Artegon Site for New Theme Park?

[Disneyhead]

Sorry, double post!

 

[quinnmac000]

This whole thing may be BS just to drive up the price.

That's what I'm thinking especially looking at the layout. That would add another hub for Universal with its proximity to Wet N Wild to set up another theme park campus. Wasn't there multiple rumors Universal was looking at that land and with it being so cheap, it wouldn't just be a dime in the bucket for Comcasat.

 

[Galaxy Defender]

This is coming from the Orlando Sentinel and the Orlando Business Journal. They both say they have inside sources verifying what they have published.

 

[s8film40]

This whole thing may be BS just to drive up the price.

That would actually make a lot of sense. It would seem silly to abandon the mall concept after investing so much into it. There are areas of the mall that they've put money into remodeling that haven't even been opened to the public yet. Not to say it's impossible, but the building and recent remodel obviously play a part in the pricing of the property so the new owners aren't just buying land they're buying a mall just to replace it with a park.

 

[s8film40]

This is coming from the Orlando Sentinel and the Orlando Business Journal. They both say they have inside sources verifying what they have published.

I would imagine that if this just BS that it's not just a wild rumor. If I were the landowner and wanted to start this speculation I would have a friend who would be considered an inside source make an off the record comment to a local reputable media outlet. It's not like they're going to just go posting on message boards or something if they want to create legitimate speculation.

 

[quinnmac000]

This is coming from the Orlando Sentinel and the Orlando Business Journal. They both say they have inside sources verifying what they have published.

Keyword in both articles may be...meaning they are putting in pitches.

 

[Teebin]

Goodness, you folks are insatiable...

 

[Galaxy Defender]

Six Flags Gold annual pass holders get free admission to any Six Flags park. I would be more than happy to see Six Flags in Orlando.

 

[SeventyOne]

Unpopular opinion: I think there is potentially a market for this, if they "own" their downmarket status. Still a fair number of tourists looking for a deal in that I-Drive area, and Orlando has gone from a podunk even as late as 1989 to a top 25 US city. That's a lot of locals, many of whom are priced out of WDW unless family gets them in, and who keep watching prices climb at UOR as well. (Reminds me of a conversation at HHN the other night--how do you sell $10 beers to a crowd of 20-somethings who barely make over minimum wage.) A reasonably priced alternative* could find its niche.

Six Flags has been rumored forever--a year or two ago they were supposedly looking at Boardwalk & Baseball--but it seems to me their main competition is the idea of Universal as opposed to Disney. Thrill rides and a superhero land sounds like UOR before Potter. I think Six Flags would go a little further away geographically--realistically, southwest of Disney, or maybe Volusia. Or wait a few more years for Sea World.

Know very little about Dollywood, etc., but could probably go with a Florida cracker/swamp theme or even just a wild West theme and do well.

Whomever it is, I think this backs up the general thesis of the Attendance Decline thread: Disney theme park and especially hotel prices have climbed too high. The industry smells blood in the Orlando waters. Ironic that TWDC spent billions on "blue ocean" development only to face a redder ocean than ever.

*Full disclosure, only non-Orlando park I've been to in my adult life was DisneyLand, so I could be off here on pricing. But I can't believe those places get $100/day.

 

[s8film40]

Six Flags has been rumored forever--a year or two ago they were supposedly looking at Boardwalk & Baseball

Boardwalk & Baseball has been developed into Posner Park for quite sometime, however a big chunk of the unused land was recently sold at auction. I don't know if that would be enough space for a reasonable size park though. It would be fine by me though as I could just walk across the street to go to a Six Flags park!

 

[OLSinFLA]

People forget that Six Flags hasn't built a new park since 1971 - in St Louis. All other parks since then are previously owned parks they purchased. Plus its been indicated the owners of Six Flags Georgia have made it clear they do not want a park in Florida.

 

[Galaxy Defender]

People forget that Six Flags hasn't built a new park since 1971 - in St Louis. All other parks since then are previously owned parks they purchased. Plus its been indicated the owners of Six Flags Georgia have made it clear they do not want a park in Florida.

This is why I originally did not suggest Six Flags as a possibility. I think they only built three of their parks. I had not heard about the Georgia owners objections but it makes perfect sense. I wonder if they have veto power over a Florida park.

Having said this, Six Flags is talking about opening new parks in other countries so maybe their attitudes on building have changed

 

[s8film40]

Plus its been indicated the owners of Six Flags Georgia have made it clear they do not want a park in Florida.

Haha, yeah they wouldn't want there to be a reason for people in GA to travel to FL for theme parks. I guess the 4 Disney parks, 2 Universal, SeaWorld and Busch Gardens are all fine but a new Six Flags would be the tipping point.

 

[Milla4Prez66]

I hope this isn't true. I love Artegon, was there earlier today actually. It's a pretty unique and quant place with lots of cool stuff to do and see. Orlando doesn't need a rinky dink crap theme park that won't really compete with Universal and Disney.

 

[Galaxy Defender]

I liked the old Festival Bay. Artegon feels more like an indoor flea market.

 

[s8film40]

I liked the old Festival Bay. Artegon feels more like an indoor flea market.

I agree, although in fairness the whole abandoned mall feel of Festival Bay wasn't very good for business. My favorite was how they would cover all the unoccupied store fronts with printed vynyl photos of fake stores.

 

[Galaxy Defender]

I agree, although in fairness the whole abandoned mall feel of Festival Bay wasn't very good for business. My favorite was how they would cover all the unoccupied store fronts with printed vynyl photos of fake stores.

I was there many years ago when most all the storefronts were filled.

 

[WAJAS]

I was there many years ago when most all the storefronts were filled.

The place opened 1/3 empty and it only got worse from there. I think there was a 'relative' heyday but never a date that the industry would consider a significant higher point in business.

 

[Galaxy Defender]

The place opened 1/3 empty and it only got worse from there. I think there was a 'relative' heyday but never a date that the industry would consider a significant higher point in business.

Must be my memory trying to fill in the spaces then.

 

[SeventyOne]

Must be my memory trying to fill in the spaces then.

Was going to say, even in its heyday when it had Steve & Barrys and real tenants like Hot Topic, fake stores always outnumbered real ones. But those photo-realistic curtains were convincing. It was beautiful tho, still like new even a decade after opening--ripping out that tile work should have been a crime.