the time of day, the SFKK fanboys do have something right. Back in the SFO/SFWoA days they did totally pump that park up at the expense of others. IIRC, Villain was slated to go to SFoG and the other two to SFKK.

[lilsam1993]

It kinda does makes since if you all think about it looking at the additions Kentucky Kingdom had from 2000-2003 and look in to it.

 

Where Greezed Lighting stands today is were the impulse coaster was supposed to be located. It fits perfect, and is located at the right area of the park for that rides height limit at 180ft. Six Flags took the impulse coaster out of Kentucky Kingdom for 2000, but decided to put a wild mouse in the park instead since they had a open area to fill in the park. The X-flight coaster was meant to go behind Chang/picnic area. A year later they did the same to x flight, relocating it to SFO in 2001. Then in 2002 4 other flats in Kentucky Kingdom were relocated to SFO for a new section of the park.

 

 

BTW, no one from a dippin dots team member told me this, its people who had word in this park since Ed Hart days.

 

but we all know...

 

you cant open a park with 4 or 5 new coasters that takes years to plan in less than a year!

[redfoot12]

As much as I hate to give this thread the time of day, the SFKK fanboys do have something right. Back in the SFO/SFWoA days they did totally pump that park up at the expense of others. IIRC, Villain was slated to go to SFoG and the other two to SFKK.

 

So with Villain, SFoG might have had one of the most painful collection of woodies at a single park?

[SharkTums]

^Hey Villain was really quite good until a combination of terrible maintenance and those G-Trains killed it!

[Geauga Dog]

For the longest time I thought Batman Knight Flight/Dominator was supposed to go to SFKK.

[lilsam1993]

I highly doubt the Dominator was meant for Kentucky Kingdom. Its similar to Chang. But I do wonder what park that coaster was meant for.

[KDCOASTERFAN]

I highly doubt the Dominator was meant for Kentucky Kingdom. Its similar to Chang. But I do wonder what park that coaster was meant for.

 

Dominator was designed for GL/SFO as it had to fit into that specific lakefront footprint & don't forget that paramount parks orriginally had the exclusive rights to the flying dutchman as they helped vekoma develop the ride & had intended to install one at both KI & KD in 01 but when PP dropped the contract SFI picked up the two rides moving them to MD. & Ohio as SFA & SFO were the closest parks to the original recipient locations so they were added at the last minute.SFA had originally planned to install a standup for 01 but obviously the flyer took it's place.

 

I don't buy the story about GL's impulse either as that's a production model ride & is cheap compared to a custom designed layout & last but not least SFI has installed three of them in their parks across the nation so far.