Beech Bend and PowerPark...Twilight Zone, anyone?

[mad_dog_BB]

The situations at PowerPark and Beech Bend are very similar, maybe even eerily similar. Consider the following:

Beech Bend: Transportation company tycoon (D. Jones Enterprises / Clay's Trucking) turns amusement park operator out of his desire to create a fun family destination

 

PowerPark: Transportation tycoon (Lillbacka Global Transport) turns amusement park operator out of his desire to create a fun family destination.

 

Beech Bend: Small but well-run park that previously focused on camping and racing, turning to thrill rides over the past few years (Mouse, Pinfari Looper, Power Surge...) to offer a diverse mix of entertainment

 

PowerPark: Small but well-run park that previously focused on camping and racing, turning to thrill rides over the past few years (Mid-Sized Steelie, Brand new boomerang, awesome frisbee-type ride)

 

Beech Bend: Fairly secluded but absolutely beautiful setting in the country surrounded by water, trees and HUGE fields for future expansion, all green and complete with cows.

 

PowerPark: Fairly secluded but absolutely beautiful setting in the country surrounded by water, trees and HUGE fields for future expansion, all green and complete with cows.

 

Beech Bend: The next real small-guy turns big-boy story in the U.S. amusement industry (Think HW), focused on providing the right mix of entertainment for families looking for an alternative to the "Big Parks" surrounding

 

PowerPark: The next real small-guy turns big-boy story in the Nordic / Euro amusement industry (Think Oakwood), focused on providing the right mix of entertainment for families looking for...well...just looking for something to do in central Finland.

 

Beech Bend: Building radical new GCII woodie that I predict will blow everyone away, kind of like a mix between OW and Thunderhead.

 

PowerPark: Building radical new GCII woodie that I predict will blow everyone away, kind of like a mix between OW and Thunderhead.

 

The similarites go on and on, right down to the size of the parks, attendance, employment, it's kind of bizarre actually. Even more interesting is that Dallas Jones and Jorma Lillbacka (BB and PP owners, respectively) both personally handle all of the contracts / payments / negotiations and they both know exactly what it is they need to be successful (Thye've already proven that with their respective entreprenurial ventures over the years).

 

I just thought these similariteis were interesting. Coincidence? Or are Harma, Finland and Bowling Green, KY portals to another dimension? (from an insider's POV).

 

J

[USRoadTripper]

Beech Bend: The next real small-guy turns big-boy story in the U.S. amusement industry (Think HW), focused on providing the right mix of entertainment for families looking for an alternative to the "Big Parks" surrounding

 

Wow...I cannot imagine anyone who's been to both Beech Bend and Holiday World saying that they are alike in even a tiny way. Holiday World is a superb park with well themed flats, well landscaped gardens and common areas, lots of great shops, nice restaurants and two outstanding woodies. Beech Bend is a redneck playground with asphalt everywhere, no theming on any ride (to my memory), rides that are seemingly still attached to the trailers they were built on, no quality restaurants and no quality shops. These parks are almost night and day as far as quality goes in every aspect.

Even with the addition of the woodie next year, Beech Bend is light years away from being half as nice as Holiday World.

 

-Julie

[SonOfBeastSucks]

Beach Bend has been around forever and just reopened in the past few years. I think with the addition of the GCI next season it will gain more attendance and start growing into a better, more serious park from there.

[mad_dog_BB]

Wow...I cannot imagine anyone who's been to both Beech Bend and Holiday World saying that they are alike in even a tiny way.

 

Julie, I think you were missing my point. I didn't say that BB was as nice as HW. What I said is that it could be the NEXT HW type story in the US amusement industry.

 

Holiday World wasn't always the mega-woodie ultra enthusiast destination that is is today. It got to that point (and won an Applause award) because the people who run it are dedicated to their craft and do everything they can to continually improve.

 

I get the impression that BB's current owner and operators have the same kind of passion and dedication. They're just getting of the ground, though. HW got off the ground decades ago.

 

J

[USRoadTripper]

I hope you're right, as I'd love to have a great park near me again. But that transformation would be anything but overnight. I just don't see Beech Bend becoming anything special because, look at all the other small market parks that are so much better, yet are nowhere near the destination Holiday World is. Waldameer, Canobie Lake and Lake Compounce and three that come to mind as being fantastic small market parks, yet none of them are truly destinations. As it is, Beech Bend is way behind all three of those parks. I think the woodie will be great in at least bringing it closer to par with other small market parks, but man, they have got some work to do to even get to the quality of Lake Compounce! One great woodie does *not* a park make!

 

-Julie