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US News:
---- UNITED STATES DEVELOPMENT NEWS ---
(12/16/2024) IOWA - Grand Experience Waterpark Resort Project Is Moving Forward
(12/13/2024) Texas - City of Dallas Purchases Adventure Landing FEC
(12/12/2024) Kansas - Wichita's All Star Adventures Park Closed Without Warning
(12/7/2024) Florida - The 2nd Largest Planetarium in the US Set To Open in Tampa Next Summer
(12/2/2024) California - SkyPark At Santa's Village Opens New Attraction
(12/1/2024) So Why is ZDT Selling the Switchback?
 Arizona - (11/27/2024) An interview with the rider that climbed out of the Desert Storm coaster in Arizona, along with video footage of him climbing out of the train while going up the lift hill has been posted by the local NBC news station.
(11/25/2024) The local news in Phoenix reports that a guest exited the Desert Storm roller coaster at Castles N’ Coasters near the top of the lift hill when they noticed that their restraint had released itself while going up the hill. According to the report this happened on Sunday when the rider heard the restraint made an odd noise. Pushing on it, the restraint released completely and out of fear they took the opportunity to jump from the train onto the staircase near the top of the lift hill.
The coaster in question is Desert Storm, a steel roller coaster from Hopkins built in 1992 that features two inversions and simple old-school sit-down style roller coaster trains with only a lap-bar restraint system.
(7/20/2024) The latest Alpine Coaster has now opened today in Arizona. Named the “Sunrise Apache Alpine Coaster”, the new attraction will be open year-round and feature 3,287 feet of track.
This is a Wiegand Gen 2 model Alpine Coaster setup, with a reported downhill run of 2,293 feet. A video showing off a preview ride being given has been added below.
(4/30/2023) According to a press release the Buckeye Opportunity Zone Fund “launches a private equity fund seeking accredited investors for investment into Ghost Town theme-park development projects across Arizona. ” The fund is seeking to raise $25 million initially, with the group seeking to convert rural land into new income-producing properties.
California - (12/2/2024) SkyPark at Santa’s Village has opened a new attraction that brings the former suspended Bumble Bee Monorail ride track back to life. They call it “The B Rail”, where guests can climb-abord a single-rider suspended mountain bike frake and pedal your way through the sky along the monorail track beam. And yes, I said PEDAL… this is an entirely self-powered attraction now.
A few quick notes… the track is suspended up to 45 feet in the air at some points, and since this is a self-powered attraction, you have to be willing and able to complete the entire course. Riders must be between 75 lbs and no more than 265 lbs, and at a height between 5 ft and no more than 6 ft 7 inches.
(7/7/2024) It has been confirmed that the Pandas are returning to the San Diego Zoo. According to this article a farewell ceremony took place in China on June 26th for Yun Chuan and Xin Bao, a male and female, which were flown be flown to the San Diego Zoo. While the Pandas are in San Diego, they are not yet on display, as it will take several weeks for them to acclimate to their new home.
This event will mark the first time in 21 years that China has sent any pandas to the United States. They won’t be alone however, as another pair will also soon be sent to the Smithsonian National Zoo in Washington DC by the end of the year. The San Diego Zoo has successfully worked with China in the past, having successfully served as a temporary home for giant pandas from China from the late 90s, with all new cubs sent back to the breeding program in China over the years and eventually closing the exhibit in 2019 at the end of the successful program.
(6/30/2024) A new pop-up experience themed to tie into the release of the new “Bettlejuice Bettlejuice” film will arrive on August 23rd in Los Angeles at the Ovation Hollywood shopping center. According to Blooloop the pop-up attraction will take up a massive 11,000 sqft space to transport guests into “the world of the recently deceased”, featuring set recreations, photo ops and much more.
For now locals should keep their eyes peeled for the signs of the arrival of “Bettlejuice Beetlejuice: The Afterlife Experience”.
(4/22/2024) The Warner Bros. Studio Tour in Hollywood has partnered up with Turner Classic Movies to offer an all new tour this year. The promotion is done in part to celebrate TCM’s 30th anniversary, and will take guests on a tour through of the Golden Age of Hollywood, highlighting aspects of both TCM’s and WB’s film catalogs, with an emphasis on the history of the studio’s early years. This will include a trip into the Property House, which is home to nearly half a million different props used in various TV and film productions over the years.
(2/26/2024) Good news for the San Diego Zoo came out this week as it was confirmed that China is sending two giant panda’s to the world famous attraction. According to news articles, China has not granted any new loans of Giant Pandas to any zoo or attraction in the United States for over 20 years.
In fact, the three pandas on loan from China that were at the Smithsonian National Zoo in Washington DC were actually just returned to China in November, and the San Diego Zoo previously had giant pandas as well, but those were returned in 2019 at the end of their previous loan agreement with China. Now, according to a statement from China’s leader, Xi Jinping, China seems ready to reach out to the San Diego Zoo once again with Panda’s as an offer of “friendship between the Chinese and American peoples.”
(1/27/2024) According to posts on Reddit, the big McDonalds located about a block to the north of Knott’s Berry Farm has now been completely demolished. Long time visitors to Knott’s may recall that this McDonalds did not look like your typical McD’s on the outside, had countless model trains running on tracks attached to the roof inside and even years after its demise the building proudly featured the sign for the “McThriller”. For those wondering, the McThriller was actually a simulator ride that was added to this location in the 1990’s.
From the sound of things, the fast-food restaurant kind of let itself go during the pandemic, but since McDonalds locations rarely release their grip on the property they own (or lease), especially in such a high-traffic area, then I’d bet good money that the site will soon see a brand-new McDonalds location rise upon the ashes of the old.
We can only hope that they try to build something with more style and charm than what passes as the current stylings of new generic McDonalds locations. There is always a chance that the property could become two different branded locations, as McD’s has just opened the first of their their new spin-off chain called CosMc’s in IL last month with a focus on beverages and small snack items, with plans to open more in 2024.
(1/14/2024) Good news for Fresno, as it was announced that Playland has been given an extension on life just days ahead of being closed for good. According to the reports Playland met with the board of Storyland Fresno to come up with a new financial plan that will allow Playland to remain open until at least June 1st. This will involve lowering ticket prices and an extention of the park’s hours in the hopes to drawing more attendance, with the goal of giving the park more time to become self-sufficient and if so, to be able to stay open beyond the June 1, 2024 extention. So if you’re a local and want to see Playland remain open, then you’ve got to visit it while you can and if you enjoy it, let others know so they can visit as well.
(12/29/2023) Even though it just reopened in June, the local news reports that the kiddie-focused “Playland” park in Fresno will be shutting down once again. The final day to visit the park is said to be Jan. 14th, 2024.
I don’t know much about Playland, though it seems once it shut down due to the pandemic in 2020, it never reopened. A new operator (Helm and Sons Amusements) was brought in to fix up and reopen the park once again earlier this year, but low attendance has not allowed the park to be a successful operation. Helm and Sons isn’t new to the market either, as they also run Fresno’s Storyland attraction as well, which is said to be expanding with a couple of new attractions in 2024.
(12/13/2023) Blooloop reports that the new “Squid Game: The Trials” immersive experience has now opened in Los Angeles. Guests will be greeted by the Front Man before taking on a series of challenges with increasing difficulty, earning points as you go. The attraction also features a store selling exclusive Squid Game merchandise and the “Night Market” serving Korean and other international food and beverages. As for those challenges, apparently if you beat the game, you will have the opportunity to apply to be cast in the second season of Netflix’s Squid Game: The Challenge game show, expected to shoot sometime in 2024. Advanced ticket sales are required to patricipae in Squid Game: The Trials.
(12/10/2023) According to several news reports, musican Drake, has apparently purchased items from a long dead themed attraction known as Luna Luna that started out in Germany back in 1987 featuring a number of displays and attractions featuring designs from famous artists of the era. At the time it was more of an outdoor carnival style attraction with a very visual design, but when it shut down at the end of the 7 week run, most assumed the attractions were lost to time. In reality they were protected and put into storage somewhere in Texas, as the attraction was in the midst of being shipped to San Diego for a US premier that never took place.
Now these rarely seen attractions are being put back together once again inside a warehouse in downtown Los Angeles following the purchase of the 44 shipping containers in Texas by Drake’s company, Dreamcrew. Since January 2022 crews have been reopening, restoring and rebuilding the contents and now the revived Luna Luna is slated to reopen sometime this month. Follow the link to the official website to get alerts on how you can buy tickets when it is ready.
(11/5/2023) Who’s ready for a little Chuck E. Cheese nostalgia? According to a surprise press release by the company the Northridge, California location will soon surprise their guests with the return of the animatronic band that used to be featured at all Chuck E. Cheese locations once upon a time. Yes, Munch’s Make Believe Band will live to rock once more, but only at the Northridge location, just outside Los Angeles. Look for the location to reopen with the band once again after a refurbishment on November 10th, with a Grand Re-opening party set to take place from 6-8pm. For a laugh, the press release was done by the actual animatronic band itself, just so you can see the figures in action once again. Follow the link to see the video.
(10/27/2023) The Sky Star giant wheel in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park is coming down after first being set up in 2020 as part of the park’s 150th anniversary. Don’t be too sad though, it seems the wheel is moving to a new location not far away on Fisherman’s Wharf. The new location will offer all new views of the bay as well as downtown San Francisco.
(10/14/2023) Long time San Diego residents may remember the former Marshall Scotty’s Playland park off I-8 just east of El Cajon. While the once semi-popular micro kiddy park shut down and filed for bankruptcy in the late 90’s, the creepy remains of the once family friendly park have remains for all these years. In proper fashion, the property is frequently brought back to life each October now as a creepy Haunted Amusement Park experience where you can take a walk on the over a mile long Scare Trail.
The fun thing is that many of the old rides from the Marhsall Scotty days are still there… inoperable and rotting away, but covered in creepy lighting, giving the place a legit derelict haunted amusement park feel.
(8/8/2023) We’ve seen mini-golf courses take on a number of interesting and odd thems over the years, but are you ready for a Family Guy themed mini-golf experience? Yep… Family Guy Giggity Golf will open in the Downtown Los Angeles area on Sept. 22, 2023. The attraction will feature a 9-hole mini-golf course for $27, as well as a chance to grab a bite and a drink at the Drunken Clam and Eat My Junk food truck. Of course, there will also be some exclusive Giggity Golf merchandise for sale so you can prove that you were there.
From what I understand, this is a ‘pop-up’ attraction, so it won’t last forever. Follow this link to get on the waitlist for tickets before they sell out.
(7/2/2023) According to posts on social media, the new Treasure Hunt dark ride in Cannery Row (Monterey, CA) has soft opened. An official “grand opening” will likely take place sometime in mid-July, but the should be open to anyone who wants to try and ride it between now and then, barring any downtime issues.
You can already find a POV video of the new ride in action below. It features of mix of interactive screens and real three-dimensional props and animatronics.
Colorado - (9/27/2024) For fans of the film, The Shining, your ultimate fan experience will be taking place this October in Colorado at the Stanley Hotel, which served as the inspiration for the Overlook Hotel in The Shining. A unique real-life experience called the “Overnightmare” will take place there from October 18 to 20th, 2024 from the creative forces of Blumhouse and Peacock.
Guests attending will be given the opportunity to book a stay in one of four different rooms themed to Blumhouse productions (Insidiious, The Purge, Happy Death Day and Freaky) and during the daytime guests will get to encounter various characters, creatures and spooky spaces. When night falls, special and unique experiences will be offered based on those characters and themes.
(4/24/2023) A beloved Colorado attraction will soon reopen… Casa Bonita. Colorado locals are well aware of the place, but if you are a fan of the show South Park, then you may be shocked to know that the Casa Bonita restaurant shown in the cartoon series that features Mexican food and an indoor cliff diving show is actually an entirely real attraction on the west side of Denver, near Lakewood.
COVID did not treat Casa Bonita well and the restaurant announced that they were going to have to close down for good, only to be saved when the restaurant was purchased by none other than South Park’s creators: Trey Parker and Matt Stone. They’ve spent the last year or so fixing up and updating Casa Bonita, hiring new staff and are getting ready to reopen Casa Bonita sometime next month to the joy of many.
If I ever find my way out that way, I know I’ll be dropping by for sure!
Florida - (12/7/2024) Apparently the second largest planetarium in the US is set to open in Tampa next year at the Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI). The former IMAX dome theater at the museum is being converted into a new digital dome theater and planetarium that will be powered by 10 8K Christie digital projectors along an entirely new dome screen surface that will feature an 8-story tall image that will surround audiences.
This will be a major replacement and upgrade for the center's former Planetarium, which had a dome diameter of about 29 feet and was only able to accommodate 46 guests at a time, while the new 87 foot dome will hold at least 300 guests at a time.
This will be surpassed in the US only by the Jennifer Chalsty Planetarium in New Jersey that is said to feature a 89 foot diameter dome. While not in the rankings for the world’s largest dome theaters anymore, I’d got to give a shout out to the Ruben H. Fleet dome theater in San Diego that I grew up visiting, featuring a 23m (76.1 ft) diameter dome and a theater capacity of 314 seats.
(11/22/2024) According to Surfer.com, a new 360º wave generating surf park is planned to come to Tampa. The concept is based on the Surf Lakes attraction in Queensland, Australia that features a massive plunger style structure in the middle of a body of water that rises and drops into the water, creating breaking surf waves rushing away from it in all directions. Now plans are in the works to create Peak Surf Park in Pasco County, north of Tampa, within the Two Rivers master-planned development sometime in 2027.
The Tampa area isn’t the only city in Florida with a major surf park planned, as a different group of developers is also working on a project for the Jacksonville market as part of a project area called eTown. Here developers from The PARC Group hope to build the Jacksonville Surf Park creaturing a Wavegarden Cave lagoon, along with a surf academy, a boutique hotel, a health and welness center, beach club and more.
(9/17/2024) According to the local news, Adventure Landing in Jacksonville has extended their lease to remain open through the 2025 season now. So far the owners of the property who originally were going to close the FEC back in late 2021 to built a new residential complex, but those plans remain on-hold, allowing Adventure Landing to remain for the time being.
(3/21/2024) While the original FastTrax Fort Myers location suffered severe damage from Hurricane Ian in September 2022, a new replacement location is under construction next to HeadPinz off Treeline Avenue South. The goal for the indoor go-kart attraction that also features an arcade, restaurant and duck-pin bowling, is to open by the end of 2024.
(2/1/2024) New concept artwork showing off the look of the new Pirates Voyage Dinner & Show theater coming to Panama City Beach, Florida has been released. Construction on the new show venue is already under way with the intent to have it ready to open before the end of Spring 2025.
“When completed, the 60,000 square foot indoor theater will have more than 1000 seats. Guests will be treated to a dinner and show where the Crimson and Sapphire pirates battle on deck, in the water of the 15-foot-deep lagoon, and in the “sky” above the two full-sized pirate ships that serve as the swashbuckling stage for adventure, excitement and fun for everyone. When the new dinner show opens, it will employ 300 people, and an extensive nationwide talent search will begin in mid-2024 for the cast. The total cost for the project is estimated at $60 million.”
The new Florida attraction will be the third Pirates Voyage dinner show, joining the original in Myrtle Beach, SC and the second one located in Pigeon Forge, TN.
(12/18/2023) This has been a long time coming, but the local news has confirmed that Dolly Parton will open a new Pirates Voyage Dinner Theater attraction to the Florida Panhandle by Spring 2025. They say that the new dinner theater attraction will open at Pier Park in Panama City Beach. This will be a new 60,000 sqft, 1,000-seat theater space, with a ground-breaking planned for January. Currently there are two other Pirates Voyage attractions in operation, the original in Myrtle Beach, SC and a second one added in Pigeon Forge, TN.
Now, the reason I say that this was a long time coming, is long-time readers may recall back in 2013, news reports came out claiming that Dolly and her World Choice Investment company had purchased property in nearby Destin, FL. The thought at the time was that they were planning to build either a Pirates Voyage or Dolly Parton’s Stampede dinner theater in Destin. Despite the reports claiming that four different parcels of land were purchased in 2013, nothing ever came of it. A decade later, it seems that Dolly and company never quite forgot their attempt to expand into Florida once again, following the sale and closure of the Dixie Stampede attraction in Orlando that ran from 2003 to 2008.
(10/27/2023) Uncle Bernie’s in the Ft. Lauderdale area, a small local amusement park, has confirmed on their social media pages that the park is now closed for good after operating for the past 20 years.
(9/9/2023) It was announced that Jacksonville’s Adventure Landing was expected to close at the end of the Summer season of 2021 to make way for new housing or apartments. Instead the attraction’s demise keeps getting extended, and according to the latest update the attraction has now extended their agreement with the land owner to remain in operation through to at least September 2024. Between now and then, Adventure Landing says that they will continue to explore their options to find a new location to rebuild the attraction for the future.
(8/18/2023) According to the local news, Lolita the killer whale at the Miami Seaquarium (also known as Toki) passed away earlier today. The whale was believed to be suffering from a possible “renal condition” and has been undergoing extensive treatment over the past two days. Lolita was thought to be about 57 years old and previously this year it was announced that plans were now in the works to see the whale released back into the wild.
(7/28/2023) A major new attraction is coming to the Daytona area in Florida. According to the local news the former Daytona Mall is now being transformed into a large aquarium attraction space. The reports say that the 55,000 sqft mall that sat most empty for years at the intersection of International Speedway Blvd and Nova Road will reopen at the Daytona Aquarium & Rainforest Adventure. The developer already has experience in the concept and has already opened an “Electric City Aquarium” attraction in Scranton, Pennsylvania. They hope to have the first part of the Aquarium ready to open by the end of the year followed by the Rainforest section sometime next year if all goes as planned.
(12/20/2022) The leaders ZooTampa at Lowry Park are sharing their vision for a 20-year / $125 million expansion plan. The goal is to expand the park’s Africa and Asian animal habitats, add a new habitat focused on South American wildlife, and a link to the Hillsborough River where they hope guests will one day be able to visit the Zoo via river taxi. Also included are plans are new exhibits featuring lions, gorillas, jaguars, sea lions, river otters, manatees and more.
The first pieces of the plan are already in development, which include a new interactive Stingray exhibit set to open in 2023 and an expanded Manatee rehab and care center that they hope will open in 2026.
(8/17/22) The Florida Aquarium in Tampa, FL has announced a $40 million expansion plan that will begin construction at the start of 2023. The expansion will see a new special exhibit gallery added, a multi-species galley with Puffins, an African penguin habitat, and a large outdoor exhibit for California Sea Lions. The project will be completed in a series of three phases, with the final phase to be finished sometime in 2025. Follow the link to learn more.
Illinois - (10/3/2024) A temporary experience attraction themed to the world of Rick & Morty will open in Chicago’s “Morgan Arts Complex” on December 6 and run through to Jan. 5th, 2025. The 25,000 sqft exhibit space will be transformed into an interactive version of Rick’s lab, as well as including things like a themed mini-golf course, Seal Team Rick Laser Tag and more. You can find out more about the Rick & Morty: Multiverse Mania Experience and pre-purchase tickets at the official website.
(2/1/2024) FlyOver, a new flying theater attraction in Chicago, has released the trailer promoting their new Chicago area experience called “Believe Chicago”. Look for it to open on March 1st at Navy Pier.
(8/14/2023) The Chicago area will be home to may may be the national premier haunted house this fall with the launch of Terror Roulette in The Arboretrum of South Barrington. According to the description potential guests must first sign a waiver and “safe words” will be issued in case the experience becomes too much to handle. From there groups of up to 8 people will enter the haunt to meet the The Dealer who rules over this land. The Dealer will assign each member a personalized playing card which will in turn be responsible for how you will take a unique path through the experience. For that to happen, the members of the group will be “separated and reshuffled” as they journey deeper into the experience and encounter an assortment of other creepy characters who each apparently rule over their own mini realms, and have their own unique abilities and traits.
According to Blooloop, Terror Roulette is a creation from “award-winning haunt expert Scott Swenson”, a name that is likely to sound very familiar to fans of the Howl-O-Scream event from Busch Gardens Tampa. During his tenure as Creative Director at the park he brought the terror of Howl-O-Scream to all new levels, including the creation of a unique haunt in 2010 called “Alone”, where guests were challenged to take on the darkness of a very unique haunted house all by themselves.
(7/30/2023) According to the latest update posted to Theme Park Tourist, the timeline for the proposed Eco Theme Park for the Chicago area has been updated. The previous timeline posted that including the opening of the Grand Atrium in Fall 2024 was apparently a reflection of pre-COVID times. The new current timeline proposed won’t see the project open until sometime between 2026-2027.
(7/22/2023) It’s been over a year since we’ve heard anything about the so self proclaimed “World’s First Eco Theme Park” project, but Theme Park Tourist has a new update on the Chicago area project. For starters, it seems we have a name and the park will be called “WILD”, but they are also talking about a 500+ room resort planned for the project called “The Adventurer Resort”.
The Adventurer Resort will be themed after “the exploits of the characters of Jules Verne, along with P.T. Barnum, Robert Ripley, among others,” to be wrapped up in a unique Steampunk themed package. If that wasn’t enough the planned resort will also be connected to a large indoor waterpark as well as a complex with an events/conference center space, restaurants, retail and the “Playhouse Theater”. Follow the link to see a collection of concert art for the proposed new resort.
They also mention that the complex will be connected to “The Grand Atrium” which is a large indoor attractions space for the park that will be open year-round and feature several dark rides, exhibits, a butterfly garden and a “wide format theater”. Access into The Grand Atrium will be free, but you’ll need to purchase a wristband to experience the attractions. From the sound of things, The Grand Atrium may also serve as access into the rest of the outdoor theme park when built, as they mentioned that it will be connected to ‘the main street of the theme park”.
Now for a bit of reality… the article also claims they plan to open The Grand Atrium in Fall of 2024 and the rest of the park by Summer 2025, but unless this is secretly under construction already, I just don’t see this timeline happening at all. A new modern theme park itself typically takes about 3 years to build, a small indoor attraction complex may be possible in 2 years, and typically we see resort properties with an indoor waterpark, like a Great Wolf Lodge, always take about 18 months minimum.
Perhaps a better comparison may be the timetable for the new Mattel Adventure Park under construction in Arizona. It was announced back in June 2021, and claimed they wanted it open by Late 2022 (18 months later) to handle all the crowds coming to the city for the Superbowl coming to the city in Feb. 2023. Obviously that didn’t happen, and serious construction didn’t even begin until Early 2022, the coasters didn’t start going up until Early 2023 and the mostly indoor park is now not expected to open until sometime in 2024. So with all that in mind, don’t plan your trip to Chicago just yet.
(4/29/2023) The latest “FlyOver” flying theater ride is coming to Chicago’s Navy Pier. While the attraction isn't’ set to open until Spring of 2024, construction is already in full swing as you can see in a video posted by a local news station. The new attraction will replace Navy Pier’s IMAX theater near the Centennial Wheel.
Flyover from Pursuit currently has attractions already open in Las Vegas, Iceland and Vancouver (Canda), with a second site to open in Toronto in 2024 as well. To learn more about the FlyOver attraction concept, be sure to check out Screamscape’s official review of the Las Vegas location that opened in 2021.
Iowa - (12/16/2024) I don’t know much about this project, and it seems like some of the scope has been trimmed back over the past two years, but the local news has posted some new renderings of a proposed indoor waterpark project for Des Moines, Iowa called “Grand Experience”. The $400 million project, which is said to be about twice the size of the Great Wolf Lodge waterpark resort in Kansas City, has been offered a financial incentive package from the city. In addition to the indoor waterpark, the complex would feature a 260-room resort hotel and a 34,000 sqft conference center.
(11/6/2022) According to a local news report a proposal has been made to build a $600 million project in West Des Moines, Iowa, that would include a massive 100,000sqft indoor waterpark, a 400-room resort hotel, a family entertainment center and several on-site dining options along with various retail and office space options, along with 1,200 housing units. They’re calling the project ‘The Grand Experience’ along with saying that this will be like having a “Great Wolf Lodge on steroids.”
The question is, will it ever get built? If things go as planned, they hope to break ground on the project in Fall 2023. They don’t give a timeline to open the first phases, but as a good comparison, it typically takes 18-24 months to build and open a Great Wolf Lodge resort, so at best you would be looking at a mid to late 2025 opening if things stay on schedule.
Kansas - (12/12/2024) While not a big park by any means, I’m told that the “All Star Adventure” FEC in Wichita has now closed down after being open nearly 30 years. According to some other posts on social media, the attraction was not seeking to be shut down, but instead are the victim of not owning the property under the park, and the land owner will not renew their lease, and is instead seeking to redevelop the property into something else.
With no other option open to them, the attraction owners are now seeking to try and sell as many of their rides and attractions as possible. Some of the attractions may be relocated across town to the All Star Sports location, but the rest will all have to be sold or removed. This is a sad day for Wichita, as I’m told that All Star Adventure was really the only operating amusement park in the area.
For those interesting, I’m told that they are currently looking to sell a Sellner Tilt-A-Whirl, Everly Spider, Wisdom Dragon Coaster, Childress Swings, Man-Co Paratrooper, Sellner Pumpkin Patch, Allen Herschel Helicopters, Wisdom Family Himalaya, SBF Bees Jet 6, Hi-Lite Carousel, Zamperla Train, Wisdom Miner Mike, Zamperla Kiddie Swings, Zamperla Clown Around, along with Bumper Boats and Go-Karts.
Louisiana - (6/3/2024) Six Flags New Orleans has now been closed since August 2005, essentially wiped off the map by Hurricane Katrina. Over the last 19 years the site has sat idle in a state of partial destruction and abandonment, only seen by the rare explorer who felt it was worth trespassing to visit, or by the occasional Hollywood production who rented it out as a filming location like Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters.
After nearly two decades, the site has now officially been leased and control handed off to some local businessmen, as part of Bayou Phoenix, who will officially assess and redevelop the site into something new. The initial plan includes building a youth sports complex, a water park, along with a couple hotels, a filming soundstage and more. Before any of that can come to be however, the site itself needs to be cleaned up and reassessed to determine how it can be developed.
According to a local news report, crews are already on site clearing out access roads that have been overgrown and lost for years, as well as removing any unwanted animals who may have moved into the abandoned park structures and made it their home. Before the end of summer arrives, expect to see a full demolition crew arrive on site with the intent of removing more than 90 amusement park rides and building structures scattered across the site.
Then it will be time to determine how much, if any, of the pilings and concrete slabs that were built under it all are salvageable, or if even all that must be removed to take the entire site back to basics. It doesn’t end there however, as they will also need the Army Corps of Engineers to study the site again to determine how much of it is “natural wetlands” and undergo a lengthy federal wetland permitting process.
However this plays out, it will be a long and drawn out process to redevelop the former theme park site into something new, but expect the decaying old buildings and rides like the MegaZeph roller coaster to start coming down later this year, forever removing them from the local skyline.
Maine - (2/18/2024) According to a post from Coaster Chit Chat on Facebook, a new indoor waterpark has been proposed that would be connected to a Ramada by Wyndham hotel in Saco, Maine. The project is working under the name “Saco Surf ‘N’ Slide” and would also include an additional 139-room hotel tower. The project is said to currently be under review by the city.
Michigan - (4/1/2024) C.J. Barrymore’s (Michigan) will open the new Indy SkyTrack, a $3 million 30-foot tall multi-level go-kart track sometime in May. They are currently holding a contest where 50 winners will be invited to the ribbon cutting event to be one of the first to test-drive the new track.
Missouri - (11/9/2024) MidWestInfoGuide reports that the Big Surf Waterpark at Lake of the Ozarks (MO) seems to have purchased the former Dolphin Dash 6-lane mat-racer slide from Zoombezi Bay. Zoombezi Bay ran the attraction this past summer and surprised their guests when they closed it for good on Sept. 2 and removed it to make way for something new as well that has yet to be announced.
and... in the Branson area...
(11/9/2024) According to local news reports two women were taken in for treatment after falling approximately 6 feet out of the Copperhead Mountain Coaster located at Shepherd’s Adventure Park near Branson, MO. Both women were reported as being in their 50s, and while they somehow fell out during a turn on the attraction, nothing further has been reported as to how this may have happened.
This is one of those mountain coasters that loads at the top, has a single very long downhill run before loading onto a very long lift hill at the end back to the station at the top. You can see a good POV of it in action below.
(6/13/2024) According to a post by Coaster101, the St. Louis Union Station is planning to open a three-ride package from Zamperla in 2025. The ride package will include a small spinning roller coaster, a Wave Swinger and Galleon swinging ship, which will be added not far from the current location of the St. Louis Wheel. Follow the link to see some concept art and more details about how this former train station is being turned into a new major attraction for the city.
(12/17/2023) According to local news reports the KC Wheel is now open. The 150-foot tall Ferris Wheel in Kansas City has been under construction since the Summer and misseds the original planned opening date in November. The lit-up wheel features fully enclosed gondolas and offers a view of the Kansas City skyline. The rest of the complex below the wheel is still under construction and will feature a mini-golf course along with several restaurants and bars.
(3/13/2023) If you didn’t read our last article, know that the City Museum in St. Louis will soon feature a new attraction on the roof of the building. Joining the assortment of odd looking structures and attractions at this most unique attraction will be the former Sea Dragon ride from California’s Pacific Pier. The old ride has been removed from the Santa Monica Pier location and is being prepared to be shipped to St. Louis.
(9/5/22) Blooloop has announced that a new “inclusive and accessible” theme park for visitors with “mental, physical or intellectual disabilities” is being developed in Missouri. The 60 acre park, to be called Spirit of Discovery Park, will follow in the footsteps of Morgan’s Wonderland in San Antonio, Texas as a park designed and built from the ground up to be fully accessible for people with special needs, “regardless of age, ability or mental acumen.”
Currently Spirit of Discovery Park has submitted an offer on the land they wish to purchase, and have already performed the needed environmental and economic impact studies. The next steps will be to finish the planning for the park with 3D and architectural drawings to be submitted to the city for approval, along with the continuation of a fundraising campaign to ensure that the dream becomes a reality. Once the land is obtained and plans approved, they believe the park would could be constructed within three years.
Montana - (5/17/2023) A proposed “Flathead Lake Alpine Coaster” project in Lakeside, Montana just got final approval of their plans from Montana’s DOT. Numerous local residents have been opposed to the project for some time now. While the DOT has signed off on the project, there are still other permits still under review that must be approved before construction can begin.
Nebraska - (2/10/2024) The city of Bellevue, Nebraska has approved to issue bonds to build a $60 million resort project that would include a massive indoor waterpark that would be open year round. If things go as planned the project could be open by 2026. Based on the photos they are showing off of what the park would look like, it seems they are modeling their project after the huge Epic Waters waterpark in Texas.
New Hampshire - (1/12/2024) Apparently Candia Springs Adventure Park in New Hampshire announced on social media that they would “no longer continue operating going forward”. Unfortunately, it seems that shortly after making this announcement, the park’s Facebook and Instagram pages were taken offline. The main website is still live, but has not been updated to reflect anything to do with 2024 at this time.
New York - Note: All New York City News Has Been Moved to a Dedicated Page
North Carolina - (10/12/2024) According to the official website, the small “Tweetsie” theme park in the North Carolina mountains is now closed due to the impact of Hurricane Helene. The statement from the park on their website now says that Tweetsie will remain closed for the rest of the fall season, and isn’t planned to reopen until November 29th for the park’s Tweetsie Christmas event.
The closure isn’t so much due to damage at the park, but more due to the impact from the storm on the local community overall “impacting countless families, small businesses, and employees.” The park is remaining closed for the Fall season and “allowing our staff and the surrounding area to prioritize rebuilding and restoring what was lost.”
(7/3/2024) Tweetsie, a small railroad park in the mountains of North Carolina, north of Charlotte, was making their preparations for the park’s 4th of July celebration events, only to have their massive 40 x 25 foot US Flag stolen overnight. Typically the park mounts the flag to the side of a large train trestle that faces the front parking lot and entrance of the park, but when workers arrived back at the park one morning, the flag was gone and appears to have been cut or ripped off the bridge structure.
Ohio - (8/11/2024) Something new and spooky is coming to the Cincinnati area this fall! According to a press release the Silicon Valley Haunt Investors have announced a “50% acquisition of All Hallows Eve Terror Town”, which will evolve this year into the new “Cincinnati Fear Fest”.
“Nathan Polanco, CEO of Silicon Valley Haunt Investors, expressed his excitement about the acquisition. "Our vision is to elevate Cincinnati Fear Fest into a premier Halloween destination. This is not just an event; it's a flagship of our expanding empire, setting new standards for haunted attractions across the country," said Polanco. Cincinnati Fear Fest will be an immersive Halloween festival featuring multiple haunted attractions, secret bars, vendors, live shows, and food; each designed to terrify and delight.”
This year’s event will include a chance to freely roam through the chilling “Town of Bravado”, full of eerie shops, sinister vendors, and spine-tingling shows. There will be three separate haunted attractions (to be announced) and two outdoor scare-zones. Visit the official Cincinnati Fear Fest website for all the details available now, as well as future announcements.
(12/15/2023) You can stick a fork in it, because Cincinnati's Coney Island amusement park is now officially done. According to various news articles the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and their attached management company have purchased the amusement park and site to build a new $118 million “entertainment campus” that will include “the nation’s best amphitheater” for live musical performances.
According to the latest update to the Coney Island website, they thank everyone for supporting the site over the years and state that any 2024 season passes purchased already for the Sunlite Pool will be fully refunded.
(10/3/2023) For those who fondly remember SeaWorld Ohio, huge batch of still images taken during a drone flight over the former theme park late last month have been posted to Facebook, which you can see below. Enjoy!
Oklahoma - (12/26/2022) It looks like things are still moving forward with the plans to build the OKANA Resort and Indoor Waterpark near Oklahoma City. An official ground-breaking ceremony took place on Oct. 31st for the project which is now hoping to open in Early 2025 if all goes well. We first mentioned the OKANA project back in October 2021, which you can see here.
 (10/23/21) Chickasaw Nation Governor Bill Anoatubby announced plans to create a major resort destination near the newly-opened First Americans Museum along the Oklahoma River near downtown Oklahoma City. The plans feature the “OKANA Resort & Indoor Waterpark”, a $300 million project, with a first phase said to develop 40 acres of the 140 acre site with an 11-story 404-room resort hotel, a 5-acre adventure lagoon with sandy beaches good for play and relaxation, a 33,000 sqft family entertainment center, an 100,000 sqft indoor waterpark, along with a conference center, spa, golf simulator and a shopping district that will feature numerous shops and restaurants.
Future phases will expand the project and new amenities and attractions, like an amphitheater and large lawn space able to host various performances, festivals and other events. The OKANA Resort will also connect to the nearby Boathouse District through a new Oklahoma River Cruises Ferry Landing and have access pathways to the north and south side of the property. If all goes as planned, the project could be complete by late spring 2024.
Pennsylvania - (7/4/2024) I haven’t heard if this project was ever given approval to move forward, but a reader forwarded an article about a plan proposed earlier this year to build the “Esplanade” on a 15-acre site in Pittsburgh that would feature a 180 foot tall Ferris Wheel. The Esplanade project has been kicking around in different forms since before the pandemic, but it was mentioned that the developer was expecting to finally seek permission to move forward on this mixed-use project that would also feature 400 apartments, a riverfront amphitheater and a variety of restaurants and retail locations. The choice of including a Ferris wheel here is an important one to the locale, as George Ferris, the inventor of the attraction, lived in a home only about a mile from the proposed waterside location.
(8/5/2023) According to Blooloop the new OTHERWORLD location opened in Philadelphia yesterday. If you haven’t heard of OTHERWORLD, it is similar in concept to a Meow Wolf attraction, with the original Otherworld location starting in Columbus, Ohio. The new location features over 55 unique rooms with all new designs and features, allowing guests to take a self-guided multi-dimensional tour beyond your imagination.
South Carolina - (10/30/2024) The Funplex amusement complex in Myrtle Beach has announced on their website that they have now closed down for good. Having just opened in 2021, this was a short run for the new attraction, as the company will now focus their efforts to continue to run the other two Funplex attractions in Mount Laurel and East Hanover, New Jersey.
(9/2/2024) Readers who visit the Myrtle Beach area may recall that a Simpsons themed attraction (4D Theater) with an attached Kwik-E-Mart gift-shop soft opened in April 2019 at Broadway at the Beach. After a 5 year run, apparently it seems the attraction shut down sometime in mid to late April (probably shortly after Spring Break).
The closure was apparently a bit sudden as Broadway at the Beach’s website was still reporting that it was an active attraction for much of the summer, and guests that arrived claimed that while the doors were closed the Kwik-E-Mart seemed to still be fully stocked and Squishee drink machines were seen to still be swirling away the frosty beverages in the darkness.
As most of you are aware, Disney closed the deal to purchase 20th Century Fox in 2019, and they never would have approved of this deal, so I’m sure there was a rush to get the Myrtle Beach attraction open as soon as possible. Given the timeline, I’m guessing they may have only had a 5-year licensing deal in place, with plans to re-new it if the attraction proved to be successful in South Carolina, which may have been the reason for closing everything while leaving it ready to open for so long, if they were attempting to negotiate or even legally wrangle with Disney to keep whatever IP renewal options they thought they had in place.
Now that Labor Day weekend is coming to a close, marking the end of the summer, a new picture from Myrtle Beach has surfaced on social media showing that all the Simpsons themed branding on the outside of the attraction had been completely removed. Now your only way to see what it looked like to walk-up to it is through the magic of Google Maps.
(1/24/2024) According to some images posted to social media, Shipwreck Cove in Duncan, SC is planning a $6.2 to $6.5 million expansion that will see 10 to 12 new waterslides added from Polin, including a pirate ship themed version of Polin’s King Cobra slide.
(12/27/2023) According to a news report a go-kart track in Myrtle Beach (Broadway Grand Prix) is being sued by a family following claims that their 13-year old daughter is now permanently disfigured by an accident at the attraction. According to the article the 13-year old’s kart crashed into another kart and then caught on fire. The child was unable to free herself from the go-kart as it caught fire, causing severe burns and “mental anguish” as a result.
South Dakota - (9/28/2024) We haven't really heard anything about this proposed new amusement park in quite some time, but the local news has posted a small update about the planned Liberty Land park for Rapid City, South Dakota. The last actual movement on the project that we heard about was when the site was officially rezoned at the end 2022 to a mixed-use plan to allow for the project to move forward.
According to the update, no breaking of ground has occurred yet, but the development plans for the 300-acre property are still said to be moving forwards, which will include not only the amusement park, but a concert amphitheater, indoor waterpark, a restaurant and retail center and… an “RV Resort”.
Ooof! There is the big red flag for me.
While I don’t have a problem with RV parks in general, whenever they are brought up as part of a development plan to build a new theme park resort, things just never go well and most of the time the planned parks are never built. Or at least that has been my experience in covering theme park news on Screamscape now for over 25 years. They say that the “phase one” of construction on the Liberty Land project isn’t expected to be complete until at least 2030 at this point, but they also fail to mention exactly what is included in this “Phase One”. If Phase One ends up being the RV Park… you can probably kiss this entire project goodbye, as the entirely proposal to build the theme park usually turns out to have been nothing more than a smoke and mirrors attempt to misguide everyone that a developer’s plan to really just build an RV Park would somehow turn into something far more grandiose that will never get built once they get what they really want out of it.
I hope I’m wrong here, but... we’ll just have to wait and see how things go, especially if they reveal more details about what they prioritize as Phase One.
(11/22/2023) An interesting mixed-use concept called Libertyland USA Theme Park & Resort has been proposed for Black Hills, South Dakota. A link about the project has been posted to the Storyland Studios website, where they describe features like the theme park, a residential district, a retail & dining area, a 300-room hotel with an indoor waterpark and a nearby RV park and campground.
They aren’t real clear on the timeline for this project, which probably means that things are still pretty fluid right now and very much in the blue-sky design phase. According to a local news report however a developer associated with the project tnear Rapids City mentioned a 2026 opening date, but the last actual movement on the project came in November 2022 when a parcel of property that appears to be part of this project was approved for re-zoning. At the time of the 2022 re-zoning request, the developers said that the project would be built up in two phases, with a completion not expected until 2030.
So with a new 2026 being mentioned, this may perhaps be the goal they are shooting for to open the first phase, though we don’t know exactly what sections of the resort property that entails at this time.
Tennessee - (2/1/2024) K1 Speed, a huge operator of indoor go-kart attractions across the US (86 locations) has confirmed that they have plans to build yet another large center in Tennessee. The chain opened their first Tennessee location in Nashville in 2023 and just opened another in Memphis, and will follow this up with the opening of a massive 105,000 sqft location in Knoxville this summer.
Texas - (12/13/2024) MSN reports that the city of Dallas, Texas has purchased the local Adventure Landing FEC for about $13.7 million. The long term goal will be to transform the 13.5 acre property into as new community park, while still preserving some of the existing attractions.
For the time being Adventure Landing itself will continue to operate and be managed by the current management team, while the nearby soccer fields will be public amenities to be maintained by the city’s Parks & Rec department.
(12/1/2024) While I’m unable to fact-check this myself, a post on Reddit claims that during an ACE event at ZDT last month the family owners of ZDT mentioned a plan to “retire soon”, and to do so they would be looking to sell the park to someone else to run. If they are unable to sell the park, they would then look into selling off the rides to new homes and eventually selling off the property. According to the post the asking price for the Switchback is said to be about $3.1 million, but of course that price would not include the cost of transporting it to a new home or the cost of assembly.
ZDT has been a family owned and operated attraction, where it has been said that Danny Donhauser, the owner, does the majority of the daily maintenance on the Switchback himself. So if the Donhauser family is ready to retire, it would explain a lot about what may be going on there.
(11/30/2024) If you find yourself in Texas anywhere near San Antonio, you might want to venture a bit east to check out the ZDT Amusement Park, which is about a 50 minute drive from either Six Flags Fiesta Texas or SeaWorld San Antonio. The smallish ZDT is perhaps most well known as being home to the unique Switchback wooden coaster, which may be the only wooden shuttle coaster in existence, created by The Gravity Group.
While the Switchback quietly opened in 2015, it might not get to celebrate a 10th birthday next year, as it was reported at IAAPA that the Switchback was being listed as being up for sale at The Gravity Groups tradeshow booth. The exact reasons for the sale aren’t known, though it is thought that the rising maintenance costs involved with keeping Switchback open may have simply become too much for the small attraction to continue to support going forward.
To get a great look at this unique attraction, that features both a traditional lift hill and a spike-track at the end, using a unique track switch to allow for the train to return to the station, check out the POV video below.
(10/27/2024) Good news, as The Grinch is coming to San Antonio this winter as part of a new seasonal “ICE!” event happening at the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country resort. You may recall hearing about the ICE! display events as an exclusive attraction to the various Gaylord Resorts around the country for a number of years. Marriott purchased the chain back in 2012 and I’m not sure exactly what took them so long, but it looks like this may be the first time one of the Gaylord style “ICE!” events is happening at a Marriott branded resort. (Please correct me if I’m wrong on that point, as I don’t recall seeing one anywhere else since Marriott bought the resort chain.)
If you’ve never been before, the resorts bring in a team artists who carve fantastic worlds and characters out of giant blocks of ice, building a colorful display within an enclosed environment chilled just below freezing. All Guests are outfitted with a parka as they step inside frozen wonderlands that have new themes each season!
For those in Texas, the Gaylord Texas resort to the north will also have their own ICE! display this year with a Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer theme. Outside of Texas, you can also enjoy “Ice!” displays themed to Charlie Brown at the Gaylord National (Maryland), Elf at the Gaylord Palms (Orlando), Frosty the Snowman at the Gaylord Opryland (Nashville), and The Polar Express at the Gaylord Rockies (Denver).
(5/1/2024) Something interesting is in the works for Austin, Texas from one of the co-founders of Meow Wolf. The project is called Submerisive and is described as a sort of a blending on the immersive art concepts of Meow Wolf combined with the offering of a relaxing day at the Spa. Right now the plan is to open the first phase of the 25,000 high-tech wellness space sometime in 2026 that plans to do nothing short of “reinvent the art of bathing”.
Through the use of video projections, lasers and AI technology, Subversive plans are to construct a world that “takes you beyond relaxation into elevated states of consciousness including awe, wonder, inspiration, transcendence, euphoria, and hyper-presence”.
Austin isn’t the end either, as there are plans to expand the concept across the US at first, and eventually even international locations are possible. But first… Austin… which will open in limited form in 2026 and with plans to expand and fully complete what that first location has to offer by 2028.
Personally, I find the concept very interesting and something I’d be interesting in trying, as I’ve always been very curious about the concept of finding improved relaxation and focus by spending time in a Sensory Deprivation Tank (or Float Tank), that is supposed to allow you to really unwind and de-stress both body and mind. I’ve never had the chance to visit one, but it’s something on my bucket list for sure, and the concept of Submersive sounds like it might be something great to experience as well.
(4/14/2024) You’ve got to feel bad for Lubbock, Texas. Not only did they close their local amusement park when Joyland announced they were closing for good at the end of the 2022 season, but a new proposed waterpark project has also bailed out on the city. This latest bit of news came a few days ago when the proposed Aqua Cabana Water Park posted on their social media platforms that their new waterpark that was supposed to open in 2025 was no longer going to be coming to Lubbock.
While the post has since been removed, and it looks like their Facebook page has been taken down or made private for the time being, the various news reports say that the post essentially blamed the city for having a slow and troublesome bureaucratic process. Since they were unable to secure any required permits to build the waterpark due to the afore mentioned difficulties, they were abandoning the project.
Now, you may be wondering, why has Screamscape never reported on this before? If you’ll search the site, you’ll see no mentions ever of an Aqua Cabana Water Park project… and that’s because we never heard of it at all before now. Screamscape isn’t perfect and the occasional story does slip my attention from time to time. The word about this new project apparently was first mentioned back in 2023, but the news never really left the Lubbock area, as the developer never pushed the news out for bigger exposure.
Screamscape isn’t the only one that never got updates on the projects either… as the city of Lubbock itself has responded to say that they had never received any kind of communication from the waterpark developer either. No contact about forming a new new business development, no plans ever submitted, no requests for a site plan review, or even a simple permit request. Zero… nada… nothing at all.
This is where things get even more juicy… as it seems the developer behind this stealth waterpark project was primarily a home builder who worked extensively in the area on various communities. I’m not sure about how this works in Texas, but the state is somewhat unique in the fact that it is full of small regional waterparks, many of which are linked to the various neighborhoods and smaller communities in some fashion. In fact, they are practically marketed as a sort of a benefit of moving out to these smaller communities in the suburbs.
There are already comments on social media regarding their opinions that the work quality on their homes from this developer were sub-par. There have also been issues with people who had already established home next door to new works from this developer claiming their property was damaged along the way, and then lied to about who was responsible. For those people, when they heard about the waterpark in 2023, they already had a feeling that it would never be built, as the supposed location was next to housing developments from this same developer. According to a post from a City Councilwoman, no company was ever set up to build the Aqua Cabana Water Park at all. In fact, the property itself has never been zoned to even allow for a waterpark, and no request was ever made to rezone it for that use. Their thought is that the developer was using the empty promise of a non-existent waterpark project as an incentive to sell more homes.
(7/23/2023) TexasLand USA… a new theme park concept is apparently being pitched for the Houston area by a local entrepreneur. Like so many people before, they remember that Houston’s own Astroworld theme park closed back in 2005 and the city has never been quite the same without it. In fact, Houston would be the only major city in Texas without a theme park right now, as even Austin is working on building COTAland.
Meanwhile Houston can also claim to belong to the short list of major cities that once had a large theme park, only to see them closed and the land sold off to developers. In that regard Astroworld shares some history with other closed parks like Opryland in Nashville, Geauga Lake outside Cleveland, Bell’s in Tulsa and even the original Coney Island theme parks. Currently the hourglass is also ticking down to the eventual demise of Elitch Gardens in Colorado, which is being removed to make way for more urban mixed-use development projects.
Does Houston deserve a new theme park? Sure it does! The loss of any long standing theme park to a community is not something easily measured. Historically it has also proven to be something extremely difficult to come back from, due to the complexity involved in creating a new theme park from scratch. Plus the need for very deep pockets to see the dream become a reality. I wish them all the luck in the world, but until they are ready to start construction, I’ll believe it when I see it.
Washington - (7/6/2024) Things went a little awry at a carnival in Washington this week when six riders on a ride at the Oak Harbor carnival were injured when the whole ride tipped over. The ride was named Cyclone and was some kind of kiddie swing ride owned by Paradise Amusements of Idaho. No further information is available at this time, but following the incident, all rides at the carnival have been shut down for the rest of the event.
I wasn’t able to find any kind of website for Paradise Amusements of Idaho (just another company based in Florida) and it looks like they have either shut down or made their Facebook pages private for the time being. The news broadcast was able to confirm that Paradise Amusements is currently slated to run the rides at the nearby Whidbey Island Fair taking place in late July 25-28th, 2024.
(3/31/2024) By the end of the year Seattle will become home to a new escape room experience themed to the Tomb Raider video game and film franchise. The new attraction comes as part of a partnership between the video game developer, Crystal Dynamics, and Hourglass Attractions. Players will be asked to join Laura Croft as she explores the depths of a new mysterious temple that had emerged out of a volcano. Look for it to open by the end of the year on the Seattle waterfront near Pike Place Market.
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