Artegon Site for New Theme Park?

[Parkscope Joe]

I think the Sea World concept as it exists is doomed. But you still have a prime chunk of land by the Convention Center zoned for theme park use with a fair amount of infrastructure--e.g. parking lots, kitchens, a couple show venues, in addition to three solid coasters. Throw in a still successful water park and an uber-successful boutique park, even if you have to rebuild and rebrand (and I think you do, a lot of the infrastructure is garbage), it's still the easiest way to get in the Orlando theme park game.

I keep hearing "I want an orlando thrill park!" and just look at Sea Word.

 

[Donald Razorduck]

As y'all know Silver Dollar City is my home park.

Herschend has played with this idea before. In fact, something similar was announced on partnership with Gaylord in Nashville but it fell thru when Gaylord sold.

They also have a property(former Celebration City) in Branson that would work well for this. It would solve their lack of resort there, and tie into their busiest season and offer a year round attraction that Branson needs.

 

[Disneyhead]

As y'all know Silver Dollar City is my home park.

Herschend has played with this idea before. In fact, something similar was announced on partnership with Gaylord in Nashville but it fell thru when Gaylord sold.

They also have a property(former Celebration City) in Branson that would work well for this. It would solve their lack of resort there, and tie into their busiest season and offer a year round attraction that Branson needs.

Branson was also mentioned as an option for this concept. Branson, Myrtle Beach, and Orlando were the 3 mentioned.

 

[GAcoaster]

Herschend couldn't buy SWP&E but SeaWorld bought their CEO instead to run their parks. It all worked out...

 

[bob albert]

Comcast isn't interested in buying an animal park... not a lot of profit can be made.

Attendance would skyrocket at sea world immediately based on people buying multi park passes. It would make money, but I agree they aren't interested.

 

[IAmFloridaBorn]

Admittedly I'm a Floridian by way of the northeast, and they seem to be more a midwest/northwest thing--but I'm still not sold on an indoor water park in Orlando. I've known exactly three indoor pools in central Florida (former Ramada on 192, two in Daytona)--they just seem moldy with an overwhelming chlorine smell. And realistically there's at most 4 months out of the year you can't use a heated outdoor pool. My college friend in Washington (state) let her kids grow up going to one, but I just don't know. I would think if any of the outdoor water parks are remotely an option, they'd win out.

Ehhh that Ramada still has that indoor pool if i am not mistaking. I hate it.
But I don't understand the indoor pool concept here. It doesn't work. It doesn't make any sense.

 

[Donald Razorduck]

This is the old old press release from the proposed Nashville project:

OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE!!!

DOLLY PARTON’S DOLLYWOOD, GAYLORD ENTERTAINMENT PARTNER TO BRING FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT TO NASHVILLE
Companies to develop 100-plus-acre family entertainment zone anchored by the first water and snow park in the U.S.

Nashville, Tenn. (Jan. 19, 2012) –Two of the biggest names in Tennessee tourism are teaming up to bring a major family entertainment zone to Nashville. Gaylord Entertainment (NYSE: GET) and Dolly Parton’s Dollywood Company have entered into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for a 50/50 joint venture to develop a 114-acre family entertainment zone adjacent to the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center. The Dollywood Company will serve as the operating partner. Phase one of the project is a yet unnamed approximately $50 million water and snow park, the first of its kind in the United States. A late 2012, early 2013 groundbreaking date is expected with the park opening slated for summer of 2014.

Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam and Nashville Mayor Karl Dean joined Dolly Parton and Colin V. Reed, chairman and chief executive officer, for Gaylord Entertainment at today’s announcement at the Grand Ole Opry House at Gaylord Opryland.

"Tourism is the second largest industry in Tennessee, generating more than a billion dollars in tax revenue annually and employing more than 170,000 Tennesseans,” Haslam said. “This project will be a welcome addition to the wide variety of attractions and destinations across our great state, and I applaud the collaboration and spirit that has led to this announcement."

“Music City has become a travel destination unlike any other in the country,” Dean said. “The addition of this family entertainment complex near Opryland adds a critical missing piece to our tourist offerings. It provides a unique leisure attraction that will further enhance our already booming hospitality industry, which is one of our city’s top private sector employers.”

The water and snow park will anchor the project which offers room for future expansion. The park will provide a mix of high energy water activities for the summer season and designated snow activities for winter play. Once open, first year attendance is projected at 500,000, a large portion of which will come from out of state, bringing in substantial tourism revenue to Tennessee and Nashville. Dollywood expects to employ 450 full- and part- time employees.

This proposed attraction furthers Gaylord’s focus on growing the leisure side of its business and continuing to drive revenue through its top-notch entertainment attractions throughout the year. The Dollywood Company is responsible for managing Dolly Parton’s Dollywood and Dollywood’s Splash Country in the Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee, as well as her dinner theatre attraction, Dixie Stampede. Annually, these attractions attract approximately four million visitors and have won some of the industry’s most coveted awards including “world’s best theme park” and “America’s most beautiful water park.”

“I’m so excited about this opportunity,” Dolly Parton said. “I am confident that partnering my Dollywood Company with a great company like Gaylord will create something truly special. We’re all working on new types of entertainment to do in the daytime and nighttime for the whole family so we bring new folks to the area year round.”

“We are thrilled by the prospect of bringing to Nashville a family focused entertainment center with one of the preeminent theme park owners and operators in the country,” said Colin V. Reed, chairman and chief executive officer, for Gaylord Entertainment. “I am confident this proposed attraction, which will be a destination not only for our hotel guests but also for the entire Nashville community, will meaningfully enhance our transient and leisure strategy by providing a fun, family environment at the doorstep of the Opryland Hotel. With Dolly Parton’s country music legacy and strong ties to Nashville, we can think of no better partner for this venture than Dolly’s Dollywood Company.”

“We hope that some other developers with great ideas will join us for phase two of this project. We’re saying the water and snow park are the first phase, but who knows, if we see some great ideas we could be developing the entire zone by the time the snow and water park open. Wouldn’t that be great for Nashville and the state,” Parton said.

“We are in the early stages of planning and will make certain that any project we pursue is done so under the appropriate economic conditions and provides adequate returns for our shareholders,” said Reed. “We are reserving approximately 35 acres for expansion and complimentary regional attractions and we have been working closely with state and city officials to ensure we have the proper infrastructure agreements in place for the project to move forward. We are looking forward to working on the next steps of this project and to it becoming a valuable part of the Nashville tourism community."

Based in the picturesque Great Smoky Mountains, Dollywood is a 150-acre family adventure park which operates nine months a year (late March through December) and offers more than 40 rides and attractions; award-winning live entertainment featuring country, bluegrass, gospel and mountain music; and a dozen crafters authentic to the East Tennessee region. A family-friendly vacation destination, Dollywood also includes the 35-acre Dollywood’s Splash Country, voted America’s “Must-See Waterpark.” Dollywood offers all-inclusive vacation planning with a variety of overnight lodging options. For more information, call 1-800-DOLLYWOOD or visit dollywood.com.

Gaylord Entertainment (NYSE: GET), a leading hospitality and entertainment company based in Nashville, Tenn., owns and operates Gaylord Hotels (http://www.gaylordhotels.com), its network of upscale, meetings-focused resorts and the Grand Ole Opry (http://www.opry.com), the weekly showcase of country music's finest performers for 85 consecutive years. The company's entertainment brands and properties include the Radisson Hotel Opryland, Ryman Auditorium, General Jackson Showboat, Gaylord Springs Golf Links, Wildhorse Saloon, and WSM-AM. For more information about the company, visit http://www.GaylordEntertainment.com.


Dollywood/Gaylord Opryland Family Entertainment Zone at a Glance


- Partnership between Dolly Parton's Dollywood and Gaylord Entertainment
- 50/50 partnership; Dollywood is the operating partner
- $50.0 million initial investment

Family entertainment zone:
- 114 acre parcel
- Across Briley Parkway from Gaylord Opryland Resort in Nashville

Phase one:
- 50 acre water and snow park
- First park of its kind in the United States
- Park to open as early as summer 2014
- Project 450 full and part-time workers when open
- Expect up to 500,000 visitors in the first full season

 

[WAJAS]

Artegon mall attraction sues over sudden closure plan - Orlando Sentinel

Sky Zone is suing the mall. I wonder what comes of this if anything. I'm pretty sure the case has no ground as long as nothing they mentioned broke a part of their contractual agreement (the lease).

 

[s8film40]

Artegon mall attraction sues over sudden closure plan - Orlando Sentinel

Sky Zone is suing the mall. I wonder what comes of this if anything. I'm pretty sure the case has no ground as long as nothing they mentioned broke a part of their contractual agreement (the lease).

I don't know if their contract is going to give them a lot of legal ground to stand on, but I can certainly see where they're coming from. I've been in there a few times and they clearly put a lot of effort and money into building that attraction. Not to mention the expense of having to get all that removed in just two weeks.

 

[SeventyOne]

I don't know if their contract is going to give them a lot of legal ground to stand on, but I can certainly see where they're coming from. I've been in there a few times and they clearly put a lot of effort and money into building that attraction. Not to mention the expense of having to get all that removed in just two weeks.

Agreed, I do feel bad. With some temporary walls I would think they could almost use the entrance beside them to stay open (sounds like building not going anywhere for a while*)--I'd give them better odds than RonJon or Fuddruckers.

Hard to discuss the case without seeing their lease, but it does sound like Artegon may have engaged in some bad faith negotiating. First I've heard of the brewery, but a zombie-themed attraction was promised almost a year ago, who knows what else they promised. Was dumb to spend millions on anything on this site--looking at you as well, Toby Keith and Fuddruckers--but if there was active fraud, may have some sort of case.


*[Bass was one thing. How do you redevelop with five or more anchors spread across the property not closing up shop?]

 

[SeventyOne]

Ehhh that Ramada still has that indoor pool if i am not mistaking. I hate it.
But I don't understand the indoor pool concept here. It doesn't work. It doesn't make any sense.

I think it's still there, just no longer a Ramada. A friend briefly had a karaoke gig at the poolside tiki bar inside the lobby there. It was surreal yet still nasty. Now I almost have to go back for research purposes.

But yeah, if there was a demand for indoor pools around here, I think there would already be a lot more of them. Not like it's new tech.

 

[s8film40]

I did some photography work for the construction company that was redeveloping everything in the mall. I went back into the as yet unopened portions of the mall and there was quite of bit of work not only being done but actually completed. It's crazy to think that all that work could be for nothing.

 

[Donald Razorduck]

Well, according to Screamscape (I know, I know) Opryland is set to announce an indoor/outdoor water park attraction next week. Wonder if this is in partnershipwith Herscend like the last one was to be. Could we be seeing an aggressive expansion period for HFE? Construction for that Extreme Spinning Mack (think Blue Fire with spinning cars)is well underway at SDC.

 

[IAmFloridaBorn]

:sneak:


I'll say Keep an eye out for the I-4 Grand National Drive Project as it should start to be clearer who buys this land...

 

[anihilnation]

There was a rumor once of a US Ferrari Land, could this be it?

 

[shiekra38]

There was a rumor once of a US Ferrari Land, could this be it?

I'd be all about that

 

[anihilnation]

I'd be all about that

Same here, though it would be bad news for Seaworld I guess.

 

[SeventyOne]

Went to the theater Sunday afternoon (those lounge chairs are comfortable--also, see Lego Batman).

Surprised to see glow-in-the-dark mini golf is open, and the trampoline court is open as well, despite--or maybe because of--its threats to sue. All in all like seven tenants left in the actual mall building. Big walls block the hallways, but the signage refers to a "refurbishment."

Also, part of the land fronting I-Drive that I assumed belonged to Artegon is being dug up for a fast food joint or something, which is not something you want in front of an eye-catching steel park.

While I guess anything is possible, all signs point to that theme park rumor being false. Another crack at a retail redevelopment seems far more likely, possibly with more of an entertainment focus.

 

[s8film40]

Went to the theater Sunday afternoon (those lounge chairs are comfortable--also, see Lego Batman).

Surprised to see glow-in-the-dark mini golf is open, and the trampoline court is open as well, despite--or maybe because of--its threats to sue. All in all like seven tenants left in the actual mall building. Big walls block the hallways, but the signage refers to a "refurbishment."

Also, part of the land fronting I-Drive that I assumed belonged to Artegon is being dug up for a fast food joint or something, which is not something you want in front of an eye-catching steel park.

While I guess anything is possible, all signs point to that theme park rumor being false. Another crack at a retail redevelopment seems far more likely, possibly with more of an entertainment focus.

I've been assuming that since they're letting tenants that have outside access stay that the land didn't sell and they decided it was just time to stop losing money.

 

[anihilnation]

Anything new on this?
There have been some rumors of WWE planning a theme park and there's some speculation something like that could be done in Orlando. Some of the art seems like it could be an indoor mall kind of park. I'm skeptical, but could see it work. Of course WWE likes to play around with ideas, but is not that good at realizing them.Still, something like this would have a greater allure than a physical hall of fame or a restaurant.