The Official Geauga Lake Gets Bulldozed Megathread

[CoastinKatieWhen I grow up, I want to breed donkeys!]

Villain went for $30,000.

Double Loop went for $25,000.

I doubt the scrap dealer is getting any money out of those coasters. It just doesn't make sense.

[Bolliger&MabillardCockroach and rat free since 2002!]

I'm convinced that CF took on this property for the sole purpose of eliminate the competition. Not that Six Flags was a serious competitor with Cedar Point, but to quote Robert Vaughn from Superman III, "It's not enough that I succeed, but everyone else must fail." I guess 100% of the local market is better than getting "only" 85 or 90%.

[ScaparriFull Fledged Katonga Enthusiast]

^I completely agree. Seriously, during the four years the park was owned by Cedar Fair they removed two of the three most popular coasters (one that highly distinguished itself from anything at CP, and one that was nearly identical to a coaster at CP), removed the entire side of the park that separated Geauga from Cedar Point (Wildlife), and place CP billboards within the general area of the park. Now what did they "improve"? They gave Thunderhawk a new paint job, and added a ProSlide Tornado to the newly relocated water park (does the new location seem fishy to anybody else?).

And after all of that, they had the huevos to say they didn't understand why people weren't coming to the park!?!?! Riiiight....

Nobody will ever be able to convince me that they didn't have ulterior motives. In my eyes, they took advantage of an opportunity to eliminate a competitor with a long-term vision of selling most of the land for a profit while saving a small amount to build a large water park. Maybe that makes me sound foolish, but I guess I don't really care. I'm bitter.

[ginzoI prefer to mate with donkeys over humans!]

In my eyes, they took advantage of an opportunity to eliminate a competitor with a long-term vision of selling most of the land for a profit while saving a small amount to build a large water park.

Of course, the joke's on them as far as flipping the land goes. Gonna be a LOOOOONNNNGGGGG time before they can get a decent amount of cash for it. The real estate market in that part of Ohio is in shambles.

[FlyingScooterSorry, Not Feeling Very Creative Today!]

^ you are very accurate on the housing market around here.

Even this place is having problems selling.
http://www.clevelandhomes.com/myhomes.a ... of%20Solon

Signature of Solon is about a quarter mile from GL. It can be said that is where the money is.

[mattnzI think Intamin should make a donkey!]

I believe Double Loop was the first coaster with consecutive back-to-back loops (just ahead of Schwarzkopf's Shockwave), which makes it's closing just a little bit sadder to me - a little piece of coaster history gone.

[CoastersNSichDonkey eat mullet pump.]

Double Loop was definitely one of my "guilty pleasures." While my coaster friends didn't care for it much before/after doing Villain, Double Loop was a must for me, because it was intense in some areas, but smooth in others. Not really painful IMO. Knowing its age, I never thought that Double Loop would live to be relocated elsewhere. Awful, but inevitable.

[robbalveySite Admin]

I'm convinced that CF took on this property for the sole purpose of eliminate the competition.

AND to also purchase new attractions for their other parks at a GREAT price.

How many other Cedar Fair parks have now benefited from the attractions removed at Geauga Lake? Quite a few it would seem. Kings Island, Michigan's Adventure, Dorney Park, Kings Dominion, Great America, etc, etc....

I'm convinced this was the plan from day one when they bought the park. I'm guessing the only reason why they didn't shut it down immediately was they probably had a lot of contracts to fulfil and it was probably cheaper to operate it as a park for a few seasons than it would have been to break any commitments they had going.

--Robb

[mattnzI think Intamin should make a donkey!]

I'm convinced that CF took on this property for the sole purpose of eliminate the competition.

AND to also purchase new attractions for their other parks at a GREAT price.

How many other Cedar Fair parks have now benefited from the attractions removed at Geauga Lake? Quite a few it would seem. Kings Island, Michigan's Adventure, Dorney Park, Kings Dominion, Great America, etc, etc....

I'm convinced this was the plan from day one when they bought the park. I'm guessing the only reason why they didn't shut it down immediately was they probably had a lot of contracts to fulfil and it was probably cheaper to operate it as a park for a few seasons than it would have been to break any commitments they had going.

--Robb

Yep, that is a very logical argument. And when you have multi-million dollar coasters like Dominator and Steel Venom on your hands, it even makes sense. (Not that I would try to justify their actions...)

[jamesdillamanFlight of James: Ride of Steel the Revenge]

^^ That's what I was saying... they got a deal after all.

-James Dillaman