SFNO/Southern Star Saga Discussion Thread

[danny622I Guess Donkeys Are Okay]

Can't wait for Freestyle Music Park New Orleans, Danny

Ive been to Freestyle and spent 3 months looking that park over, and you know what I think it could be saved but then again I am always the optimist! As to New Orleans I wish I had Freestyle in the place of whats there now, it would be a much easier fix

Oh well time will tell for both parks but dont be supprised to see Freestyle come back to life and make it this time!
Thanks
Danny
SSAI

[danny622I Guess Donkeys Are Okay]

Serious question to Danny.....

Who invented liquid soap? and WHY?!?!?

Hendrik Willem Brouwer working for Lever Brothers received patent number US4065398: Liguid Soap
reason was looking for a soap that could be dispenced in public places, look it up for more details if you wish.
Thanks
Danny
SSAI

[jedimaster1227Open Up Happiness]

I've been reading your posts on the other site since you first introduced yourself a while ago, and have seen your testimony before, but the biggest question I've had since the start was why invest in a place that really doesn't seem to want a theme park anymore? Looking at the available board on the US map of parks that still stand (or at least the infrastructure does), why do you hold a beyond-wrecked shell over the fully constructed possibility of a park like Hard Rock Park/Freestyle Music Park? Or even consider utilizing the existing infrastructure at a former amusement base such as Geauga Lake? I understand the fact that things are salvageable at what was Six Flags New Orleans, but what is the real use in pumping funds into a park that will ultimately leak them like a sieve.

I know you don't appreciate our collective skepticism here, but you have to realize coming in here that we've seen major ventures sink in less than two months from their opening... Just because it is a good idea in theory or on paper, doesn't make it a great idea in actuality. If there is some reason to believe that Southern Star Amusements' vision is any more viable than the ones that led the creation of Hard Rock Park, Wild West World, the re-investment in Freestyle Music Park or that crazy idea for the Orlando Thrill Park, then I'd be more inclined to listen with more good faith, but as of right now, your words and all that we have seen from Southern Star Amusements has been no better than anything I've mentioned above.

All excuses/apparent setbacks aside, I just don't see any reason to think that this project has any more chance of success than half of the parks announced for Dubai, most of which are dead in the water or in this case, the desert.

EDIT: By the way, I need to ask you to stop double posting from now on. In quoting people, feel free to quote multiple people in a single post using the Quote button in your posting window. Although we welcome you to the forums, I must let you know that double posting isn't allowed on Theme Park Review.

[chadsterThe Pony Express can't find my teepee]

^^ Now that's impressive.
^ I'm patiently awaiting a response to something simliar to what you are saying...

[Jew"It's not small, but it is very 'average.'"]

So...uhh...

Where's the money coming from? You couldn't even get a $500,000 refundable deposit.

[BeemerBoyWDW Monorail Fanatic]

Danny, this mindless question and answer game will last longer than a re-opened park in New Orleans.

[danny622I Guess Donkeys Are Okay]

^Hard Rock/Freestyle Music Park wasn't that far from the beach either.

This is the last time I will go over this with you, I told you I would be willing to answer your questions. I did not say I would put up with abuse. I am open to your ideas and yes some criticism as I know I am not perfect, however I will remind all of you that I am the one doing the work (my company) taking the risks and spending our money to try and save the park. So please again be civil.

There is no intention for this thread to be "abusive." I have serious doubts about your "work", so I am merely trying to fill in the gaps. One thing that still baffles me is how your "investor" was afraid to put up the $500,000 refundable deposit (held in escrow) at that October meeting, and then somehow the very next month (exactly one day before the next board meeting in which you could have gone for final approval of the bond) you are claiming to have $12.5 million to buy the property outright? With $12.5 million available to you, it seems to me like the logical thing to do would have been to put down the money to get the bond so your efforts could really take off?

I would also like to know who the "best minds in the industry" working for you are what experience you and your team have in the industry.

Lastly, you should be ashamed of yourself for dodging Robb's question!

I have spent a lot of time thinking about your questions, for the most part it seems to me that no matter what I answer you will always think you know better, I will however answer your questions. The truth is investors do what they feel is the right thing to do, Its there money after all! The investor in question made the offer in writing to the city, the city (the mayor)turned them down, the investor walked away! (That's public record) You know it may come as a shock but investors do that from time to time. As to the money for the bonds you have already been given the answer, but again it was my call to pull back and wait for the paper work to be sure we would get the bonds. There was no need to tie up the money until we were ready (again investor call on placing the money in escrow) why tie up working funds with no interest being returned on investment is my best guess. As to the best minds in the industry well now if you think for one minute that a company like MTVN (Nickelodeon) would ever get involved with a bunch of country bumpkins then you really need to stop smoking what ever it is your smoking. The names of our employees and contractors are not public record as we are not a publicly held company. We also have NDA's in place that keep me from going into detail. I am not ashamed of one thing I have ever done, and I did answer the soap question just for the fun of it (had to look it up, LOL.) If you don't think the park will ever work that's fine you have the right to your opinion. As for me I am going to keep working on it.

Thanks'
Danny
SSAI

[kdman76I Love Donkeys!]

I don't understand why when someone tries to help out a ride or a park, people on this site bash them like they are dirt. So he's not the one you wanted and you don't think he can do it. He is trying. That's more than I can say for you all. I used to love this site but now it seems like it is full of hybrid drivers who smell their own farts.

I can understand actions like this from a 14 y/o, but most of you are grown men. Those of you from around the Big Easy should be asking if you can help, not bashing. I do not know alot about this deal or this park. Is there even enough population left there to sustain an amusement park?

[danny622I Guess Donkeys Are Okay]

Sorry about the double posting, just trying to keep my answers in context of who asked what, LOL As to my project you may be right but one must try. I am looking at other parks we are just not talking about them having our hands full with New Orleans and not needing another PR nightmare to go alone with this one. It may well be that New Orleans can not be saved but no one can say I did not try. The only reason for posting is to help get support for the project, you will always have people who want to stone you, that's life and I have grown used to putting up with some of them. I must say at first it was hard to take the slings and arrows of others but I remember what Walt Disney once said about his project in California so long ago. "Following your dream will always be the hardest road you will ever travel" I have been on this earth longer then most of you who post and have come up through the school of hard knocks starting as a Carny (Carnival worker) at age 10 working all summer long to earn money for school in the coming winter. I served my country in Vietnam and returned home to be called a baby killer to my face. I worked for Walt Disney and that was the best time of my life. I have been in this industry for so long I cant remember parts of it now but would not change a thing as I have indeed traveled that road that Walt described so long ago. So no nothing you can say will stop me from giving it all I have as I feel it is the right thing to do.

Thanks
Danny
SSAI

[kdman76I Love Donkeys!]

^ I am only 34 and had to work from a young age too. I just thought that was life in the south. I bet most of these prep kids did not have to work for anything. You can tell in there attitude. Mommy and Daddy bought them a nice education.