Geauga Lake Discussion Thread

[astroworldfan1]

^I'm sure they can if they can arrange to borrow enough pickup trucks.

[adavis]

^Hell, can these people buy and move Mega Zeph? At least that's a modern coaster with a more exciting layout.

 

This. This is the stuff I don't get.

 

If Cedar Fair had closed Geauga Lake and left Dominator, Thunderhawk and the Intamin (Voodoo?) just hanging out, I would understand someone saying, "Oh crap, these are worth money, lets see if we can buy one cheap." Maybe some millionaire gets Dominator in his backyard, who knows, right?

 

No matter how good the Big Dipper was, no matter how legendary it might have seemed to the people who lived nearby, it was either too expensive to renovate and move, too much trouble, or just flat out not good enough to justify moving it. Put simply, Michigan's Adventure got a new coaster out of the GL closing. Michigan's Adventure got a new coaster, process that. Not only did the ugliest duck get a new ride, it was a Vekoma SLC. When your favorite coaster gets skipped over to move an SLC to my home park, you don't buy it. You let her go.

 

Seriously, look in a mirror and say it three times: "Big Dipper, not good enough for Michigan's Adventure, they "preserved" an SLC instead." I heard if you do it Charles Dinn will appear and shake the crap out of you before going back into the mirror. True story bro.

[astroworldfan1]

A historic plantation, in my town, that dated back to the early 1800s was just recently leveled, and yes, it was quite sad to see a home with history torn down, but that's what the owner of the home wanted to do with their property. No one tried to save it.

 

Would the fate of Big Dipper be as bad if the general public wouldn't know about it?

 

The only truly sad thing is that there was NOTHING wrong with the house. Life goes on..So will the Big Dipper.

 

Here's an idea..Value human life and not the life of an old roller coaster.

[SoCalCoasters]

I just read through this whole thing could not stop laughing. I understand that people want to save it but come on! It's been rotting in a field for years and these people just assume that the wood will "magically" be completely fine. I can just see this happening:

 

Person 1: Hey hand me a wrench so I can unscrew this vital looking bolt that seems to be keeping the structure I'm standing on from falling.

 

Person 2: Oh sure it's not like this is dangerous or anything. I mean it's a roller coaster...even though we know nothing about how to take on down, it should be easy and completely safe!

 

Breaking News: Several People Were Severely Injured While Attempting To Dismantle A Rotting Pile Of Wood Called The Big Dipper

 

Yeah I could see this happening

[Skycoastin Steve]

^I take back my offer to bring a hammer and help them pull it apart.

[monsterfan99]

Here's an idea..Value human life and not the life of an old roller coaster.

Can we get this as a filter whenever someone mentions the Big Dipper?

[davisal771]

^Yessss!

[DOCTOR DOOM!!!]

^^ Not until we get some kind of word filter for TRIMS!!!

 

Doctor "THIS THREAD IS EPIC!!!" Doom

[Josh Linn]

I mean, I'll feel bad if I don't help, so here's my contribution. Don't do anything with it that I wouldn't do.

[DOCTOR DOOM!!!]

someone PLEASE give these people the number to U Haul, Ryder, Thrifty, and Budget!

[ParkTrips]

This thread has gone a long way with a major missing detail: DAN OWNS A TRUCK!! Email Dan and ask him if he can help!

[Not For Sale]

Guys I really appreciate all of your support and I'd like to take this time to finally announce one of our many secret plans. Announcing the official Save the Big Dipper iPhone app!

[cstrwomann]

I have been a member of ACE for many years and many amusement parks have closed in the past. GL was and always will be a special park to many of us. When SW closed I saw a decline in attendence and I saw the changes in the park at GL(downsizing).I had a feeling that the end was near when 2 coasters were removed in one year. Sometimes rollercoasters/rides are saved when an amusement park closes and sometimes they're not. CF did try to sell rides on the internet websites after the park closed and they also had an auction. I feel that they did try to preserve some of the parks rides even though the park was closed. If the Big Dipper is removed from GL it will always be still at GL in my memory and that's where I have my memories now. Is the previous owner still going to take down the coaster or do they have anyone with coaster knowledge about dismantling coasters and rebuilding them?

[robbalvey]

I get a big kick about people slamming a project with out even knowing the details.

ffejie, I hear and understand your frustration with this thread. Quite a few people have already responded to your post, but I feel this sums it up best:

 

It's not our fault the people involved have done such a horrible job of promoting the project. If they want us to take them seriously and possibly get donations, it's up to them to show us that they've got a good plan.

No one here is actually saying they don't support Big Dipper being purchased and re-built in another location. What we are saying is that we do not support the current plan that has been presented to purchase and re-build Big Dipper.

 

Please understand that many of the TPR members that are responding to this thread are veterans of this industry. I probably count a combined total of about 100 years of amusement park industry experience that have responded in this discussion.

 

We are all saying the exact same thing. Present a plan that makes sense, and we'll back that up. We haven't seen a plan that makes sense yet.

 

--Robb

Edited October 4, 2010 by robbalvey

[BeemerBoy]

This is a good thing for Big dipper and the Cleveland area.

You know what else would be a good thing for the Cleveland area? Using all the time, money, and resources these people are wasting on a piece of history that the rest of the industry ignored, and putting it towards actually helping those in need in that terrific Cleveland economy.

 

But wait, who am I kidding? The booming metropolis of Cleveland and all its prosperous residents are just dying to spend their disposable income on an old wooden coaster experience that couldn't possibly be simulated at any of the nearby parks.

 

I'm all for saving history.......if it makes sense. This does not. Sorry.

[Capitalize]

I sent an email to them. If they are actually serious about letting people with no experience walk around, disassemble, and transport an old wooden coaster I will totally drive up there with my truck on a weekend or something...

[Josh Linn]

This is a good thing for Big dipper and the Cleveland area.

You know what else would be a good thing for the Cleveland area? Using all the time, money, and resources these people are wasting on a piece of history that the rest of the industry ignored, and putting it towards actually helping those in need in that terrific Cleveland economy.

 

But wait, who am I kidding? The booming metropolis of Cleveland and all its prosperous residents are just dying to spend their disposable income on an old wooden coaster experience that couldn't possibly be simulated at any of the nearby parks.

 

I'm all for saving history.......if it makes sense. This does not. Sorry.

 

Or to try and bring an NHL team to Cleveland, that'd work too.

[spaceace12]

This is going to be my last post on this thread.

 

Kat posted a message on another coaster forum. At least she is trying to do some all coaster fans have always wanted to do, if she fails or succeeds, you will never know unless you try.

 

 

As many of you have read and been discussing, I'm one of the new owners and have sort of been the public face for the project. I am not trying to hide any information that I feel is essential for the public to know and that is why I am getting on websites and forums, talking to TV, radio and newspaper reporters and doing everything I can to keep people informed. By the way, for the person putting my name in quotes earlier - Kat is indeed a nickname. It's short for Katherine.

 

Harold and I are just two normal people. We aren't business people. We aren't rich, we aren't famous, we aren't anything but two coaster enthusiasts that saw an opportunity to make a dream come true. Not just a dream for ourselves but a dream for the hundreds, if not thousands, of people that really love this coaster. This whole process has been absolutely mind-blowing for us. We've been in negotiations with the former owner for weeks and this project really just came together in a matter of 24 hours. It went from "maybe" to "reality" very fast and we're both sort of still catching our breath.

 

I want to apologize for the website. I know it is terrible! I had about an hour to get something tossed together when I learned that there would be a news report the next day, so it's pretty pitiful. We've got a very talented friend working his magic on it and it should be much nicer this week!

 

It's been difficult to be able to release any more concrete information because the sale finalized on a Thursday night. We haven't been able to really get any work done over the weekend. As we move into the business week, we are hoping to be able to get some definite figures on getting a professional inspection done of the coaster so we can get a goal set and a time line proposed for the careful removal of the coaster.

 

As soon as we have a company contracted to oversee the dismantling, we will be able to focus our attention on the multitude of options we have in front of us for relocation. We have probably close to a hundred different options, including other locations in the Cleveland area, moving to a relatively small distance away such as Columbus or western PA, or a huge variety of locations all over the country, such as Oregon, Texas and Florida, as well as pretty much everything in between! We will be carefully considering each proposed option to decide whether it is feasible or not and then investigating those we feel might be a true possibility.

 

While our goal is to keep it in northeast Ohio, our final decision will be based on where we think it would be able to run successfully. We will not consider this project a success until the coaster is reassembled in a new location and running for the public once more.

 

I am hoping to be able to update several forums when I have exciting new information, but because I do have other commitments in my life, I may not always have time. I encourage everyone to watch the website, where I will be keeping a blog with news, photos, and construction updates whenever I have them, just in case I am not able to post to the multiple forums.

[Skycoastin Steve]

They better be rich, with all the money they're going to lose by doing this.

[robbalvey]

This is going to be my last post on this thread.

Probably a very smart idea. I get the impression that most people who want to see this thing happen, don't understand the realities of what it takes to make it happen. The more you post in this thread out of pure emotions the more you're just going to be firstly upset by our words and even moreso when we eventually post "Told ya so!"

 

I just want to quote a few items from Kat's message that I felt stood out...

 

I am not trying to hide any information

If this is true than at least we know that not only what we have heard so far is really all there is, and everyone else who kept trying to post that there is "sekrect informations" is full of crap.

 

Harold and I are just two normal people. We aren't business people.

Yep.

 

we aren't anything but two coaster enthusiasts that saw an opportunity to make a dream come true.

"Dreams"

 

We've been in negotiations with the former owner for weeks

...and you couldn't have spent more than 10 minutes to create a proper press release or website during that time?

 

I want to apologize for the website. I know it is terrible!

Pathetic. I don't feel sorry for you.

 

I had about an hour to get something tossed together

You just said you were in negotiations for weeks. Ever hear of "planning ahead", or even planning at all? I bought the URL for Club TPR 4 years before we announced Club TPR! You could have asked any high school web design student to put together *something* that didn't look like ass just in case the deal went through.

 

We've got a very talented friend working his magic on it and it should be much nicer this week!

Oh, goody. More "magic."

 

It's been difficult to be able to release any more concrete information

..because there isn't any?

 

we are hoping to be able to get some definite figures on getting a professional inspection done of the coaster

But didn't Devious say this was already done? Or is he just full of crap, too?

 

We have probably close to a hundred different options, including other locations in the Cleveland area, moving to a relatively small distance away such as Columbus or western PA, or a huge variety of locations all over the country, such as Oregon, Texas and Florida

Wow, so you mean about 100 different parks had NO IDEA that this coaster existed before you worked your "magic?" I don't buy it.

 

While our goal is to keep it in northeast Ohio

...in someone's backyard rotting away for the next 100 years.

 

We will not consider this project a success until the coaster is reassembled in a new location and running for the public once more.

Heh...they are reading our posts!

 

 

I do have other commitments in my life, I may not always have time.

Lady - you just made a potential life changing decision by purchasing a massive "historic" structure. One that is under heavy scrutiny and criticisms by some, and with high expectations for dreams to come true from others, MAKE TIME!!!

 

This whole project is so amatuer, it's a joke.

 

I am not against Big Dipper being saved or re-located, I'm against this project and how it's been presented so far. This group will have to do a *LOT* to impress me and change my tune, because that announcement was just horrible and pathetic.

 

--Robb

Edited October 4, 2010 by robbalvey

[the ghost]

Also they're not rich. If this coaster is being put up by donation alone(which it kind of sounds like) this project is more dead than I though. They don't have land(like devious said they did), money(like devious said they did), and it hasn't been surveyed yet(like devious said it was). That one post pretty much destroyed every major supporters credibility and proved Robb's point. These people do not know what they're doing AT ALL and this project will not happen. They have none of the resources necessary and probably spent essentially everything on this coaster. Sure, I like a classic old coaster, but things close, coasters go. It is inevitable. I think people are in a saving mode because of the Blue Streak, but the Blue Streak was built, had trains, and was already at an amusement park. I feel kind of bad for these people, but there are some things you just don't do, period. Buying a coaster in pieces without it being surveyed, without having land, without anything is just stupid.

 

I still can't figure out who the hell this Jeff guy is that Devious talked about. I have heard of Kat and Harold. Is there a Jeff? Or did Devious make him up? I'm confused.

 

The Facepalm Ghost

Edited October 4, 2010 by the ghost

[KDcoasterMAN]

My project expectations went from to to in that one post....

 

A five hundred foot B&M Standup with Gravy Splashdown is more likely to happen that this after seeing the story more clearly.

[robbalvey]

My project expectations went from to to in that one post....

Exactly. While I'm sure they thought that post would give them some sort of credibility, that post actually made their efforts look WORSE. What Kat and the New Zealand magician do not realize is that sometimes it's better to NOT post information than it is to post potentially damaging information.

 

But like they said themselves, they don't have any experience in running a business.

[CPmaverick]

A five hundred foot B&M Standup with Gravy Splashdown is more likely to happen that this after seeing the story more clearly.

Give Big Dipper B&M Stand-Up trains and a gravy splashdown .

[FeelTheFORCE]

I've been reading almost every reply thus far, and have decided to steer clear of this thread, but I will say this.

 

But like they said themselves, they don't have any experience in running a business.

 

That's a great line that can sum this whole thing up. This has been said many times, but I'd like to reiterate it. It's one thing if you have the money to burn, all the necessary resources, plenty of time/dedication, etc. and something like this that has always been your lifelong dream has fallen right into your lap, but it's also another thing if you "bite off more than you can chew" and should stay away from something. Now I don't know how much these people make, who they know, what they know, how much free time they have to dedicate to this project, etc., but I'm definitely leaning towards the latter. "Impulse buy" is a phrase that comes to mind.

 

*goes back to ninja lurk mode*

Edited October 4, 2010 by FeelTheFORCE