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Lakemont Park changes


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And one more thing. If anyone wants to replicate the Toboggan experience for far cheaper than 25K, go to your local grocery store, get a shopping cart and take it up to the roof of the building, hop in the cart, and roll yourself off the building. It may even be a smoother experience than the Toboggan.

I've only been on the one at Little Amerricka in Wisconsin, but I'm assuming there's not a huge difference. That ride looked cool, but it was absolutely as described above.

 

It was horrible when it was at DogPatch

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^Very nice to see this! I hope it's all good. I loved Lakemont Park and those coasters. Even when they really really need some TLC those old rides and coasters are few and far between. We don't have many left.

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Yay, it's something. Probably a detailed explination of why they've decided to not re-open any of the rides and will be converting it all to ball fields...

 

Not to be too pessimistic, I just have a feeling that with so many rides gone the rest of this house of cards will fall, despite the original intentions.

 

Have they actually sold anything yet though? Those rides weren't not in any condition other than... needing refurbishment.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Well, we have our answer...

 

Lakemont Park to be closed for second summer in row

 

ALTOONA - Lakemont Park will be closed for the second summer in a row as it is undergoing renovations.

 

The Blair County Commissioners approved an amendment to allow the park to remain closed for the 2018 season.

 

Lakemont Park will reopen in the spring of 2019 as it transitions from a conventional amusement park to a family entertainment center, according to a news release.

 

Renovations will begin in April and will include a new mini-golf course, electric go-karts, batting cages and an upgrade to the water park.

 

“Our vision is to rejuvenate Lakemont Park and have it be a community centerpiece for connecting with family and friends,” said operations partner, Ralph Albarano. “The steps that we are taking to make Lakemont Park a family experience for patrons of all ages will be well worth our time, effort, and investment.”

 

According to the news release, renovations that were scheduled to happen in 2017 were delayed after the passing of Lakemont Partnership managing partner Donald Devorris.

 

Lakemont Park first open its gates in 1894 and is home to the oldest roller coaster in the world.

 

WJAC News

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^ Hmmm...it almost makes one wonder if most of the rides except Leap The Dips will be removed?

 

"Family entertainment centers" usually make me envision just what they are mentioning...batting cages, go-karts, mini-golf. Throw in an arcade, ice cream shack, kiddie bungee jump, a kiddie coaster, and maybe a few rides.

 

Are batting cages really all that popular? It always seems like they are mostly empty when we have visited places like that. Hell, even when they started first showing up at places like that back in the 80's, I never really saw that they were all that popular.

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They may not be popular but they require zero employees and basically no overhead if it's the type where the balls roll back to the pitching machine on a slope. You just buy a token from the guy who's probably running the mini golf course or just put bills in the machine.

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^ Hmmm...it almost makes one wonder if most of the rides except Leap The Dips will be removed?

 

"Family entertainment centers" usually make me envision just what they are mentioning...batting cages, go-karts, mini-golf. Throw in an arcade, ice cream shack, kiddie bungee jump, a kiddie coaster, and maybe a few rides.

 

Are batting cages really all that popular? It always seems like they are mostly empty when we have visited places like that. Hell, even when they started first showing up at places like that back in the 80's, I never really saw that they were all that popular.

 

Last I heard the only rides they are keeping are Leap the Dips and Skyliner

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Woof. Not looking good. I mean, it's good that they are getting back on track and have a vision for the property, but there's no mention of the coasters in that statement and they've now been sitting idle for two years. Wouldn't surprise me if they finally get around to focusing on the coasters and find that it will cost too much for them to re-open and maintain them in the grand scheme of what they are focusing on now. I don't want it to happen, but I've been around this too much that I'm pessimistic. Too much time spent closed is bad for wood coasters.

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I guess I don't understand why people are being so "doom & gloom" about this. It's not like it's Conneaut where the park is barely holding on and everything you see about that place it's some lawsuit or crazy legal thing happening. This seems to that there is activity going on, there is an update on their website that, while gives no real information, at least shows someone is there creating new content for it, and a news article that says things are moving forward, just slowly.

 

I've seen parks in FAR WORSE shape over the years! And sure, maybe they will knock down one of the two woodies, maybe even both (but I doubt it) and yes, maybe the park will never re-open, but at the moment it sounds as though the park has a future, it's just taking longer than they wanted for it to get there. And that's not unusual in this business.

Edited by robbalvey
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For all we know, they could let the coasters cycle a few times every once in a while once it gets warmer even though the park is closed. Respectfully, it's not like there are people standing outside the property all the time waiting for testing to happen. They could do overnight testing and we wouldn't even know it.

 

"Family entertainment centers" usually make me envision just what they are mentioning...batting cages, go-karts, mini-golf. Throw in an arcade, ice cream shack, kiddie bungee jump, a kiddie coaster, and maybe a few rides.

The term "family entertainment center" and the offerings typically associated with it has changed over the past few years. Yes, the typical indoor arcades with Miner Mikes / Python Pits / SBF spinning coasters still exist everywhere, but the term is often now used when talking about super-small amusement parks. Heck, there are plenty of people that still consider the Fun Spot parks to be family entertainment centers. In fact, if I recall correctly, the leadership of Fun Spot Orlando was featured in the "family entertainment centers" section of an issue of FunWorld Magazine one year.

 

EDIT: Here it is, May 2015, and this was after the park's big renovation. www.iaapa.org/news/funworld/funworld-magazine/family-entertainment-centers---may-2015

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To be sure, I do understand the position these parties are in, and I know how a death can throw a huge wrench in a project like this one. Overall their plans make sense and are apt for their situation. We've just lost so many classic coasters over the last 10-15 years that it's hard to stay positive anymore when one hangs in the balance. It has always seemed like a matter of time before they threw in the towel due to the low interest the park seemed to create in local patrons. Wooden coasters are expensive to keep running, and just like an old house there are so many things that pop up along the way that can make you regret your investment.

 

We'll see though. I will try to hold out hope that everything goes through the way they planned it.

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I guess I don't understand why people are being so "doom & gloom" about this. It's not like it's Conneaut where the park is barely holding on and everything you see about that place it's some lawsuit or crazy legal thing happening. This seems to that there is activity going on, there is an update on their website that, while gives no real information, at least shows someone is there creating new content for it, and a news article that says things are moving forward, just slowly.

 

I've seen parks in FAR WORSE shape over the years! And sure, maybe they will knock down one of the two woodies, maybe even both (but I doubt it) and yes, maybe the park will never re-open, but at the moment it sounds as though the park has a future, it's just taking longer than they wanted for it to get there. And that's not unusual in this business.

 

I think some of us are just a little worried at the possibility of losing the world's oldest operating roller coaster. It would be a significant blow to lose that piece of history

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By chance, did the park have a scrambler ride?

 

Alabama splash adventure just acquired a scrambler, and found this while cleaning out the ride tubs durring a repaint.

 

Yup. IIRC the Paratrooper going to Fun Spot Atlanta was at Lakemont too.

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IIRC the Paratrooper going to Fun Spot Atlanta was at Lakemont too.

Orlando's Paratrooper is going to Atlanta and being replaced by a looping pendulum ride, not sure which manufacturer though (either Zamperla or SBF).

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^ Hmmm...it almost makes one wonder if most of the rides except Leap The Dips will be removed?

 

"Family entertainment centers" usually make me envision just what they are mentioning...batting cages, go-karts, mini-golf. Throw in an arcade, ice cream shack, kiddie bungee jump, a kiddie coaster, and maybe a few rides.

 

Are batting cages really all that popular? It always seems like they are mostly empty when we have visited places like that. Hell, even when they started first showing up at places like that back in the 80's, I never really saw that they were all that popular.

 

Since it is next to the AA baseball stadium I would assume you would have some baseball fans that would take some swings.

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^ True - that's a good point.

 

Someone earlier mentioned them keeping Leap The Dips and Skyliner. I could see that happening along with the other stuff that they had, although Starliner seemed to be in much worse shape than LTD when we visited about five years ago - it will be interesting to see if they give that one the ax.

 

It would be great if they could turn it into something like a Fun Spot, but I could also see it with the aforementioned attractions with LTD, kiddie rides and maybe a merry-go-round being the only rides left.

 

I hope their Octopus can get a refurb and find a new home...that was the best ride there, IMO.

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It would be great if they could turn it into something like a Fun Spot, but I could also see it with the aforementioned attractions with LTD, kiddie rides and maybe a merry-go-round being the only rides left.

 

I'd love to see it but it just seems like there's so much working against them. Fun Spot is in Orlando. Lakemont is in Altoona... I just don't see how they can really draw enough people in.

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Being a Penn State alum and former theme park club exec, I can tell you point blank that students would much rather drive the two hours to Hersheypark than the 45 minutes to Lakemont. There are plenty of opportunities for those students to go at the beginning (Apr-May) and end (Aug-Sep-Oct) of the operating season, and parks are often generous enough to set up construction tours for the club during the off-season. Kennywood and Knoebels are also somewhat frequent destinations, but Hersheypark is the closest "thrill" park to State College.

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  • 4 months later...

No, I don't have any news on Lakemont.

 

I do, however, have some pictures from the fireworks show after the Altoona Curve baseball game on June 5th.

 

Let's just say you might find yourself asking some questions about the wisdom of shooting off fireworks from directly adjacent to a half-century-old wooden roller coaster...

altoonacurve1.jpg.fb436848fe5aa4b15d646da293876365.jpg

altoonacurve2.jpg.9f1ccc40ce05dab50a49f25d413a995a.jpg

altoonacurve3.jpg.3f672a4bf14a617a28717c584829c18b.jpg

altoonacurve4.jpg.c34106f96dbd535cf9d938edc51b5d27.jpg

altoonacurve5.thumb.jpg.11f5ba3a74c4874171b8d7188bc54e2a.jpg

altoonacurve6.jpg.d07211df3eaf087d08997a93ed099431.jpg

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