Could the upstate be ready for a major amusement p

[jfl25]

Hey guys I've often wondered why I have to drive to Atlanta or Charlotte to go to an amusement park.So thats the reason for this poll I think that a smaller scale amusement park could potentially be very sucessfull.What are your thoughts.

[Spartan]

Yes. Charlotte was well under 1 million in its metro when Carowinds was first built, so I don't see why the Upstate (being over 1 million) could not support one.

The question is, where would it go?

I think it should go near Enoree or Woodruff near 26 and 385 to try to pull some visitors from Columbia.

Another option would be north of Spartanburg near I-26 (or west if you prefer) to try to pull some traffic from Asheville. The only problem there is that you would make it more difficult for Greenvillians to reach it.

It oculd also be located off of the Southern Connector. There is plenty of empty to be used around there.

[g-vegasman]

Yes.  Charlotte was well under 1 million in its metro when Carowinds was first built, so I don't see why the Upstate (being over 1 million) could not support one.

The question is, where would it go?

I think it should go near Enoree or Woodruff near 26 and 385 to try to pull some visitors from Columbia.

Another option would be north of Spartanburg near I-26 (or west if you prefer) to try to pull some traffic from Asheville. The only problem there is that you would make it more difficult for Greenvillians to reach it.

It oculd also be located off of the Southern Connector. There is plenty of empty to be used around there.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Or what about US 123 between Greenville and Easley. There is plenty of space down that stretch and it would tie in a growing community in Ealsey with Greenville. It would also help with the addition of the US153 construction from I-85 and that new project that is set to begin soemtime in 2006.

[jfl25]

I like the Southern connector idea there is alot of potenial their. I could also agree with some where between Greenville ,Spartanburg , and Asheville. I dont think the Columbia angle is a very good one though because of the close proximity of Charlotte and Carowinds.

[Spartan]

I don't like 123 becuase like jfl25 said, it should be between or easily accessible from, Greenville, Spartanburg, and Asheville.

[jfl25]

I dont like the land between Easley and Greenville for a amusement park however i think it would be a great place for some type of outlet center like in Commerce or Gaffney.

[monsoon]

It's too close to Carowinds and Six Flags in ATL. And then there is DollyWood.

And for small scale, there is Santa's Land and Ghosttown in the Sky at Maggie Valley (for sale).

This puts up a lot of competition that would make it undesirable to build another one in the upstate.

[krazeeboi]

I think it could work.

[Spartan]

Never heard of Santa's land. Ghost town is not in a populated area. plus it sucks and it is out of place (old west in the mountains? ). The success of an Upstate park would be that it is located near where people live.

[jfl25]

I think that more people would come because its closer than Six flags and Carowinds.Plus like Spartan said it would be located centrally and could pull people from western NC .

[gvillenative]

Plus people would come because if anyone is like me they need variety and would want more than 2 choices. All they would have to do is have a signature ride that would put it on the map and after that let games begin. I think it could do very well in a metro of, don't kill me if I'm wrong, almost 1.5 million. It wouldnt have to draw from other states, heck if it just drew from the upstate it would still be a resounding success, just needs to be centrally located and highly visable is all. Along I-85 I'd say near I-26, somewhere between Greenville, and Spartanburg. Just my own personal opinion.

[Spartan]

The GSA CSA is about 1.2 million

[krazeeboi]

Plus people would come because if anyone is like me they need variety and would want more than 2 choices. All they would have to do is have a signature ride that would put it on the map and after that let games begin. I think it could do very well in a metro of, don't kill me if I'm wrong, almost 1.5 million. It wouldnt have to draw from other states, heck if it just drew from the upstate it would still be a resounding success, just needs to be centrally located and highly visable is all. Along I-85 I'd say near I-26, somewhere between Greenville, and Spartanburg. Just my own personal opinion.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Good points. Even though I like Carowinds and Six Flags, it would be good if we could keep some of that amusement money in SC.

[RestedTraveler]

Although I grew up in a town with an amsement park (Camden Park under the "Sign of the Happy Clown"), I guess I'll be the devil's advocate here.

I don't think the Upstate can support a major amusement park on its own just yet. Being a transplant from Orlando as well as a former Disney, Universal, and Sea World Annual Pass Holder, I've given this idea plenty of thought myself over the past couple of years.

If we were to have one, I would think that it would be best located near I-85 and I-185 (the Southern Connector), as well.

We actually have three (not just two) major amusement parks that are just about equidistant from the Upstate:

- Carrowinds

- Six Flags over Georiga

- Dollywood

We're centered right in the middle of three overlapping markets. I, personally, think this is great. I drove by Carrowinds this afternoon, as a matter of fact (my big brother lives over in Lake Wylie, SC)

Unfortunately, neither of my kids are anywhere near 48" tall yet, or I would have been to all three of these parks by now.

Here's a piece of triva, as well: Did anyone realize that Greenville once had an amusement park? It was called, "Dreamland," I believe, and was located on Poinsett Highway just past Pleasantburg (where the new Lowe's is located).

Although I don't think we're ready for a large amusement park yet, I do feel we're ready for a large water park (such as Wet 'N Wild). The success of the water park in Simpsonville seems to indicate this very well.

[Spartan]

So why are we ready for a water park, but not a regular amusement park? Being equidistant from 3 other parks (only two of which actually have several decent rollercoasters, etc) is just more justification that we need one.

[monsoon]

Good points. Even though I like Carowinds and Six Flags, it would be good if we could keep some of that amusement money in SC.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

1/2 of Carowinds is in South Carolina as is the main entrance to the Park. That's why it is called Carowinds and not Charowinds. Carowind's generates a lot of money for SC Tourism.

[gs3]

Agree with Rested Travelers earlier post that Upstate is ready for a large water park. I went by the new water park in Simpsonville, and while it's nice to have, it's very small. With the success of this small park, it's proof that Upstate needs a large water park.....a large water park professional themed out and landscaped in a highly visible location.

[RestedTraveler]

So why are we ready for a water park, but not a regular amusement park?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I'll answer your question with another: Where (other than Atlanta) in the area are there major water parks?

There's a regional void there that needs to be filled. Why not fill it with a Water Park in the Upstate?

Amusement parks draw people from greater distances. Water Parks are very regional (or even localized in some respects) as compared to the amusement parks. I think a Water Park would do quite well in the Upstate.

I'm not so sure an amusement park would have the attendance that would be required to keep it operational. It all depends on the park, of course. So, I offer the following caveat: If we offer a major coaster and thrill ride park ... something along the lines of, say, Cedar Point (Sandusky, Ohio), then we'd likely be successful at eating into the attendance draw of the other three regional parks as well as fulfilling the local need for thrills and speed. If we could do that, then I think a park in the Upstate would be successful.

[hub-city]

As much as I would love to have one, I don't know if it would be profitable. Went to Six Flags New Orleans on a weekday in June and it was a ghost town. I don't know if school was out or what, but it was sad. I felt like I was at Wally World and the moose said it was closed. Did get to ride a lot.

[NYTransplant]

I'm not sure an amusement park is really that good for a town/city. As soon as you start attracting that kind of tourism, I think it cheapens a place. Its like "hey look, we're desperate for tourists, lets build an amusement park".

I was in Lake George Village, NY a few weeks ago. Granted, the amusement park is a small part of the tourism industry there, but if I lived there, I think I would shoot myself. The whole town is made up of arcades, cheap souvenier shops, cheap hotels, even a wax museum. Man, this has got to be the cheesiest place on earth. The worst part is, you can't do anything in this town for free. They even have a gate to drive up a mountain road to get a nice view of the lake. Imagine paying $6.00 a carload to drive up to Caesar's Head!

I say let Greenville stand on its own merits. There are so many strong points that would make someone want to come here, why dilute that?

[RestedTraveler]

I'm not sure an amusement park is really that good for a town/city.  As soon as you start attracting that kind of tourism, I think it cheapens a place.  Its like "hey look, we're desperate for tourists, lets build an amusement park".

I was in Lake George Village, NY a few weeks ago.  Granted, the amusement park is a small part of the tourism industry there, but if I lived there, I think I would shoot myself.  The whole town is made up of arcades, cheap souvenier shops, cheap hotels, even a wax museum.  Man, this has got to be the cheesiest place on earth.    The worst part is, you can't do anything in this town for free.  They even have a gate to drive up a mountain road to get a nice view of the lake.  Imagine paying $6.00 a carload to drive up to Caesar's Head! 

I say let Greenville stand on its own merits.  There are so many strong points that would make someone want to come here, why dilute that?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I agree with this sentiment, 100%. Take a look at the Orlando, Florida forum threads. You'll find that Orlando, as awesome and vibrant of a city as it is, is still trying very hard to shake that "theme park" image and gain any kind of credibility with anyone other than tourists. It's starting to happen there, but it's been a very slow and arduous process.

I don't think a very nice water park would have the same negative impact though. For outside tourists, it'd simply be a case of "Hey! Let's go over to that awesome city of Greenville and have fun at <insert water park name here> and then enjoy dinner at one of the awesome restaruants downtown afterwards!"

[Greenville]

Personally, I don't like amusement parks or the type of tourism it encourages. I prefer to let Charlotte and Atlanta cater to those who do, while we do something else unique. I do like the big water park idea, and the Southern Connector is just the place for it. If we did something like this, I think it would need to be grand and impressive.

Perhaps there are also other attractions we could go after to help define Greenville in a positive way.

[tr2greenville]

I'll have to put my two cents in on this one. While the waterpark in Simpsonville is popular now, anything can be popular at first. I think we'll have to sit back and see if it's a novelty or not. My guess is that it is a novelty, but I'd love it if we had the demand to sustain one on a larger scale.

[goodbye]

I think a small theme park, heavily geared toward the water park idea, would be a welcome addition to the Upstate. Lest we forget, there are plenty of people living here that already travel to other cities for the pleasure of rollercoasters and big splashes. I think a park with one or two nice coasters (maybe a watercoaster) and a larger water area with food and such (maybe a zoo?) would do well here. Properly planned, if it keeps people here and spending their money here it's probably not a terrible idea IMO.

[RestedTraveler]

I think a small theme park, heavily geared toward the water park idea, would be a welcome addition to the Upstate.  Lest we forget, there are plenty of people living here that already travel to other cities for the pleasure of rollercoasters and big splashes.  I think a park with one or two nice coasters (maybe a watercoaster) and a larger water area with food and such (maybe a zoo?) would do well here.  Properly planned, if it keeps people here and spending their money here it's probably not a terrible idea IMO.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

But we've already got a zoo...two, if you count Hollywild.

Personally, I'd like to see a huge wave pool, 4-5 really awesome water slides, a water coaster, a sizeable kids section with 4-5 kids slides, and...of course, a lengthy lazy river encircling the entire park....I'm ready to go jump in already!