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US News:
Arizona - (8/25/09) Merlin Entertainment announced that they will build a new $15million Sea Life Aquarium at the Arizona Mills Mall in the Phoenix / Tempe area. Once approved by the city of Tempe, this will become only the second Sea Life Aquarium in the USA when it opens in Spring 2010. The Phoenix Sea Life Aquarium will be a 26,000 square feet development with 12 different habitat zones housing over 30 separate display tanks for more than 5,000 creatures ranging from shoreline marine life such as starfish and crabs to larger species such as sharks and rays.
(8/6/09) The developers behind Waveyard have asked local officials for a two year extension to get the project done.
 California - (11/10/09) California gets all the cool toys it seems, as some madman has built a custom fleet of 8 street legal bumper cars made from old retired ride cars and modern engineering know-how. Check them out here, and click on the right arrow in the lower corner to page through the article showing off all 8 cars as they take a drive out around the greater San Diego area.
(11/2/09 ) I’ve been sent some pictures of the new Cliff Jumper drop tower going into Scandia.
(10/28/09) I’ve been told that the new drop tower ride being installed at Scandia is actually a 140 ft Super Shot tower from ARM.
(10/27/09) A local area reader tells us that Scandia has removed their Scrambler and appears to be installing a new drop tower of some sort, though to possibly be a Fabbri model.
(9/22/09) The new Splash Canyon waterpark project is holding a Job & Contractors Fair on Thursday. You can see more about the park on their website.
(9/21/09) Belmont Park is giving away unlimited free ride vouchers on their website that are only good if you come and visit the seaside park in October on the same date as your birthday. For example, if your birthday is on July 4th, then you have to visit on October 4th. Adding to the deal, all your friends who come with you can buy a pass for just $15.
(8/21/09) It’s been awhile since we’ve heard about the once planned Splash Canyon waterpark planned for the Temecula area, but the local planning commission just voted unanimously to approve the project. The new park is the brainchild of the former developers behind Wild Rivers in Irvine who are hoping to get this new park up and running before Wild Rivers is forced to close down forever. No timeline was given, but if things move quickly, the park could be open in time for Summer 2010. A second park is also planned for the Bakersfield area.
Florida - (9/9/09) The remains of the former Miracle Strip theme park will undergo final demolition on Thursday, clearing many of the features and structures leftover from the park, such as the giant Dante’s Inferno head. They’re still hoping to sell off various items from the park however, and everything not sold will be taken off to a warehouse where they will eventually put items up on E-bay or Craigslist.
Georgia - (10/27/09) The local news reports that Merlin Entertainment is looking around the Atlanta area at sites to build a Legoland Discovery Center attraction as well as a possible Madame Tussauds wax museum.
(10/20/09) A new pirate themed attraction seems to be planning on dropping anchor in Atlanta’s Centennial Park area. According to the local news a local businessman has purchased the Atlanta Samaritan Health Center to build a $2 million “pirate museum” attraction called Pirate World. Sounds… odd… I’ve never heard of a Pirate Museum before. Could be interesting… could be boring… but the important question is, will they have free rum tasting? If so… how far away if the World of Coke? You could just run back and forth all day long…
(6/2/09) According to this news report a pirate themed waterpark, tentatively called Pirates Cove Water & Fun Park, is being proposed for a 22 acre site near Savannah, GA. Propsoed by Dream Water LLC, they envision a park full of waterslides and massive themed pirate ship structures. They also want to throw in other FEC style entertainment options like a batting cage, paintball field, mini-golf for those no-so-warm months of the year.
(2/12/09) Anyone who’s done a little history digging into some of the country’s most odd “lost” theme parks from the past has probably heard about the indoor World of Sid & Marty Krofft theme park attraction in downtown Atlanta inside the structure that is now home to CNN. You can see a few pictures taken inside posted to AtlantaTimeMachine.com that show off the inside of the Pinball Machine Ride. Pictures of this fabled attraction seem rare and hard to come by however, but a good description of the entire attraction can be found here.
Illinois - (10/22/09) Now that the plans to relocate the Kiddieland rides somewhere else have fallen through, the rides will now be sold at a public auction. Some of the rides have already been sold, but the auction in mid November will include the carousel, a roller coaster, bumper cars, Ferris wheel and more.
(9/22/09) According to this article, there is an effort to possibly move the now closed Kiddieland part to a new site in Utica.
(9/4/09) The new AeroBallon ride at Chicago’s Navy Pier is now up and working, hoisting riders 350 feet into the air over the city. Read more here.
Indiana - (9/9/09) Splashdown Dunes, a popular waterpark in Indiana has closed down for good it seems.
Louisiana - (9/21/09) The city of New Orleans has decided to end their lease agreement with Six Flags in exchange for a $3 million payout plus 25% of any insurance money from the hurricane damage if the total gained exceeds $65 million. This is all pending approval from a bankruptcy judge, but the change of heart towards Six Flags is needed to open up the site for future development.
Maryland - (10/22/09) The local news reports that Baltimore’s 1906 Herschell-Spillman carousel is in danger of being replaced unless someone can step up with a plan to renovate it.
Missouri - (10/27/09) The previously mentioned Castle of Chaos attraction has been confirmed as the first location of AlterFace’s proposed “The House” attraction. A video preview of the attraction has been posted to YouTube.
(10/13/09) What is being billed as a unique “5D attraction” has opened in Branson, MO called Castle of Chaos, which is kind of a mix of a Haunted House, Dark Ride and Video Game experience. Guests are strapped into chairs on a 24 passenger motion base, given 3D glasses and pistols before being sent off into a nightmare world where they will have to defend themselves. Along the way they will experience all manor of special effects, including wind, water, smoke and foul odors. The new attraction is next to the Hollywood Wax Museum and the new Hannah’s Maze of Mirrors attraction. You can see the official website here.
New Jersey - (6/30/09) Screamscape sources tell us that progress on the massive Xanadu project has come to a halt following the pullout of a major investor in the project. I’ve been told that currently, all work crews may have been pulled off the job, leaving the project’s status in limbo, as well as assuring that it will miss it’s once promised August 2009 opening date. Considering how much work has been completed on this project however, I would think that eventually it will be finished and opened... one way or another.
New York - (11/13/09) The city has decided to spend $95.6 million to buy 7 acres of land in Coney Island for future development from Joe Sitt.
(10/9/09) The former Nunley’s Carousel has returned at last to the area, opening in a new pavilion in Museum Row in Garden City, between the Long Island Children’s Museum and The Cradle of Aviation Museum. You can read more about how it was saved from being auctioned to pieces here.
(9/1/09) Negative-G has posted some new pictures taken at and around Coney Island this week.
(7/31/09) According to the news reports the New York City Council approved the Coney Island Rezoning Plan by a landslide with 44 votes for it, 2 against and 1 abstention. However there is always someone ready to piss on the fire, and in this case it is Thor’s own Joe Sitt who threatened to cause problems last week if he was left out of the plans to develop the property. “I'm the guy who controls this -- it's my sandbox”.
Ohio - (11/9/09) While I don’t have any details to share, I have been contacted by someone who claims to be in the know about the future plans for Geauga Lake’s Big Dipper. They tell me that the owner does have plans to bring the coaster back to life somewhere, but from the sound of things, the exact details have yet to be finalized. Anyone know more?
Oklahoma - (10/20/09) After not hearing a peep for so long about Bell’s plans to rebuild in a new location, I had figured that the economy had just killed any dreams they may still have had. However an interview with Robbie Bell posted last month claims that they have found four different possible locations, but right now it’s all a matter of getting the money to rebuild the park.
Pennsylvania - (8/31/09) The always-awesome looking ScareHouse in Pittsburgh has posted their preview trailer for the 2009 haunt! Check it out… looks like things are moving in a new direction this year.
South Carolina - (10/19/09) A new WonderWorks attraction is on the way to Myrtle Beach’s Broadway At the Beach. Like the versions built in Orlando and Pigeon Forge, it will be enclosed in a large building that appears to have been built upside-down.
Tennessee - (9/21/09) Take a look inside the former Libertyland park at Coaster101, with many good close up views of the Zippin Pippin as it is quickly being taken over by the local landscaping.
Texas - (10/29/09) Plans to build a Legoland Discovery Center attraction in the Grapevine Mills mall were announced. Construction will begin in mid 2010 and open by March 2011.
(10/7/09) Ever wonder what happened to Astroworld? A reader went to a Houston Texans game the other day and snapped off a picture showing the old bridge that crossed the freeway over to what used to be Astroworld. It’s just a big empty grass field these days… such a shame to have closed the park for nothing.
(7/24/09) According to Amusement Today Grapevine, TX will become home to a new $70 million indoor ski slope attraction called Texas Alps. The 175 foot tall structure will feature fun for skiers, snowboarders, tubing runs, a luge track, ice wall climbing and more. While this is all well and good, I do have to wonder what ever happened to the amazing Bearfire Mountain project. I assume the economy caused it to implode, but it was such an amazing looking project, I can’t help but wonder how it would have turned out.
Wisconsin - (10/2/09) Bay Beach got approval from the mayor to begin their quest to bring a new family sized wooden coaster to the park, looking for something with around 2,500 feet of track. This is about double the length of the closed Triple Hurricane sitting at Cypress Gardens as well as the yet to be named junior woodie going into Quassy next season.
(9/29/09) The Bay Beach Amusement Park in Green Bay, WI has announced that they are looking to buy a new family friendly roller coaster for the 2011 season. Adding a coaster is at the top of their list of wanted new attractions. They have yet to decide if they will seek out only a good used ride or perhaps buy a brand new one.
(8/27/09) There is some trouble in Wisconsin it seems, as the battle lines are drawn between attractions in the “Dells” and those in the nearby “village” area, who are each governed by different rules it seems about how late they can be open and so forth. Now it seems the local committee is trying to put a label on everything so they can possibly restrict it in some fashion if need be, and it’s got the tempers of some attraction owners flaring up.
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