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^ Right?! Have I missed something?
So i heard they are redoing the Jester with a Launch, i think it would be a nice change of pace.

Does not compute.

They're bringing back Jazzland, and the person behind the project said that the Jester is being redone with a Launch and will be rethemed as a mountain themed ride, while the Mega Zeph will be redone and will get new elements.

 

In other news, Jazzland V2.0 will NOT be having Zydeco Scream, as they said that it will be sold to another park so that the burden of the vekoma boomerang will live on and another park will have the curse, i'm hoping it's not going to be Six Flags Over Georgia, as i've ridden a Vekoma Boomerang at Carowinds(Which still counts as a perk, as that boomerang came from the Now-Defunct Geaugua Lake/Six Flags Ohio Park), if i recall exactly it wasn't a good experience.

 

I'll post more news as it comes in, really cannot wait for Jazzland 2.0 to open soon.

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They're bringing back Jazzland, and the person behind the project said that the Jester is being redone with a Launch and will be rethemed as a mountain themed ride...

 

Honestly, what's the point?? With a layout like this:

 

f9ee4bcb3db13759fcb19453b96042a6.png

 

All I can see them doing is removing the lift hill, putting in a launch, and a "high-g" turnaround to head it back towards the loop. . .

 

I can't imagine that the investment would even be worth it. Why not just scrap the ride and build something else??

 

Idk... maybe it's just me... But I don't see any of this ever actually happening. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

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They're bringing back Jazzland, and the person behind the project said that the Jester is being redone with a Launch and will be rethemed as a mountain themed ride...

 

Honestly, what's the point?? With a layout like this:

 

f9ee4bcb3db13759fcb19453b96042a6.png

 

All I can see them doing is removing the lift hill, putting in a launch, and a "high-g" turnaround to head it back towards the loop. . .

 

I can't imagine that the investment would even be worth it. Why not just scrap the ride and build something else??

 

Idk... maybe it's just me... But I don't see any of this ever actually happening. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

I Have a reason to be excited for the new version of the Jester, that reason being that it's a Vekoma Hurricane.

 

Vekoma's Hurricane Model only exists in 2 Rides and the Jester is currently one of them, it could be a great perk to be earned just you wait

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Part of me considered responding to this Jester stuff but in the end...

 

I don't see any of this ever actually happening. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

Yeah, basically. I'd love for someone to be able to re-open this place and I know there are groups who are working on it but we've been hearing about the return of Jazzland for a decade now and nothing noteworthy has come out of any of it. I tend to agree with you on this one.

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They're bringing back Jazzland, and the person behind the project said that the Jester is being redone with a Launch and will be rethemed as a mountain themed ride...

 

Honestly, what's the point?? With a layout like this:

 

f9ee4bcb3db13759fcb19453b96042a6.png

 

All I can see them doing is removing the lift hill, putting in a launch, and a "high-g" turnaround to head it back towards the loop. . .

 

I can't imagine that the investment would even be worth it. Why not just scrap the ride and build something else??

 

Idk... maybe it's just me... But I don't see any of this ever actually happening. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

I Have a reason to be excited for the new version of the Jester, that reason being that it's a Vekoma Hurricane.

 

Vekoma's Hurricane Model only exists in 2 Rides and the Jester is currently one of them, it could be a great perk to be earned just you wait

Yet the layout is most likely the reason why only two of these were sold.

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Mine giving me the source you guys saw it through?

 

I got this news via Messaging the Official Jazzland Facebook Profile, but i think there's a interview with Tonya Pope(the lady leading the project.)

 

Here's the link to the article:

http://www.coastinusa.com/sfno-interview.html

 

Don't worry, one day you will understand how the world works.

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  • 1 year later...

This is a month late, but I’m suprised no one has mentioned that the city of new orleans is looking into what it would cost to tear the park down

 

NEW ORLEANS - The mayor of New Orleans says the city's derelict Six Flags theme park is closer to being torn down.

 

Mayor Latoya Cantrell announced Wednesday that the city is figuring out how much it would cost to demolish the old Six Flags and Jazzland location in New Orleans East.

 

“Right now, I have my sights on the Six Flags site, which we are now running numbers for demolition as I speak," Cantrell told WWL.

 

The site was once a favorite for families to frequent in the years before Hurricane Katrina.

 

“It was something for the kids to do, and young adults and adults,” said William Peoples, who lives near the park. “It was a very valuable asset to this community.”

 

Councilmembers say a study is due in two to three weeks, after which they will decide how to move forward. One official says she hopes to turn the land into a 'family entertainment district' with hotels, resorts, music and sports venues.

 

“Many of our young people are looking for opportunities and I think having a family entertainment district will really capture and address a lot of the issues we have in our community,” Councilwoman Cyndi Nguyen said.

 

There is still no official word on when the park might be torn down.

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There have been so many discussions about what to do with SFNO over the past decade and nothing has ever happened. At some point you just have to tune out until something actually materializes. I'll bet they keep discussing things for another several years before they even figure out something. There's not much they can do with that land, and there's not a huge amount of demand for development in NO. Eventually it will get turned into housing I'm sure.

 

Everyone wants a theme park to return, but no one has the money to put up for one. The location sucks, it's too far away from the tourist area, and NO isn't big or wealthy enough to support a park unless it is a small one. Maybe a Fun Spot style park could do OK.

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  • 2 weeks later...

It looks like the Six Flags New Orleans/Jazzland saga is nearing the end as local officials target demolition of the former park. Six Flags New Orleans closed after Hurricane Katrina flooded the park in 2005 and save for a few attractions Six Flags pulled from the park in the first few years that followed, the remainder of the property has been left untouched. Several companies have attempted to resuscitate the park but it appears that with none of those efforts moving beyond paper, the local government has begun the process of moving towards clearing the property and starting over with new, non-amusement park usage.

 

https://weather.com/news/news/2019-07-05-new-orleans-six-flags-demolished-hurricane-katrina

 

75neworleansamusementpark.jpg.72bd71d8635793e15cf0ab60d7957bf2.jpg

Closed since Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans in 2005, the city's Six Flags amusement park may soon be demolished.

 

The Zydeco Scream roller coaster stands motionless, and so does the Big Easy Ferris Wheel. Scampering rabbits, slithering snakes and lurking alligators are the only visitors to the abandoned park. Once it resounded with children's laughter and the shrieks of passengers on the thrill rides.

 

Now the only sound is the drone of the cicadas.

 

The amusement park on the city's eastern edge is perhaps the most high-profile, lingering and ghostly reminder of Hurricane Katrina's devastation. Ever since the levees failed and flooded the city with water in 2005, the park has stood empty, creating a nuisance for neighbors, a target for graffiti artists and an eerie landmark for sightseers.

 

Now, the city's mayor says she's getting close to tearing it all down.

 

"Right now, I have my sights on the Six Flags site, which we are now running numbers for demolition, really, as I speak," Mayor LaToya Cantrell told WWL in May. She gave no further details on any demolition or redevelopment plans. In response to requests for information, her office released a statement saying an assessment is currently being done to determine the best use for the site, and that the administration is committed to improving the quality of life for residents of New Orleans East.

 

The park opened in 2000 under the name Jazzland Theme Park, but it went bankrupt in two seasons. Six Flags took over the lease, but then Hurricane Katrina struck, submerging the park and much of the city. The theme park never reopened, and eventually Six Flags went bankrupt. Control of the property went to the Industrial Development Board of the City of New Orleans.

 

A cracked sign outside reads "Closed for storm," and a security guard tries to keep people from sneaking inside. Some of the rides are still standing and visible from nearby roadways.

 

A 2016 analysis commissioned by the board estimated it would cost about $1.3 million to demolish the rides and other infrastructure, such as the Looney Tunes Adventure Area, in the abandoned 162-acre (65.6-hectare) park. And then there's the question of what to do with the site afterward. Over the years, the city has tried to attract investors to the property but none of the plans have taken off.

 

The assessment referenced by the mayor's office was commissioned by the New Orleans Business Alliance for the city and released in June. It envisions turning the site into a destination for learning about climate change, resiliency and water issues, and for family-friendly activities such as excursions to the nearby Bayou Sauvage National Wildlife Refuge or zip line courses. The analysis also points out the looming threat of coastal land loss that the region faces from the encroaching waters of the Gulf.

 

With Katrina's 14th anniversary approaching, many residents are frustrated it has taken so long to address the park's future.

 

The neighborhood has problems with snakes, alligators and wild hogs coming through, says Almarie Carter, who lives nearby. The security tries to keep people out but she says kids still manage to find a way in. She'd like to see it torn down and have something for neighborhood children built in its place.

 

Instead, it's a constant reminder of the city's darkest hour.

 

"When I exit off the interstate, it sickens me because it is not attractive at all," she said.

 

Another resident, Daren Hubbard, was frustrated with the repeated failed efforts to revitalize the area. Hubbard, who's lived in the area since 1998, says he remembers when the park was built, and people would come in from nearby cities and neighboring Mississippi to visit.

 

"When this was up and running it was beautiful. The neighborhood, everything around ... was booming," he said. Hubbard said he understands that the mayor can't save everything: "But that's been neglected too long."

 

Cyndi Nguyen represents the neighborhood on City Council. She lives just a half a mile away and drives by the park daily. Her husband used to work there.

 

"I remember hearing kids playing, laughing," she said. "Parents having a great time with their children. The area was very vibrant."

 

Since the mayor spoke about demolishing the site, Nguyen's constituents have been calling for more information. Nguyen thinks it's premature to begin demolition in case some of the remaining infrastructure might be useful to future investors. She points out that the abandoned lot has had a bit of a second life as a movie set. But she's encouraged by the mayor's support for developing the area.

 

In the meantime, the amusement park still attracts visitors curious — and saddened — to see what's still standing after all these years. Brian Coppolino was part of a church group from northern Ohio on a mission to the New Orleans area to help rebuild houses. They stopped recently to see the site.

 

"It's almost overwhelming and just sad," he said. "We're seeing firsthand how long it takes to recover."

Edited by jedimaster1227
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https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeh1qVw-KOVypabd9TAQiBA83KFlgn8BULyE_258b25jhkzfA/viewform?fbclid=IwAR05AjNBK23f4EARalWMlwsJ6RI8vImCzIYLBDirhUqMSk2TZSOPmnAR1Tw

 

Take the survey and voice to the city of New Orleans what you think should happen to the site. I'd love to see something like Owa on the site. Turn the front section of the park into a food, entertainment, and shopping area and then gate off the back part of the amusement park from about Zydeco Scream to The Jester). Build a campground and hotel on the easternmost section of the park (on that parcel east of the neighborhood that is next to the park). Add some picnic grounds and a softball/baseball field west of the park. Something like that. I'd love that.

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Save teh Zehper!

 

OK, who's got a truck?

I'll volunteer my Honda Accord.

 

That might work... those Honda Accord's are as tough as nails!

 

I'll come with my Honda CRV as well.

 

This is more of a plan than savethebigdipper.org had.

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Looking further into the issue of what to do with the site, the main developer that wants the site as of now is TPC-NOLA, a section of the Paidia Company that focuses on attraction design and planning. They are Louisiana based, but most of their clients are European theme park companies, their most prominent client is Merlin Entertainment. Yep, they were behind projects such as Wickerman, Oblivion, the new Colossos, and the Legoland projects. At least in creating the designs for such projects. In 2014, they were the only group to submit a bid to buy the park in time. As of 2014, they had secured 90% of the financing they would need to not only reopen the park, but to BUY the land from the city. Why does it seem like the city is so determined to just bulldoze the park when there is a reputable company that has a plan with funding to buy and reopen the park?

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I can’t believe there is still discussion about this park.

 

The park was a complete failure, from the beginning. After its’ first two years of losing major $$, they (Alpha Smartparks, who owned Castle Park in Riverside, CA, where I bought my annual pass for $22.50 for all parks they owned.) were forced to sell at a major loss. SFI stepped in thinking they could make it work by adding a couple more coasters and trees (which were definitely needed!). However, the demographics could not, and would not, support this park. Over its’ 3 year operating ownership, it lost far more money each year.

 

It was far easier for SFI to file bankruptcy, then to pour any more $$ into a FAILING property. Think about that.

 

There have been numerous plans over the years to rebuild this property, but the city could not, and will not support it.

 

If it wasn’t for Hard Rock Park, this would be one of the largest park FAILURES to date.

 

Let it go!!

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  • 8 months later...

Just out of curiosity, do any of you feel that if the hurricane never happened, SFNO would have still failed? Or would it still be going as one of SF lower tier parks? Or maybe sold?

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Just out of curiosity, do any of you feel that if the hurricane never happened, SFNO would have still failed? Or would it still be going as one of SF lower tier parks? Or maybe sold?

 

See my response right above your post. (And the many pages of posts before it.)

 

We have discussed this MANY times before, over the years.

 

Simply put - it would have failed. It was failing from the onset. All Katrina did, was solidify the fate of the park.

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If you have Hulu, the show "Abandoned S1 E9 - New Orleans DIY" has some good video footage of the local area and inside the park. I don't see much the could be salvaged, a neighborhood that could support a rebuilt park, or reason to spend 100-million plus to reopen a park in an area that will flood again.

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