[swampfox43]

Here is an interesting article on Jon Binkowski, the developer of HRP from the Sun News today. What went wrong - 5 years later. http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/2013/0 ... lects.html

A podcast link is available for this story.

[RollerBee]

1) Overpriced, had to discount to get people to come.
2) Location, located away from the beach.
3) Adult-oriented, families are the primary market for theme parks.
4) Bad advertising
5) Limited ride selection
6) Too many license agreements

Freestyle solved most of the failures but it was too little, too late. They had to reduce prices to nothing before the park started drawing good numbers and by then, there was no way they could afford to operate. I predicted failure for HRP from the start, it was a terrible business plan. Now someone explain to me now they manage to keep the rides and park from being sold and dismantled. Rumor has it that Time Machine and the other rides are kept in operational condition.

[bobbyfoster]

I just happen to come across this today.....Kinda interesting if you asked me....
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Something appears to be happening at the former Freestyle Music Park. People who work nearby report seeing signs of life on the long-dormant property.

Christopher Glanville's barber shop is across the street from what used to be the theme park's offices, giving him a good angle to see what's going on over there. Lately, he's been seeing a lot.

"Midway last week, the lights came on on the Zeppelin roller coaster, and I've noticed a new flag hanging from the apex of the roller coaster, and I saw some people out there taking pictures midweek last week," Glanville said.


The park opened as Hard Rock Park in 2008 and went bankrupt after one season.

New owners took over, renamed it Freestyle Music Park and again failed after one season. It's been closed since the fall of 2009.

The company that held the mortgage took over two years ago. Weeds have since grown up around the property and Glanville says the former theme park is unsightly. He'd like to see it gone.

"Over there it would be great to see them tear it down, put up apartments or warehouses, something for local business."

Just down George Bishop Parkway from the barber shop, employees of Sports Doctors Gym say they've also seen lights on and test runs of the big roller coaster lately.

They say they don't really want to see the park torn down.

"I'd love to see it come back as an amusement park, water park, whatever they could put together, just to bring more people into the area for us, more business, too," said Dr. Jon Holt, a chiropractor at Sports Doctors.

Web sites that follow the theme park industry, like Screamscape and Coaster Fusion, have been chattering about recent activity at the park and speculating that the former Led Zeppelin (later called the Time Machine) coaster might be for sale.

Holt says that whatever happens to the former park he hopes it happens soon, because the way it looks now isn't good.

"Right now we'd love to see it just cleaned up. And running again would be awesome."

Dirk Vader, an attorney representing the property owner, declined to comment.

Link to Video.... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5lfYSVEo_s
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.carolinalive.com/news/story. ... juzdCLD_IV

[chunkyskunk]

Freestyle/Hard Rock rides finally up for sale. Guess we all knew this was coming.
http://www.italintl.com/recent20.php

[RiDeWaRrIoR]

I wish Carowinds would pick up a ride or 2 from them. I never got to go to the park, so I dont know how good the rides were, although i have always heard good things about them, I think a flat or even the "soak zone" would be a good fit for Carowinds because the kid "soak zone" at carowinds already needs work, so why not just replace it or add another to it Hopefully at least some park in the CF chain will pick up some of the rides, or even six flags. I would love to see them stay in the USA and actually re-used, I guess as long as they are not scrapped.... Carowinds should jump on that roundabout coaster because its very unique, although I could see this coaster being a good fit at Dollywood or something... Lots of potential for these rides, hate to see that Freestyle will never come back alive, but hopefully the rides will end up in some good homes, maybe even Kentucky Kingdom since they are in the process of re-opening that park, I just hope to be able to ride some of these rides some day especially Time Machine.

[Jay]

None of the coasters were very good, and all of them were extremely low capacity (even Led Zep), something Carowinds doesn't need. They had a tiny amount of flats, but any of those I would take, especially the Wave Swinger to replace the YoYo.

[RollerBee]

None of the coasters were very good, and all of them were extremely low capacity (even Led Zep), something Carowinds doesn't need. They had a tiny amount of flats, but any of those I would take, especially the Wave Swinger to replace the YoYo.

Notice, the wave swinger is Not listed. However, I doubt Carowinds brought it...it would be a nice replacement for yo yo.

[RiDeWaRrIoR]

Yea I hate yo yo I think i rode it once since its been in the park. My kids like it though so...

[arby]

^^^shhhhhhhhhhhhh. Although I love wave swingers more than the basic model we have, I certainly don't want yet another ride removed.

[tarheel1231]

Bad news.... Wave Swinger is going to Seabreeze.

[bobbyfoster]

What is really sad about this is the fact that back in 2008 when Hard Rock closed, I was working on taking over the park as a new GM.

[DarK Ei8ht]

http://www.screamscape.com/html/freesty ... c_park.htm

Look at the latest news.

[swampfox43]

The coasters are going to a park in Vietnam according to a buddy of mine who was out there a couple months ago discussing the move with the potential buyers. I'm surprised the B&M wasn't bought by an American park. It wasn't that bad and would've been a great addition to any park.

[Chris]

As always, swampfox is right. It looks like the whole park (what's left) is being shipped to Vietnam.

http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/2014/08/11/4406797/freestyle-rides-headed-to-vietnam.html?sp=/99/209/&ihp=1

[Tosu97]

I drove by HRP a couple weekends ago on the way to the beach... It is indeed being torn apart one ride at a time. I went twice while it was open, I thought it was a cool idea for a park. The problem I had with it was aside from the dark ride and Led Zepplen there was nothing you wanted to ride again. I wish it was still alive and bigger today.