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Alabama Adventure amusement park

Blazer85

By Blazer85
in Birmingham

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Blazer85 Hamlet

Blazer85

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Birmingham's "Visionland" themepark has now been renamed to "Alabama Adventure." Along with the unveiling of the new name, park owners unveiled a 10-year plan which includes a new hotel (or two), new rides, an RV park, etc. I'll see if I can dig up a full list of details for the 10-year plan.

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EvanK Unincorporated Area

EvanK

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Thank god they finally got rid of that seriously ignorant name Visionland. Sounded like some kind of church retreat, not a themepark. Now, if they only build some rides worth riding (Rampage doesn't count, it's awesome), then they could be onto something.

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DruidCity Hamlet

DruidCity

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The concert series this season looks like a positive step, too - some names that should draw

pretty well.

The problem for the park is still money, though. It is what it is, a solid local-type attraction.

This plan for $100 million in new stuff over 10 years is solid, and should allow

the park to remain successful as a local-type attraction.

To move up to being a regional-type attraction (and the Greater Birmingham SERIOUSLY needs

to add regional-level attractions), much more investment is needed.

"Real" theme parks have several major rides/attractions.

From that standpoint, this park has just the Rampage.

There are single rides at the major theme parks in Orlando that cost in the $100 million range, which is as

much as our entire park plans to invest over the next decade.

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EvanK Unincorporated Area

EvanK

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The concert series this season looks like a positive step, too - some names that should draw

pretty well.

The problem for the park is still money, though. It is what it is, a solid local-type attraction.

This plan for $100 million in new stuff over 10 years is solid, and should allow

the park to remain successful as a local-type attraction.

To move up to being a regional-type attraction (and the Greater Birmingham SERIOUSLY needs

to add regional-level attractions), much more investment is needed.

"Real" theme parks have several major rides/attractions.

From that standpoint, this park has just the Rampage.

There are single rides at the major theme parks in Orlando that cost in the $100 million range, which is as

much as our entire park plans to invest over the next decade.

Well, it's a nice little quick trip if you need some themepark fun and happen to be in the area, but it would never cause me to cancel a day at 6 Flags just to go there.

People these days want thrill rides. Carnival rides are fine for a Wal-Mart parking lot traveling carnival, but in order for a themepark to compete these days, they are going to have to cough up the extreme rides. Rampage is one of the best wooden roller coasters I ever rode in my life after Son of Beast at Kings Island, but that's all the park has that would satisfy thrill seekers, and one single coaster isn't enough. That sad ass hat steel coaster they put in last year is a joke. heh.

Still though, I'm glad to see some money invested in the park, and despite my criticism on its selection of rides, I do hope to continue see it grow. It can only do good things for the region. In the meantime though, ill be on Goliath at 6 Flags. :D

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Blazer85 Hamlet

Blazer85

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Considering what WAS the state of this park, these plans are very much so an improvement. I'm sure they dont think $100M will be sufficient, but it's a very big step. The new management has been great and I hope they continue to build on their successes. Bessemer and Birmingham really need it.

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kayman Town

kayman

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The concert series this season looks like a positive step, too - some names that should draw

pretty well.

The problem for the park is still money, though. It is what it is, a solid local-type attraction.

This plan for $100 million in new stuff over 10 years is solid, and should allow

the park to remain successful as a local-type attraction.

To move up to being a regional-type attraction (and the Greater Birmingham SERIOUSLY needs

to add regional-level attractions), much more investment is needed.

"Real" theme parks have several major rides/attractions.

From that standpoint, this park has just the Rampage.

There are single rides at the major theme parks in Orlando that cost in the $100 million range, which is as

much as our entire park plans to invest over the next decade.

I believe the best investment into that park would be more thrill rides like more roller coaster (at least 4 more) and aerial desending rides like Acrophobia @ Six Flags Over Georgia.

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Blazer85 Hamlet

Blazer85

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Article from The Birmingham News

There are plans to build a 280-room hotel with a 52,000 square-foot indoor water park and 30,000 square foot conference center. Also there are plans for a campground site adjacent to the Alabama Adventures.

Very, very good news. Apparently Alabama Adventure has had SUCH a successful summer that they're moving forward with the plans now. :yahoo:

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Shawn35816 Unincorporated Area

Shawn35816

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Now if they will only add more steel roller coaster and more thrill rides to the park itself. Then Alabama Adventures would become a major regional attraction.

That's what has been on my mind from the beginning. They had one at first which was nice, because it just opened and it was fun to go and ride it and see what else was at the park. Then you realized there was not much to the park and you wanted more. They waited some years before the put in what I think amounts to a Six Flags over Georgia "VIPER" clone. They do need at least one or two more coasters before I would consider visiting again.

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Blazer85 Hamlet

Blazer85

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The park does VERY well with little kids and water-lovers... believe me, I know many a little kid that goes just about every weekend down there. The park has really begun to turn things around, but as mentioned, they need now to begin looking more into thrill rides. IMO, the water park side far out-ranks the theme park side of the park. There are plans to add more rides in the years to come but little details have been released as to just what they'll be. I'm hoping for at least one more roller coaster and maybe another thrill ride of some sort.

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AlabamaGuy2007 Hamlet

AlabamaGuy2007

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Its good to see some more things happening to that area of town near VisionLand, oops, Alabama Adventure. Are there anyother projects being developed in that area? I hope to see more things to come for that area!!

I read a while back that they were planning more money for rides and stuff since this has been such a successful season. This hotel was one of those things on the master plan. They invested a lot of money and bought the new roller coaster and other things. This year, they're planning on expanding even more, and investing more money than before.

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kayman Town

kayman

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Alabama Adventures is no longer owned or operated by Southland Entertainment, LLC. Adrenaline Family Entertainment, a group of former Six Flags executives, purchased the park this week from Southland. However, Southland does still own 150 acres near the park in which they are moving forward with their plans to construct the hotel resort with an indoor waterpark, RV park, and other commercial developments like a big-box retailer. Adrenaline has already announced that another major expansion is coming.

Now the thing that has gotten me thinking is what "big-box retailer" is being thought as prospectives for the the land. IKEA maybe?

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TRoberts Whistle-Stop

TRoberts

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Alabama Adventures is no longer owned or operated by Southland Entertainment, LLC. Adrenaline Family Entertainment, a group of former Six Flags executives, purchased the park this week from Southland. However, Southland does still own 150 acres near the park in which they are moving forward with their plans to construct the hotel resort with an indoor waterpark, RV park, and other commercial developments like a big-box retailer. Adrenaline has already announced that another major expansion is coming.

Now the thing that has gotten me thinking is what "big-box retailer" is being thought as prospectives for the the land. IKEA maybe?

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bhamsly Whistle-Stop

bhamsly

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IKEA? I say no way, not in that area. I don't see an IKEA in Alabama anytime soon considering there is one just over two hours away in Atlanta and IKEA, so far, doesn't get into canabilizing their own sales the way other chains do.

Just my opinion... What does seem to be missing on that end of town are retailers like what we're seeing so common in Colonial developments of late. Tutwiler is getting Target and JCPenny of course but there's still some retailers that are expanding around the area that are lacking exposure in western Birmingham. Kohl's is soon to be in the Hoover area at 150 along with Target. I could see a Khol's and Belk development around Alabama Adventure. Belk is virtually non-existent west of 65 in the metro area. Khol's first store west of 65 will be the Grove and they may look for another area as well if that store does well.

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j.midtown Whistle-Stop

j.midtown

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I agree, but they(IKEA) may come sooner or later. I can see the Alabama Adventure area blossoming over the few years as something like you could see on I Drive in Orlando, but on a much smaller scale. Perhaps Academy Drive(A-Drive) and Alabama Adventure Pkwy(I think that's the name) could lure a lot of chains like "the capital city of chains, Orlando," since visitors would recognize chains. Hopefully Watermark Place could get it's act together, and become another area destination in terms of shopping. Bass Pro Shops imo would have been better over on this side of town along with more chains such as Elephant Bar, IHOP, Johnny Rockets or Fuddruckers, Golden Corral, Ponderosa Steakhouse, A&W, Carrabba's, Chuck E Cheese, Hooters, Denny's, Don Pablo, Sizzler,TGI Fridays...7 Eleven, Borders, Dave and Buster, Steve and Barry's, CityWalk Birmingham, Howl at the Moon, Sea World :silly: , Lucky Strike...gosh I wish I was rich.lol.I am listing these because most of these I have been to, and have enjoyed them. Like I have said before, I still think a "beach" would be nice...does anyone remember my Birmingham Tropics idea in the Trinity Steel site discussion?
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TRoberts Whistle-Stop

TRoberts

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I agree, but they(IKEA) may come sooner or later. I can see the Alabama Adventure area blossoming over the few years as something like you could see on I Drive in Orlando, but on a much smaller scale. Perhaps Academy Drive(A-Drive) and Alabama Adventure Pkwy(I think that's the name) could lure a lot of chains like "the capital city of chains, Orlando," since visitors would recognize chains. Hopefully Watermark Place could get it's act together, and become another area destination in terms of shopping. Bass Pro Shops imo would have been better over on this side of town along with more chains such as Elephant Bar, IHOP, Johnny Rockets or Fuddruckers, Golden Corral, Ponderosa Steakhouse, A&W, Carrabba's, Chuck E Cheese, Hooters, Denny's, Don Pablo, Sizzler,TGI Fridays...7 Eleven, Borders, Dave and Buster, Steve and Barry's, CityWalk Birmingham, Howl at the Moon, Sea World :silly: , Lucky Strike...gosh I wish I was rich.lol.I am listing these because most of these I have been to, and have enjoyed them. Like I have said before, I still think a "beach" would be nice...does anyone remember my Birmingham Tropics idea in the Trinity Steel site discussion?
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