New amusement park for Phoenix?

[Rachel127]

Rumor has is that Santa's Christmas Theme park at Firebird Raceway in Phoenix, Az could become a year round fixture.

 

Holiday-theme amusement park may develop into year-round facility

Owners of the new Christmas theme park at Firebird International Raceway are in negotiations with a major developer to expand their operation to a full-blown, full-time amusement park.

 

Santa's LLC would be the newest name added to the list of companies trying to build a year-round theme park in Arizona.

 

The Phoenix-based company opened Santa's -- A Christmas Theme Park Nov. 16, just off Interstate 10 in Chandler. With more than 50 amusement park rides, 2 million light bulbs and a 78-foot Christmas tree, the $15 million investment spans a mile along I-10.

 

But it could be a holiday anchor for a major theme park if negotiations go well, said James Knips, president of Santa's LLC.

 

"Without mentioning who, we have been in talks with major theme park developers, and it's possible we might do something together," Knips said. "We hope to be a major theme park down the road, then we can bring in Santa's during the holiday season and possibly add a theme park."

 

Knips said he wants to continue the company's rental agreement with the Gila River Indian Community, adding it would be a couple of years before his company would expand.

 

"We would love to stay in the Gila River Indian Community," he said. "They have been very good to us. They have a tremendous master plan for that community."

 

The seasonal amusement park at Firebird follows varying stages of discussions for other parks being considered throughout the state. Groups in west Phoenix and Williams secured special tax districts earlier this year to create a water park and an amusement park, respectively. And for years, owners of Schnepf Farms in Queen Creek have tried to quash rumors that they are selling their 300-acre farm to an amusement park such as Disney or Six Flags.

 

Danny Brand, general manager and chief executive of Santa's LLC, said he chose Phoenix for his park because of its growth, diverse population and moderate weather. With his best friend Knips at his side, he brought on Guy Leavitt as chairman. Leavitt is president and chief executive of Ray Cammack Shows Inc., which provides amusement park rides for Santa's park as well as for a dozen state fairs across the country, including the Arizona State Fair.

 

"A park of this nature costs more than $15 million as a startup, including infrastructure, equipment, decorations -- everything involved in starting up this park," Knips said.

 

The company's agreement with the Gila River community is for 80 acres at Firebird, which can be renewed year after year, Knips said.

 

On the land that runs along I-10, there was no infrastructure, which meant Santa's LLC had to install more than 20,000 feet of sewer and water pipes, as well as new electrical poles and lines. The company also laid more than 1,000 tons of asphalt and surfacing material.

 

"The infrastructure cost was enormous, which tells you we're committed to the community," Knips said.

 

"We have a lot invested in the project -- a lot of sponsorship obligations that we are proud to be involved with, such as Coca-Cola, Bashas' and Food City."

 

They also chose Phoenix Children's Hospital, YMCA and Make A Wish Foundation as charities that will receive a portion of ticket sales.

 

The park will be open through Jan. 8, 2006. Tickets are $23 for adults and $18 for seniors and children under 10 years of age. Once in the park, all the amusement rides are free.

 

In the first days the park was open, Knips noticed some adults weren't interested in the rides, preferring to spend their time watching live shows and walking through Santa's Christmas Village, which includes 23 Christmas fantasy themes.

 

Tweaking the program as it goes along, Knips said beginning Dec. 2, customers will have the option to buy a $16 no-ride entertainment pass. Company officials also decided to change park hours, opening earlier on weekends and holidays than originally scheduled.

 

Knips hopes to attract as many visitors to Santa's park as the Arizona State Fair, which saw a record-breaking 1.28 million people go through the turnstyles this year.

 

Santa's will be open for 53 days, compared with 17 days for the state fair, he said. He figures there are more weekends and students on winter break who will help boost the attendance numbers.

 

Jeff Brooks, general manager of Castles N' Coasters near Metrocenter mall in Phoenix, declined to comment about the competition.

 

"Any time there's a like business, there's competition," Brooks said. "What they do is their business. We've got all we can handle here."

 

Brooks declined to reveal his costs when he added Castles N' Coasters to the existing miniature golf facility almost 20 years ago.

 

Knips said the company could turn a profit this first year, but said he is more focused on building a park that will be accepted by the community.

 

More than $3 million has been spent on advertising, he said.

 

Plans call for building additional Santa's theme parks in other warm climate states, such as California, Texas and Florida as well as in Mexico, Knips said.

 

"We won't do any expansion in 2006," he said. "We want to fine-tune this to be our premier startup and then we have forecast to go into other states, starting in 2007."

 

Brand had worked for more than 22 years in Florida as executive vice president of Santa's Enchanted Forest in Miami, which grew from 175,000 visitors to 800,000 guests before he left in 2003.

 

He retired from that company in January 2004 and began putting his plans together to open the Santa's theme park in Phoenix.

 

"We're very excited to be bringing this wonder-filled event to Arizona," Brand said. "The holidays tend to create a special feeling, and we want to capture that feeling for as long as possible."

 

© 2005 The Business Journal of Phoenix

[Twister II]

http://www.themeparkreview.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=749

[robbalvey]

^ Um, are these two threads the same? They might be about a park in Phoenix, but they look like they are talking about two different things.

 

One is discussing a proposed park called "Magic City" and this one is discussing this other property going year round.

 

Perhaps before telling someone there is already a thread about what they have posted, prehaps you should *READ* both threads and you'd see that they aren't the same.

 

Anyway, thanks to Rachel for posting this information!

 

--Robn

[J man]

I'll have to see if I can get out to this Santa's Park sometime before it closes this year. I haven't heard too much about it and I'm very curious. I'll be sure to post a TR if I do go.

[Coasterkid20]

I call Phx my home and I can say first hand that I find the likeliness of another park ever existing is slim to nill...... In the summer months, roughly 4 months out of the year it is almost always near 110 degrees out. And in July and August it is usually 112-115. During the summer, the news shows two things: Heat stroke victims, or another 2 year old drowing in a pool. While I'd love to see another park since CNC is freaking ghetto, it just not likely, the park would have to invest SERIOUS money in ways to cool down guests, i.e. misting fans, misting tents, completely covered lines (maybe even completely indoors), a lot of covered walkways, and plenty of indoor eating places. Also I think if a park did actually build I think they should have drinking "oasis" a-la HW. But instead of soda they have Water and Gatorade. I'm a reasonbly hardcore coaster fanatic, but going out to an amusement park any bigger than CNC in 117 degree PHX weather is simply stupid....

[dj snow]

Why not focus on evening hours in the summer then? I haven't yet experienced a Phoenix summer (just moved here), but I'd imagine that, while people retreat to the indoors on really hot summer days, they might be enticed to come out to play at night.

 

And this time of year, a park could continue to operate, if weekends only, during daylight hours. The weather's beautiful now!

[saturday97]

dj snow, the nights in PHX are still very hot! You're still sweating and it's not very comfortable. Sometimes it's still over 100 degrees in the middle of the night.

 

I used to live in Gilbert, too. Love that cow smell!

[J man]

Yeah, summer nights are a bit cooler but not much in Phoenix. If the park turns into a full year round park I think it'll have to be an indoor park so it can survive the Phoenix summer heat.

[dj snow]

I hear what you're saying and am sure I'll have a better perspective come July. But I would still disagree with anyone that says the weather absolutely precludes a park from being successful here. The population base is strong; with some creativity and the right mix of attractions, I'd see it being a "go."

 

 

Oh, and saturday97: There's no cow smell at my house, though that's not always the case when driving to/from. Mmmm... Manure.

[Rachel127]

I think a park could work here even in the summer, CNC is open year round. The key to making it work in the summer would be to install shade canopys over the ride lines and add misters and fans under the canopys. They could also build those splash fountains where you stand on it and water shoots up as well as offer an all day beverage pass for x amt of money you get all the free refills you want. Plus they could run limited hrs in the summer like 6pm-1am. Having lived both in phoenix and on the east coast, 110 with no humidity is a hell of alot better than 95 with 95%humidity.