The Knott's Berry Farm (KBF) Discussion Thread

[WestCoasterKing]

I just saw on ABC 7 news that the old fire department building that partially burned will be demolished and the land will convert to Knott's use. The fire department will rebuild at some other location on La Palma Ave. There was no mention of what Knott's would use the site for but I am guessing to expand employee parking lot or store ride construction parts.

 

probably expand overfliw parking

[grsupercity]

Are there any Knotts maintenance buildings or warehouses that are on prime ride land?

[WestCoasterKing]

Are there any Knotts maintenance buildings or warehouses that are on prime ride land?

 

Yes. The entire back stage area lies smack in the middle between Ghost Town and the south parking lot and hotel property. Most of the offices are located in many small older buildings. If they were able to relocate most of those to a single new admin building they could open up a lot of new land, almost doubling the size of the park.

[joelwee]

Is Xcelerator supposed to be down for maintenance right now? I was at the park today and was bummed it was closed.

Yes, Xcelerator is down for maintenance. It reopens on May 5.

[SoCalJasonland]

It might be a good week to ride Ghost Rider. I went to the park around lunch today and both trains were running and loading with approx one train wait for the ride. They were getting trains out as soon as the next returned to the station. That is pretty fast for this ride.

 

BBQ is now going up quickly while Boomerang fades away. Boomie was so young when he died but that is what happens when you lead a rough life.

BBQ

So long!

[Jew]

I just saw on ABC 7 news that the old fire department building that partially burned will be demolished and the land will convert to Knott's use. The fire department will rebuild at some other location on La Palma Ave. There was no mention of what Knott's would use the site for but I am guessing to expand employee parking lot or store ride construction parts.

 

This is old news. Knott's swapped this parcel for another portion of that lot next to the elementary school, which will be the home of the replacement fire station. So probably not an actual net gain of land. However, it does give them the full parcel that is directly across from the park, which most certainly helps whatever future development plans they may have in mind.

[thrillseeker4552]

Thanks for the photos. It's nice to see vertical construction finally happening on the restaurant after so many months of seemingly nothing going on.

[Freestyle23]

I just saw on ABC 7 news that the old fire department building that partially burned will be demolished and the land will convert to Knott's use. The fire department will rebuild at some other location on La Palma Ave. There was no mention of what Knott's would use the site for but I am guessing to expand employee parking lot or store ride construction parts.

 

This is old news. Knott's swapped this parcel for another portion of that lot next to the elementary school, which will be the home of the replacement fire station. So probably not an actual net gain of land. However, it does give them the full parcel that is directly across from the park, which most certainly helps whatever future development plans they may have in mind.

Poor kids trying to study having to hear the fire truck sirens go off everyday.

[Freestyle23]

Anyone see this RMC's photo of a Raptor being built to do testing?

Edited May 3, 2017 by Freestyle23

[Freestyle23]

delete

[WestCoasterKing]

Thanks for the photos. It's nice to see vertical construction finally happening on the restaurant after so many months of seemingly nothing going on.

Utlities are always the most time consuming part of constructing wood frame buildings. That's why you sometimes drive through the unbuilt parts of new subfivisions and see pipes and cables sticking out of the dirt with no visible foundations yet poured. When they are ready to build they can have the house itself up fairly quickly.

[WestCoasterKing]

Anyone see this RMC's photo of a Raptor being built to do testing?

Where is this?

[bgtlover]

Anyone see this RMC's photo of a Raptor being built to do testing?

Where is this?

At the RMC plant...

 

Also here is a link to the actual post:

Rocky Mountain Construction Facebook Raptor Track

[Freestyle23]

Few pages back some mentioned Knott's buying new concept rides...just saying. Wouldn't mind that Raptor at all

[WestCoasterKing]

Few pages back some mentioned Knott's buying new concept rides...just saying. Wouldn't mind that Raptor at all

 

Knott's does not need another low capacity ride. Raptor has 8 person trains.

Edited May 3, 2017 by WestCoasterKing

[DoubleDown]

This is old news. Knott's swapped this parcel for another portion of that lot next to the elementary school, which will be the home of the replacement fire station. So probably not an actual net gain of land. However, it does give them the full parcel that is directly across from the park, which most certainly helps whatever future development plans they may have in mind.

 

Close. But it's not really a full parcel. There is still the liquor store and the other strip mall stores on that S/W corner of Western/La Palma, and I'd bet a pretty penny Knott's doesn't own that. That corner has been such a dump for so long though I wouldn't mind if they did.

 

And then immediately across La Palma is ANOTHER strip mall that has been deserted ever since I can remember, chain link fences up. Western/La Palma is such a strange deserted ghetto intersection, in the middle of a big growing city, it's like nobody has come up with an idea to develop that area since I was born.

[Jew]

They don't. But they now have all the park facing real estate they'd need for whatever they decided to do.

[bgtlover]

...And then immediately across La Palma is ANOTHER strip mall that has been deserted ever since I can remember, chain link fences up. Western/La Palma is such a strange deserted ghetto intersection, in the middle of a big growing city, it's like nobody has come up with an idea to develop that area since I was born.

Sounds like the Busch Blvd by Busch Gardens Tampa.

[WestCoasterKing]

This is roughly the current Knotts property. Please excuse the crudity of this mock up.

 

This is the Westside property. Yellow is the west overflow parking lot. White is the employee parking lot. Note: We don't know exactly where the new fire station will be.

 

For those who were asking about the backstage areas here is a crude overview outlined in yellow.

[Jew]

The article in the OC Register announcing the new fire station hinted it will be in the red area. It was vague, but noted that it will face La Palma and require the re-location of the current exit from that lot onto La Palma.

 

The main thing is it gives them control of the property that directly faces the park. If I were to guess, I could imagine them re-locating back of house facilities across the street to free up space within the boundaries of the park. The park itself will never cross the street due to the proximity to houses.

This will be the rough location of the new fire station

[WestCoasterKing]

The article in the OC Register announcing the new fire station hinted it will be in the red area. It was vague, but noted that it will face La Palma and require the re-location of the current exit from that lot onto La Palma.

 

The main thing is it gives them control of the property that directly faces the park. If I were to guess, I could imagine them re-locating back of house facilities across the street to free up space within the boundaries of the park. The park itself will never cross the street due to the proximity to houses.

 

I was skimming through posts from the past year to help catch myself up on the goings on here at TPR and I remember seeing some posts on Knott's Berry Farm expansion which I thought were interesting if not a little over the top crazy. Among the ideas posited were building a massive multi story parking garage, rebuilding all new back stage buildings across the street, building a new hotel, even moving Independence Hall and making a brand new entrance plaza. Personally I think a parking structure and relocation of Independence Hall are expensive projects that don't necessarily pay for themselves. Remember that neither Knott's nor Cedar Fair are on the level of Disneyland when it comes to generating revenue. That said, a new hotel isn't a crazy idea and neither is relocating some of the older back stage buildings to open up some new space for park expansion. Both are projects that will easily pay for themselves. With that in mind I took a few moments to put together my own plan. One that isn't so crazy and unrealistically expensive.

 

[WestCoasterKing]

Personally I don't like the idea of moving the warehouses and maintenance shop across the street. For one it would be a logistics nightmare. Secondly they are already losing the south lot to expansion. Moving the backstage areas to the north or west lots takes away yet another. If they do that then the only option would be a multistory parking structure, and I can't see CF spending $50 million plus on something that doesn't make money. But I guess if it gets them the maximum amount of new park space they'll figure it out.

[fpsphil]

f they do that then the only option would be a multistory parking structure, and I can't see CF spending $50 million plus on something that doesn't make money. But I guess if it gets them the maximum amount of new park space they'll figure it out.

 

When they charge as much as theme parks do for parking, the structure can make them money in the long run.

[WestCoasterKing]

f they do that then the only option would be a multistory parking structure, and I can't see CF spending $50 million plus on something that doesn't make money. But I guess if it gets them the maximum amount of new park space they'll figure it out.

 

When they charge as much as theme parks do for parking, the structure can make them money in the long run.

 

I actually thought about that after I posted and did some math. Let's say 4 million guests and the average is 4 to a vehicle that's 750,000 cars in a year at $15 per equals $11.2 million. Yeah I guess I'm wrong

[Vonni]

I didn't realize KBF owned so much land. It is nice to see the possibilities the park could have for expansion. I know they could do anything the want in the existing developed area (a la Grona Lund), but to have actual unused space makes expansions more appealing.