1998 - City pursues Six Flags, park officials stay mum

[Jason]

I stumbled across this in the Buisness Journal archives and thought it was interesting enough to share.

Friday, May 8, 1998

City pursues Six Flags, park officials stay mum

Jacksonville Business Journal - by Lisa R. Schoolcraft

The Jacksonville City Council has sent a resolution. Councilman Eric Smith has telephoned and sent a personal letter. Mayor John Delaney has asked the Jacksonville Economic Development Commission to help.

All this to woo Six Flags to Jacksonville. But Bill Moore, Six Flags vice president of theme park development, will not say whether the company even plans a park on the First Coast.

"We're not going to comment," Moore said.

Donald R. Patrick, president of the St. Johns County Chamber of Commerce, has said he has been working for four years to get a Six Flags amusement park in the south end of that county, at the intersection of Interstate 95 and either state Route 206 or U.S. 1.

But in April, Glenn Hastings, the executive director of the St. Johns Visitors and Convention Bureau, said he did not think a Six Flags was compatible with the area. Two St. Johns County commissioners concurred. The next day, Smith sent his letter to Moore.

"The northern Florida market is interesting to Six Flags," Moore said from his Parsippany, N.J., office. "Eric Smith's letter just highlights that."

Smith's April 10 letter included newspaper articles about the speculation that Six Flags wants to put a site in North Florida. Smith said he has also called Six Flags officials and done other follow-up contacts.

"I'm trying to be a facilitator," he said. "I'm trying to be someone who lets them know we want them to come here."

On April 14, the City Council unanimously issued a resolution urging Premier Parks Operations Inc. -- which recently bought Six Flags from owners Time-Warner Inc. -- and Six Flags Theme Parks Inc. to look at Jacksonville. Delaney signed the resolution April 20 and sent a framed copy to Moore.

Smith has invited Moore or his agent to meet with him on a confidential basis to discuss locations and public-private partnerships.

Smith said excellent locations for a theme park include the Cecil Field Navy base scheduled for closure and property "up around the north part of Jacksonville and its I-95 corridor."

Mike Weinstein, executive director of the Jacksonville Economic Development Commission, said there are available undeveloped areas that Six Flags could fit into "without jeopardizing the quality of life of the neighborhood." But he said he has not been part of the Six Flags discussion.

Delaney said he asked the JEDC to provide Six Flags officials with any information they need, but, so far, Smith has been the only Duval County official to deal with the amusement park company.

Six Flags would be a good amenity for Jacksonville, Delaney said.

"Some 60 percent of the visitors would be local," he said. "It's a nice park. Although, I don't want to turn into Las Vegas or Orlando."

Six Flags theme parks generally draw visitors within a three-hour driving radius.

Moore said Six Flags is looking at theme park development, but "it is very premature to talk about any specific plans or development time table or even if that would ultimately be a site for us."

Moore would not disclose whether he is talking with any North Florida city and said no decision would be made about a North Florida site soon.

"It takes a long time to develop those strategies," Moore said. "People in North Florida have been very interested. We like the fact that they've gone out of their way to welcome us." Six Flags operates 12 theme parks, including ones near St. Louis, Atlanta, and San Antonio.

[David]

I remember this well. I actually thought we had a shot of landing it, but it's 2009 and still no B list themeparks!

There's always Valdosta.....

[Shwaz]

I would love to see Six Flags in Jax but I believe we were actually blocked by other states because FL already has too many tourist drawing attractions.

I think just one roller coaster added at the Zoo would be great. Kind of like Sea World has now and it would pay for itself in no time at all.

Personally, I've gone to Islands of Adventure just for the "Hulk" and "Dueling Dragons" multiple times a year for multiple years.

"Some 60 percent of the visitors would be local," he said. "It's a nice park. Although, I don't want to turn into Las Vegas

Legalized prostitution?

[ProjectMaximus]

Holy Cow....what a concept! I never considered that before...yeah...put a ride in at the zoo! The Jax Zoo is nice (disclaimer...haven't been there since 2002) but it couldn't hurt to diversify it's offerings.

[Coolyfett]

I like the Roller Coaster idea, but not at the Zoo, It would be better suited on Adventure Landings in Jax Beach property, Also there are 9 Adventure Landings in the US, 2 in jax. The one on Beach Blvd is the BIGGEST. The Roller coaster should go there.

[coredumped]

i don't think theres that much room for expansion at the one at the beach.
I'd love to see wild adventures moved to jacksonville, or near it.

[ProjectMaximus]

I like the zoo idea better...I think it's got more novelty to it.

I still remember when I was in grade school, and my friend said her dad was opening up a new park that would be called adventure landing, and it would be a lot of fun and we should all go. He must've been part of the ownership group. Although it's been bought out since, glad to see it keeps expanding. Her family is probably rich. A lot of kids at that private school were rich. I was one of the token minorities...

[alta]

Six Flags not compatible with St. Johns County

Cruiseship Terminal not compatible with Mayport

We wouldn't turn into an Orlando, Miami or Las Vegas with both of these.  We need to find a way to increase our tourism in a responsible manner.  The cruiseship terminal is a great example.  My cousin, her husband and both of their families are going to be taking a cruise here next August.  They are curious about the Jacksonville area and are spending a few extra days going to St. Augustine, Jacksonville and Amelia Island.  How many others are doing the same and spending dollars in Jacksonville?

Why is it so hard to get these projects completed when there is a market and demand?

[Ocklawaha]

Why not an amusement park based on ancient Florida. We could have jungles and wetlands, hammocks, Animals, and Neanderthals... Lot's of Neanderthals...

A park featuring CAVE MEN!  Take the visitor back 230,000 years

Bipedalism
Inventing tools
Running fast to escape predators
Early language skills
Eating meat
Eating a vegetarian diet
Copying the inventions of other hominid species
Passing down ideas over generations
Adapting to warm climates 
Having very large, body
cranial capacity limitations
Creating art in the form of wall paintings
Trading tools with other families
Remaining in the same location as their own family

What do you think of when you read the above descriptions? Going back into time 230,000 years, imagine the impression on our visitors when they realize that I just described 2/3Rds of our City. We don't need a theme park here, because we already have one. It's alive and well and operating within the St. James Building Downtown. Well Damn!. For the theme park jobs the requirement is an IQ of 5 or less. Mayor Peyton has taken a spot at the front, and the line forms to his right.

OCKLAWAHA

[alta]

We keep hearing our city has so much potential.  When are we going to take the bold steps to make us a first class city? 

[BridgeTroll]

Be careful what you wish for... Established vacation destinations such as Myrtle beach have had issues with Amusement Parks...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hard_Rock_Park

Hard Rock Park was a rock 'n' roll theme park located in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina that opened on April 15, 2008 and closed September 24, 2008 after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

Bankruptcy and Sale
On September 24, 2008, Hard Rock Park closed for the 2008 season and filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. At the time of the filing, the park expressed hopes of reopening in 2009;[10] the following month the park announced plans to sell itself by the end of 2008.

Local newspaper Sun News reported variously that the park had cost $400 million to build, carried a minimum bankruptcy purchase price of $35 million, and that the park would not reopen in 2009 if not sold. On January 2, 2009, the park asked a bankruptcy court in Delaware to change its filing to Chapter 7 after it failed to attract a single buyer.[11]

[Shwaz]

I don't think either Adventure Landing's have the room for an elite ride. It's bumper cars and batting cages.

To be honest I don't know if the Zoo has the room either... however if there was room wouldn't the city and the zoo itself benefit greatly from the added revenue? Bringing in more money for bigger and better exhibits.

Of course my year pass would most likely triple in price but I would be happy to pay with the added attractions.

[Jason]

The Zoo doesn't really have much room to expand either because of the adjacent industrial parcels.  I was just there two weeks ago and was amazed at how busy it was and how many upgrades have been done.

In the future, however, they could potentially acquire some adjacent property and stretch out with a small scale theme park tied into the zoo features similar to Busch Gardens.

[Ocklawaha]

Y'all are missing a major factor at the ZOO, it's primary mission to showcase animals from around the world, and the sub-tropical gardens of Jacksonville.

Roaring, screaming, clattering, roller-coasters don't mix with most animal breeds. In fact, I'm working on their railroad as we write this and even the train has some major issues with the big cats.

I agree that a 5-star amusement park could be built near the zoo, my choice would be across the parkway in the edge of the old Imeson Airport property. There is even a natural lake just a block or so east and north of the zoo. If a ride park were developed in this area, swooping over the lake might be a real thrill. Moreover the train could tie it all together.

If the whole thing is ever rebuilt, I-95 at I-295 South would catch the most visitors.

OCKLAWAHA

[civil42806]

Y'all are missing a major factor at the ZOO, it's primary mission to showcase animals from around the world, and the sub-tropical gardens of Jacksonville.

Roaring, screaming, clattering, roller-coasters don't mix with most animal breeds. In fact, I'm working on their railroad as we write this and even the train has some major issues with the big cats.

I agree that a 5-star amusement park could be built near the zoo, my choice would be across the parkway in the edge of the old Imeson Airport property. There is even a natural lake just a block or so east and north of the zoo. If a ride park were developed in this area, swooping over the lake might be a real thrill. Moreover the train could tie it all together.

If the whole thing is ever rebuilt, I-95 at I-295 South would catch the most visitors.

OCKLAWAHA

Anyone remeber the old roller coaster the zoo had many years ago?