Jump to content
  TPR Home | Parks | Twitter | Facebook | YouTube | Instagram 

New Amusement Park planned for... Tracy, CA?


Recommended Posts

Supposedly, a $1.2 billion amusement park resort will be planned for the Tracy Area.

 

Here is a quote from two newspapers:

 

Catching everybody by surprise, Tracy is giving a Los Gatos developer a shot to build a $1.2 billion tourist destination four times bigger than Disneyland.

 

The city gave an exclusive right to negotiate for 628 acres to James Rogers and Spirit of California LLC. Spirit of California is the name of the proposed theme park.

 

"This will create a destination entertainment park that will exceed Disneyland," proclaimed Rogers, 54. "Six Flags and other parks don't rival this."

 

Rogers envisions hordes of visitors flocking to a huge mosaic of attractions north of Tracy: an amusement park, race track, casino, hotel, convention center, wine-tasting center, Delta marina and more.

 

The project, which has become much bigger than the city of Tracy expected, is still evolving. Some aspects will change, said Rogers, who is still commissioning studies.

 

Nevertheless, he says he wants to break ground in two years and have the park built out by 2024.

 

"Tracy is the perfect spot for it," Rogers said.

 

According to Rogers' calculations, there are 8.5 million people living within a one-hour radius, eight highways and a dearth of recreation.

 

"A lot of kids who go to college don't come back," Rogers said. " 'There's nothing to do in Tracy,' that's the most common comment I've heard there."

 

Spirit of California will fix that, he said. "Everything that happens in California can happen at this destination," he said. "And it's going to be exciting and entertaining." The project originated in 2008 with the closure of the Altamont raceway. A couple of Tracy entrepreneurs approached the city about building a race track on Holly Sugar plant land the city bought after the plant closed in 2000.

 

Rogers came aboard, saw Tracy's connection to the Bay Area, even water access, and decided to propose a vastly bigger project.

 

"Why don't we expand the thing into a destination project and the synergy that's created by having all these different venues makes all of them more successful than they'd be on their own?" he said he reasoned.

 

Tracy is interested because the project dovetails nicely with north city land use, said Tracy City Manager Leon Churchill.

 

The city is building a sports complex on the sugar plant land. The park could enhance it. It could also boost the West Valley Mall and other nearby retail, Churchill said.

 

In fact, the economic impact of a successful theme park would be huge countywide. Disneyland, which attracts about 40,000 visitors a day, pumps $4.7 billion annually into the Southern California economy.

 

The environmental impacts would be equally huge. Rogers claims he can keep the Altamont from gridlocking with rail and bus. The project has not reached the stage of concrete mitigation proposals.

 

It is not even clear Spirit of California will be built.

 

Its visionary magnitude invites comparison to Gold Rush City/Califia, another enormous theme park proposed for Lathrop in the 1990s. The project fizzled.

 

Tracy is protecting itself, Churchill said. "The city will not go forward or allocate staff time or any resources whatsoever until we get verification of financial viability," he said. "Whether it was real or a pipe dream will be proven by the level of investment it obtains."

 

The exclusive right to negotiate lays out various deadlines for Rogers, including proving he has the money. Rogers missed that deadline.

 

"I have multiple investors at the table that will put up the entire amount," Rogers asserted, saying, "Until the studies are done, you can't sign people."

 

Rogers said he will produce proof of financing within a month.

 

The project came as a complete surprise to Stockton leaders. "It's news to me," said Stockton chamber CEO Douglass Wilhoit. He added, "If it's true, the economic impact would be wonderful."

 

John Beckman, head of the Building and Industry Association of the Greater Valley, was caught off guard, too.

 

"My only trepidation is like many of those big, grand ideas - they go a little ways and then don't go anywhere," Beckman said. But, "If the guy was able to actually build it, it'd be incredible."

 

A leading Sierra Club member, also an urban planner, Eric Parfrey, called the idea "just absurd on the face of it."

 

"To put an amusement park on the far side of the Altamont Pass away from 8 million people in the Bay Area makes no sense at all," Parfrey said. "It's a nonstarter."

 

Crunch time for Rogers is Sept. 20, when the exclusive right to negotiate expires. He must satisfy all Tracy's requirements by then.

 

He vows he will - and if San Joaquin County does not become the Happiest Place on Earth, it will be much more fun and prosperous. "You'll finally in the Central Valley have a real destination with something for everybody," he said.

http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20120822/A_NEWS0803/208220329/-1/NEWSMAP

 

TRACY, Calif. -- A developer is proposing to build a $1.2 billion entertainment hub in Tracy that would be four times bigger than Disneyland.

 

The Stockton Record (http://bit.ly/Pxv71v ) reports city officials gave James Rogers and Spirit of California the exclusive right to negotiate for 628 acres north of Tracy, about 60 miles east of San Francisco.

 

The Los Gatos developer says the Spirit of California project would include an amusement park, race track, casino, hotel, convention center, wine-tasting center and marina.

 

Rogers is still commissioning studies on the project, but says he wants to break ground in two years and have it built by 2024.

 

But the project is likely to run into opposition from residents worried about its environmental impacts. Local Sierra Club member Eric Parfrey calls the idea a "nonstarter."

http://www.mercurynews.com/california/ci_21376248/developer-proposes-theme-park-tracy-four-times-bigger

 

Supposedly, this is breaking news as both articles were posted today. Honestly, I think this will be a flop and never be built since there is not much more demand for another amusement park in Northern California as we already have SFDK, CGA, SCBB, and many smaller parks. I think that Tracy isn't the best location, but I can see this park attract the Bay Area and especially Stockton & Sacramento. But, what do you think?

Edited by gisco
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 84
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Top Posters In This Topic

Posted Images

Supposedly, this is breaking news as both articles were posted today. Honestly, I think this will be a flop and never be built since there is not much more demand for another amusement park in Northern California as we already have SFDK, CGA, SCBB, and many smaller parks. But, what fo you think?

 

I think they be better off in a location with no competition like say Houston, Texas. A city in desperate need of a theme park. 1.2 Billion would probably get you a lot more here in Texas as well. I'm just saying. But like you said, I'm sure its not going to happen.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Also, this park talks about how much money Disney is getting and salivating over how much money it makes... If you want to build a park like Disneyland with as much success as Disneyland, good luck!

 

The most recent big park I can think of is Hard Rock Park which opened with a $400 million budget. So, I think this park can be a little conservative and open with a $300 million budget and open with one major coaster to draw the crowds (like HRP). But $1.2 billion! You have to be out of your mind! This will be a dream and stay a dream unless he re-thinks his plan or gets easy-to-persuade investors.

 

Oh, and this is not even thinking about how it is located in Tracy, CA.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The article clearly states they want to build more than just a theme park. Those other things cost money too. I just don't see this happening though and obviously the release of this information was just to get support from locals n stuff. I don't think building a resort is always a case of 'if you build it they will come.'

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Whoa this came out of nowhere, just saw the newsflash on the local news as soon as I read this. Though it's funny every time I pass through Tracy to get to CGA, via the Altamont Pass, I always wondered how cool it would be to build a theme park in all the open land I see. Of course it's a pipe dream. There's gonna be A LOT of hurdles to jump over living in the land we call California. Also I find it amusing how they compare Disneyland making a ton of moolah, but there's a reason why, it's DISNEY!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Cool. Not going to happen.

 

As the recent past has shown, NorCal can barely support two medium sized parks, let alone another huge one. Alhough Tracy is in somewhat reasonable distance of Sacramento, San Jose, and San Francisco, all of these cities already have parks that are closer (excluding Sacramento; I believe SFDK is about the same distance away as Tracy.)

 

Apparently, they want this to be "Disneyland North". Not to offend anyone, but, with the nearest major city being Stockton, I think they are more likely to be the "Magic Mountain North".

Link to comment
Share on other sites

While Tracy is the "crossroads of the Central Valley" (two major interstates, I-5 and I 580, branch off from there), I am, at best, dubious about this project. While it could be a good thing for the Central Valley, I don't see it drawing much traffic from the Bay Area.

 

Here's Tracy on a map.

 

Edited by cfc
Link to comment
Share on other sites

That's cool, however Tracy doesn't seem like a very good park location, since not many people live there. I doubt this will be built, but still, it's cool news.

 

You do realize Tracy is a pretty central location very close to San Francisco, Oakland, Sacramento, etc right?

You do realize you know absolutely nothing about California geography, or the trends of the northern Californians, but you're speaking as though you're an expert on the subject, right?

 

"This will create a destination entertainment park that will exceed Disneyland,"

 

This guy would have more credibility if he didn't come out of the gate saying stupid things like this.

QFT!

Edited by robbalvey
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm sure the sprawling metropolises of Vernalis, Westley, Patterson (my hometown and the Apricot Capital of the World), and Newman are all angling for a piece of this action. The Highway 33 corridor is where it's at, people!

Edited by cfc
Link to comment
Share on other sites

...Yeah, this will definitely be a raging success.

 

I think they be better off in a location with no competition like say Houston, Texas.

Well of course you think that. Me, though, I vote for Portland!

 

Hell, if you've got $1.2 Billion, you could build a decent park in Houston AND in Portland. You could start a new chain! Not that I believe for a fleeting moment that this cat will gain access to $1.2 Billion...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I lived in the San Jose area for 5 years & I lived in the Sacramento area for 5 years and I never ever went to Stockton, Tracy, or Modesto. That area just isn't appealing to Northern Californians. It might work on how far away it is from the Bay Area & Sacramento as some San Jose people drive all the way up to SFDK, so they can probably drive to Tracy. Though, Bay Area people just don't want to go to the Central Valley.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

But $1.2 billion! You have to be out of your mind!

 

Hell, if you've got $1.2 Billion, you could build a decent park in Houston AND in Portland. You could start a new chain! Not that I believe for a fleeting moment that this cat will gain access to $1.2 Billion...

 

Please read the article, it's not $1.2 Billion for an amusement park it's for an entertainment hub including a race track, casino, convention center, hotel, wine tasting center and amusement park. I'm not sure $1.2 billion is enough, but then again I've never built any of those businesses. Nor am I certain that Houston and Portland need all those businesses.

 

I would be curious what other large scale projects this guy has led (I couldn't find anything online through a quick search) before I totally dismiss this (even though over 90% of ideas never come to fruition). Also, it appears he has a long range timetable to open in 2024, so I wouldn't expect a lot of progress updates. Lastly, it appears the environmentalists (Sierra Club) are already calling the project a non-starter.

 

If you're going to dream, dream big. Even if it has failure written all over it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, since they were building this close to Stockton, I think I know the park itenerary:

 

Rides:

Gang Wars (Gravity Group dueling coaster): Pick a side, red or blue, on this twisted wood coaster adventure as you race the rival gang to see who can reach the station first!

Hiding Dealers (Vekoma mine train): Quick! They have found crack stored in the train! Go on this family mine train adventure as you tunnel rapidly through a mountain to find a hiding spot from the cops.

Rush (Vekoma SLC): This design is usually painful, but that is not a problem here! Free crack dispenses are given out while waiting in line, so riders will feel no pain!

First Offenders(Roller Skater): Young kids than embark on this cute kiddie coaster with its excellent theming package. Riders will travel through the broken windows of an apartment building, as if it is the first offense!

Drive-by (Sally Shooting Dark Ride) Embark on this one of a kind shooting adventure as you travel through banks and police stations. Whoever shoots the most targets wins!

 

And the fun doesn't end there! Also try our signature loaded sandwiches, also available with a side of a bullet baked potato.

 

 

I am going to Hell.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

In theory I can actually see why a developer would think this is a good idea for the following reasons:

-Moderately cheap land

-Decent accessibility by freeway

-2 major metropolitan markets near by (Bay Area and Sacramento)

-Close to 4 major Airports (Sacramento, San Jose, SFO, Oakland)

-Room for expansion and lack of neighbors to complain.

-Could also draw from Reno as their current closest park is SFDK

 

That said, this is why it fails:

-Bay Area citizens tend to prefer to go north(Wine Country, Tahoe, the coastal areas), which is why SFDK is in a great location, or South. Not many go to the valley.

-Sacramento citizens prefer to go to the Bay Area or Tahoe.

-Another company tried to build a expensive resort with hotels, shopping and a park that had no Disney affiliation and it failed (at first). That park was called Disney's California Adventure.

-Hard Rock Park

 

It really sounds like it might be cool, and I hope we are all wrong, but I just don't see it happening.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

Terms of Use https://themeparkreview.com/forum/topic/116-terms-of-service-please-read/