Universal Studios Hollywood may not have started much work on their new Wizarding World of Harry Potter, but Universal Studios Japan sure hasn't been waiting around!
Over on the Theme Park Construction Board (which you should check out if you haven't, lots of great stuff gets posted there) some new photos of the gigantic show building for - I assume - Hogwart's castle has been built already.
Sure, it helps that Japan's Wizarding World will take up residence in a former parking lot meaning almost no ground work other than concrete removal was needed before foundations could go in. Hollywood, however, has some massive land projects needed before Harry can move in.
Check out the photos of the new show building going up at this link.
3 Ocak 2013 Perşembe
Building Harry's New Home in Universal Studios Japan
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NPN's Look Back at 2012
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In last year's look back at 2011 I wrote how there was so much to look forward in 2012, so much in fact that it made it pretty easy to say goodbye to '11. Now that that exciting year will come to an end at the stroke of midnight tonight, I thought we could take a look back at it. A full year for the theme park industry to say the least, we'll just be looking at some of the highlights from each month. Time warp - let's go!
Technically Legoland Florida opened in 2011, but I'd be remiss if I did not make mention of its spectacular performance in 2012. Between their first full year of operation, and the reopening of the water park, and the announcement of more new stuff - things appear to have gone quite well for the park. Scott & Carol posted their coverage of the property in January, introducing our readers to the park in detail. The month also marked the first day of work for Matt Ouimet as Cedar Fair's CEO - a seemingly small thing that will speak volumes over the next few years.
I'm sorry February, but you're a cold and ugly month. Still, some things that happened during this month in 2012 had ride fans drooling on their keyboards. Both Shambhala at PortAventura and Leviathan at Canada's Wonderland reached construction milestones, the former reached its high point and the latter completed its track. A bright spot appeared on the future of Kentucky Kingdom when it was announced that the Koch family planned to reopen it as Bluegrass Boardwalk. The plans fell through later in the year, but it was quite a development at the time.
It was still quite early in the year, but March brought the first round of new ride openings. Scott and Carol were at Dollywood to cover the opening of Wild Eagle, the park's anticipated wing coaster from B&M. Across the pond, two other large rides opened to passengers for the first time as well: the stellar looking Wodan at Europa Park and The Swarm, another B&M wing coaster, at Thorpe Park.
Busy, busy, busy - lots of ride openings were the focus in April here on NPN, with a busy schedule of covering them all. Everyone was waiting to see how Busch Gardens Williamsburg's Verbolten turned out, and Scott and Carol were there to tell us when the ride opened. Later in the month they headed up North to take a spin on B&M's tallest coaster - ever - which also happens to be over 300 feet tall. Leviathan at Canada's Wonderland is a monster both literally and figuratively, as the duo reported. Later in the month I checked out Dorney Park's pair of new offerings, Stinger and Dinosaurs Alive!
Who doesn't love a good surprise? May started out with one from Cedar Point, that Wildcat would be removed in favor of additional seating for Luminosity. It's amazing looking back at just how many ride openings Scott & Carol hit this year, as May also saw X-Flight's premier at Six Flags Great America. It is not often that we write about a whole new park opening in the U.S., but that's exactly what we were able to do when Galveston Pleasure Pier opened in May. The seaside amusement park in Texas combines classic rides with modern thrills.
One coaster was really the talk of the town in 2012, and we finally got to check out Skyrush at Hersheypark in June. For any fan of intense rides, Skyrush provides some of the most extreme ejector airtime I've felt. The Summer also really picked up with new attractions opening on the West coast, and Kevin was there to share the developments with us. Two big theme parks offered two big new attractions: the entire new Cars Land at Disney California Adventure, and Transformers at Universal Studios Hollywood. The next big opening was Superman: Ultimate Flight at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom, a unique launched coaster that sits on a small space but packs a big punch.
In between celebrating the country's birthday, NPN also was at the celebration of Six Flags Over Georgia's 45th anniversary in July. The Summer also marked the 20th anniversary of Dorney Park's ownership by Cedar Fair, which I covered in some seriously lengthy detail for you all. The (warm) winds of change started to blow as well, with the news that Fiesta Texas' Rattler, Disaster Transport and Space Spiral at Cedar Point, and Kings Island's Son of Beast would be turned to dust. I set off on one of my coaster-seeking road trips, and documented my trip via several updates.
August was a rather big month for announcing things, both what is coming this year and also what won't be around any more. Additional items that would be retired included Flashback and the Texas Chute Out at Six Flags Over Texas, and Perilous Plunge at Knott's Berry Farm. Those may have been bummers, but they were quickly overshadowed by some mega-announcements. Cedar Point unveiled GateKeeper, Silver Dollar City took the wraps off of Outlaw Run, California's Great America gave the details of Gold Striker, and Six Flags revealed more new stuff than you can shake a stick at for all their parks.
Don't tell the parks that Halloween actually takes place in October, not September. While it was a little early, NPN was out covering several Halloween events in September, including the Haunt at Worlds of Fun and Fright Fest at Six Flags Great Adventure. We also launched a new series on NPN, the Vault, showcasing some of the older stuff we have laying around. New announcements continued during September as well, including news from Kings Dominion, Wild Adventures, and Darien Lake.
The screams of the recently departed continued into October, with plenty more in-park coverage of hauntings across the country. Scott & Carol got into the swing of things with the Haunt at Kings Island, the Phantom Fright Nights at Kennywood, and Six Flags Great America's Fright Fest. All those scares, I'm glad they survived! Dorney Park celebrated their fifth anniversary of Haunt with another year of screams. Everyone got a bit of a wicked treat when they got to check out the deconstruction of Son of Beast, for it is not every day we get to see a ride of this size come down. 
The month of November is a big one for our industry, that's when the annual IAAPA trade show takes place. A series of updates from Scott and Carol kept us in the loop on all the news. Some of the special announcements included the unveiling of Outlaw Run's cars, and the addition of an inversion on Mt. Olympus' Hades. Several other updates included plenty of hidden gems that all show off the latest and greatest the amusement industry has to offer. And as if all that wasn't enough, a brand new water park, Aquatica San Diego, was announced!
Finally, the current month we are saying farewell to, December. One of the largest news items so far has been the opening of New Fantasyland at the Magic Kingdom in Disney World. Filled with new rides, shows, and restaurants, the new area has created quite a buzz for its level of theming and attention to detail. It is also fitting that as the year rolls to an end we take a look at what 2013 has in store with stories like an update of the well underway GateKeeper at Cedar Point and a brand new addition to Miniland at Legoland Florida.
So that's 2012 according to NewsPlusNotes, at least a condensed version of the 558 posts that were written this year. Thanks to all our readers for stopping by, we certainly look forward to checking out all that 2013 has to offer with you guys! Happy New Year!
Kings Island 2013 - More Dinos?
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I happened to notice that along with "new live shows, new menu items, and a series of special events," Kings Island is also expanding their Dinosaurs Alive! attraction in 2013. No details have been released yet on exactly how it will expand, but the park's website does point out that the exhibit will be "even bigger" next season.
Alright, so it is not the most exciting news, but quite interesting to me nonetheless. I've been wondering how Cedar Fair will keep guests interested in the Dinosaurs Alive! exhibits as the years pass, and I guess this is a part of that answer. It could just be as simple as the addition of a new dinosaur, or a literal expansion of the trail into a new area with additional scenes - we will have to wait to find out.
The Dinosaurs Alive! exhibit will enter its third season in 2013 at Kings Island, so perhaps additions to these attractions will take place in their junior year for the attractions at all the company's parks. It makes sense that something will have to be added in order to keep guests paying the extra fee to enter. I wonder if whatever expansion they have planned will be enough? I'd love to know what the expected shelf life of the exhibits are, I suppose we could assume quite a few years more considering the planned addition to the original.
What do you guys think? Leave a comment!
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| Kings Island's Dinosaurs Alive! From Above |
Alright, so it is not the most exciting news, but quite interesting to me nonetheless. I've been wondering how Cedar Fair will keep guests interested in the Dinosaurs Alive! exhibits as the years pass, and I guess this is a part of that answer. It could just be as simple as the addition of a new dinosaur, or a literal expansion of the trail into a new area with additional scenes - we will have to wait to find out.
The Dinosaurs Alive! exhibit will enter its third season in 2013 at Kings Island, so perhaps additions to these attractions will take place in their junior year for the attractions at all the company's parks. It makes sense that something will have to be added in order to keep guests paying the extra fee to enter. I wonder if whatever expansion they have planned will be enough? I'd love to know what the expected shelf life of the exhibits are, I suppose we could assume quite a few years more considering the planned addition to the original.
What do you guys think? Leave a comment!
Knott's Berry Farm Updating Classic Flume Ride
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I really like the direction that Knott's Berry Farm appears to once again be headed in. Between the removal of Perilous Plunge for a selection of family rides, a total renovation of the park's food offerings and today's announcement, the park is showing it is not afraid to spend cash on aspects of the park that were in need of attention.
That brings us to the latest news, the park will send the Timber Mountain Log Ride under a multi-million dollar renovation that will last approximately five months. When the mountain, which first opened in 1969 and is still one of the park's most popular rides, opens it will look like new, head to toe. The park has contracted Garner Holt Productions to create all new scenes for inside the ride that will stay true to the original theme and story line.
“The Timber Mountain Log Ride not only embodies the spirit of Knott’s Berry Farm, but it also set the bar for all themed attractions that came after,” says Raffi Kaprelyan, Knott’s general manager who worked for Bud Hurlbut from 1979-1983. “Bud Hurlbut made numerous contributions to Knott’s Berry Farm, but I think that the Timber Mountain Log Ride remains his crowning achievement.”
The ride will close January 7th for the renovations to begin. Great decision, Knott's! I can't wait to see the finished product.
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| © Knott's Berry Farm |
That brings us to the latest news, the park will send the Timber Mountain Log Ride under a multi-million dollar renovation that will last approximately five months. When the mountain, which first opened in 1969 and is still one of the park's most popular rides, opens it will look like new, head to toe. The park has contracted Garner Holt Productions to create all new scenes for inside the ride that will stay true to the original theme and story line.
“The Timber Mountain Log Ride not only embodies the spirit of Knott’s Berry Farm, but it also set the bar for all themed attractions that came after,” says Raffi Kaprelyan, Knott’s general manager who worked for Bud Hurlbut from 1979-1983. “Bud Hurlbut made numerous contributions to Knott’s Berry Farm, but I think that the Timber Mountain Log Ride remains his crowning achievement.”
The ride will close January 7th for the renovations to begin. Great decision, Knott's! I can't wait to see the finished product.
Snow Does A GateKeeper Good
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This photo was just a bit too pretty not to share... GateKeeper looks stunning set among the snow covered ground at Cedar Point.
And check out that air-time hill! Looking pretty good, as expected the ride is turning into one heck of a visual feast. Next up in the ride's construction is a large flat spin, then it is on to the front gate heartlines and keyhole elements.
You can keep up to date with the ride's progress via several webcams the park has up.
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| © Cedar Point |
And check out that air-time hill! Looking pretty good, as expected the ride is turning into one heck of a visual feast. Next up in the ride's construction is a large flat spin, then it is on to the front gate heartlines and keyhole elements.
You can keep up to date with the ride's progress via several webcams the park has up.
2 Ocak 2013 Çarşamba
Cockayne to jump into mayor's race Monday
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Though the next municipal election is nearly a full year away, it appears the campaign will be a long one.Republican city Councilor Ken Cockayne is expected to announce Monday that he will run for mayor next year, hoping to succeed three-term Democrat Art Ward.Cockayne is expected to make his announcement at Monday's Republican Town Committee meeting, slated for 7 p.m. at the Board of Education auditorium.Cockayne, who's been a council member since 2007, has made no secret of his ambition to run for mayor. By throwing his hat in the ring early he may be angling to preempt possible competitors from within his own party's ranks.Ward has given no indication whether he will run for fourth term. Many Democrats are eyeing a possible run for the position even if Ward decides to see reelection, including former city Councilor Kevin McCauley, who said recently he is thinking about it.Mayors serve two-year terms for a little less than $100,000 annually.
Copyright 2012. All rights reserved. Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
Mills: City panel 'squandered opportunity'
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City Councilor David Mills issued this statement today under the heading "An Opportunity Missed," about the Real Estate Committee's decision last week to reject the Central Connecticut Chambers of Commerce proposal for the reuse of Memorial Boulevard School:
This week, the Real Estate Committee rejected a worthyproposal that would, in my opinion, improve Bristol’s quality of life andpreserve a valuable asset for generations to come.
Let me present some background on the issue. The BristolBoard of Education closed the Memorial Boulevard School, as well as two otherschools, as of September 1st of this year. As chairman of the Building Committee, Ireceived many inquiries from Bristol taxpayers who felt that this building wasan important landmark in the city that must be maintained. I decided to discover why so many peoplenamed this Rockwell creation on their must-save list.
The Memorial Boulevard building is a gem that holds great promisefor our community. The auditorium ofthis school is reminiscent of a New York City theater, with a 4.5-story flyspace above the stage. This site has thepotential to house a variety of productions, from touring musicals and dramasto film, travelogue, and children’s theater. Professionals in the technical production industry, includingrepresentatives from the reconditioned Palace Theatre, recently toured theauditorium, and were struck by its many possibilities. They strongly feel thatthis unique facility should not be compromised, and have offeredrecommendations for its improvement and usage.
The renovation of this space offers some excitingdevelopment opportunities. However, the greatest challenge would be funding. Asthe plan developed, conversations began with Chamber of Commerce PresidentMichael Nicastro, John Smith who as former Assistant Superintendent of Schoolshas vast knowledge of the building, Sean Taylor, businessman and Treasurer ofBristol Theater Arts, and others. They all agreed these theater improvementsand an arts program could be sustained using the rest of the Memorial Boulevardbuilding as an “economic engine” that would help pay for the auditoriumimprovement project. Under this plan, start-ups and arts-related businesseswill rent space at below-market rates. The building would need minimalreconfiguration, allowing existing building codes to prevail.
The Chamber of Commerce presented an outline of their planto the Building Committee, and the matter was turned over to the Real EstateCommittee.When the city put out an RFP (Request for proposal) for afuture use for the building, the Chamber of Commerce submitted its plan. As itturned out, it was the ONLY plan submitted.
The Real Estate Committee rejected the Chamber’s proposal,purportedly on the basis that there were “too many unanswered questions.” This despite the fact that, at a specialmeeting arranged for the Chamber to answer the committee’s questions, therewere no questions asked. Instead, thecommittee simply set another meeting so that municipal departments could comeforth and detail other uses they might have.
By rejecting this proposal, the Real Estate Committee hasmissed an opportunity to make a lasting contribution to the city ofBristol. This plan would provide astate-of-the-art theater and art space for our community. It would attract new businesses to the city,especially technology, media, and bio science companies. It would create moreactivity downtown and create momentum for development. It would establish a cultural center for artsand community activities, providing entertainment that would enrich the livesof our citizens.
I urge our city leaders to reconsider this plan and to takethe following actions:
The Real Estate Committee has squandered an opportunity tomove Bristol development forward. We are left with another empty building, ourfourth, adding to the budget deficit, with no plan in sight.
We have a chance to develop a unique space that will enhanceour community. Let’s not miss that opportunity again.
Copyright 2012. All rights reserved. Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
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| City Councilor David Mills |
Let me present some background on the issue. The BristolBoard of Education closed the Memorial Boulevard School, as well as two otherschools, as of September 1st of this year. As chairman of the Building Committee, Ireceived many inquiries from Bristol taxpayers who felt that this building wasan important landmark in the city that must be maintained. I decided to discover why so many peoplenamed this Rockwell creation on their must-save list.
The Memorial Boulevard building is a gem that holds great promisefor our community. The auditorium ofthis school is reminiscent of a New York City theater, with a 4.5-story flyspace above the stage. This site has thepotential to house a variety of productions, from touring musicals and dramasto film, travelogue, and children’s theater. Professionals in the technical production industry, includingrepresentatives from the reconditioned Palace Theatre, recently toured theauditorium, and were struck by its many possibilities. They strongly feel thatthis unique facility should not be compromised, and have offeredrecommendations for its improvement and usage.
The renovation of this space offers some excitingdevelopment opportunities. However, the greatest challenge would be funding. Asthe plan developed, conversations began with Chamber of Commerce PresidentMichael Nicastro, John Smith who as former Assistant Superintendent of Schoolshas vast knowledge of the building, Sean Taylor, businessman and Treasurer ofBristol Theater Arts, and others. They all agreed these theater improvementsand an arts program could be sustained using the rest of the Memorial Boulevardbuilding as an “economic engine” that would help pay for the auditoriumimprovement project. Under this plan, start-ups and arts-related businesseswill rent space at below-market rates. The building would need minimalreconfiguration, allowing existing building codes to prevail.
The Chamber of Commerce presented an outline of their planto the Building Committee, and the matter was turned over to the Real EstateCommittee.When the city put out an RFP (Request for proposal) for afuture use for the building, the Chamber of Commerce submitted its plan. As itturned out, it was the ONLY plan submitted.
The Real Estate Committee rejected the Chamber’s proposal,purportedly on the basis that there were “too many unanswered questions.” This despite the fact that, at a specialmeeting arranged for the Chamber to answer the committee’s questions, therewere no questions asked. Instead, thecommittee simply set another meeting so that municipal departments could comeforth and detail other uses they might have.
By rejecting this proposal, the Real Estate Committee hasmissed an opportunity to make a lasting contribution to the city ofBristol. This plan would provide astate-of-the-art theater and art space for our community. It would attract new businesses to the city,especially technology, media, and bio science companies. It would create moreactivity downtown and create momentum for development. It would establish a cultural center for artsand community activities, providing entertainment that would enrich the livesof our citizens.
I urge our city leaders to reconsider this plan and to takethe following actions:
- Convene a meeting with the Chamber of Commerce, as well as building and fire inspectors, to review the requirements for bringing the building up to code.
- Arrange a meeting between the Corporate Council and the Chamber to hammer out a time-sensitive lease agreement to protect the interests of both parties, with a measured result.
- Realize that government does not have all the answers. Engaging in a Private/Public partnership could be the best path to creating a vibrant Arts, Cultural and Business center.
The Real Estate Committee has squandered an opportunity tomove Bristol development forward. We are left with another empty building, ourfourth, adding to the budget deficit, with no plan in sight.
We have a chance to develop a unique space that will enhanceour community. Let’s not miss that opportunity again.
Cockayne: 'The right person at the right time'
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Here are the prepared remarks that city Councilor Ken Cockayne spoke to the Republican Town Committee tonight: Today I am announcing that Iam running for Mayor of Bristol in 2013. I am asking for your support in this endeavor and feel I am the rightperson at the right time for this job.
I am the senior member of theCouncil and have spent the last five years fighting for change and fighting foryou, the taxpayers of Bristol. We are onthe precipice of significant change and new leadership for Bristol. In the last local election, the people ofBristol spoke and elected leaders to fight for them. Leaders, who are truly, fiscallyconservative, who understand that voters are not ATMs. The sitting Mayor controls the agenda, sowhile the voters spoke, loudly and clearly, there is one more crucialstep. We need a mayor that will listento the people of Bristol and set an agenda that puts their interests first. Weneed a true leader to drive the change that must occur and I believe I am thattype of leader.
I believe I am the rightperson at the right time for Bristol. Thesewill be challenging times. We need someonewho can lead from the front. I havespent the last five years doing just this. I have never hid from an issue or avoided one. I have worked steadfastly for the people ofBristol, even when it met that I stood alone. When we needed change in leadershipwith our Police Department, I was the only elected official willing to attachhis name when asking for this change. Whenour community was in danger of having no say in group homes for troubledadolescents moving into established residential neighborhoods, I stepped upimmediately to fight. We wanted a voice for Bristol, and I was thatvoice that brought this practice to light. At times I have been the lone voice of dissent when voting on contracts,for I refused to be a part of a rubber stamp council. I was voice for the West End, an oftenoverlooked section of our community, and called for increased police presenceand was an advocate for the formation of the West End Association.
I believe that I am not onlya person who leads from the front, but also the person with the rightexperience to do the job well. In thelast five years, I have served on 21 separate boards, including the BristolDevelopment Authority, the Bristol Downtown Development Corporation, the Boardof Public Works and the Salary Committee. I have fought the tough battles and have an intimate understanding ofour municipal government.
These last five years havebeen arduous, but the foundation is in place. The current City Council is ready to work for responsible change to benefityou, the taxpayer. The next step is toput a person in the Mayor’s Office who will set an agenda to facilitate thischange. With my willingness to take onchallenges and embrace the fights that need to occur, coupled with myexperience as your senior councilman, I believe I am the right person at theright time. I humbly as for yoursupport. I may have a video to add sometime Tuesday for those who want to see it all in high def. Copyright 2012. All rights reserved. Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
I am the senior member of theCouncil and have spent the last five years fighting for change and fighting foryou, the taxpayers of Bristol. We are onthe precipice of significant change and new leadership for Bristol. In the last local election, the people ofBristol spoke and elected leaders to fight for them. Leaders, who are truly, fiscallyconservative, who understand that voters are not ATMs. The sitting Mayor controls the agenda, sowhile the voters spoke, loudly and clearly, there is one more crucialstep. We need a mayor that will listento the people of Bristol and set an agenda that puts their interests first. Weneed a true leader to drive the change that must occur and I believe I am thattype of leader.
I believe I am the rightperson at the right time for Bristol. Thesewill be challenging times. We need someonewho can lead from the front. I havespent the last five years doing just this. I have never hid from an issue or avoided one. I have worked steadfastly for the people ofBristol, even when it met that I stood alone. When we needed change in leadershipwith our Police Department, I was the only elected official willing to attachhis name when asking for this change. Whenour community was in danger of having no say in group homes for troubledadolescents moving into established residential neighborhoods, I stepped upimmediately to fight. We wanted a voice for Bristol, and I was thatvoice that brought this practice to light. At times I have been the lone voice of dissent when voting on contracts,for I refused to be a part of a rubber stamp council. I was voice for the West End, an oftenoverlooked section of our community, and called for increased police presenceand was an advocate for the formation of the West End Association.
I believe that I am not onlya person who leads from the front, but also the person with the rightexperience to do the job well. In thelast five years, I have served on 21 separate boards, including the BristolDevelopment Authority, the Bristol Downtown Development Corporation, the Boardof Public Works and the Salary Committee. I have fought the tough battles and have an intimate understanding ofour municipal government.
These last five years havebeen arduous, but the foundation is in place. The current City Council is ready to work for responsible change to benefityou, the taxpayer. The next step is toput a person in the Mayor’s Office who will set an agenda to facilitate thischange. With my willingness to take onchallenges and embrace the fights that need to occur, coupled with myexperience as your senior councilman, I believe I am the right person at theright time. I humbly as for yoursupport. I may have a video to add sometime Tuesday for those who want to see it all in high def.
Martin 'bothered' by colleagues' choice to reject chamber plan for Memorial Boulevard
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City Councilor Henri Martin just issued this statement re the decision of the city's Real Estate Committee recently to reject a plan for Memorial Boulevard School's reuse by the Central Connecticut Chambers of Commerce:
I’m bothered and disagreewith the recent decision by the Real Estate Committee of the City of Bristol toinitiate a new RFP (Request for proposal) regarding the future use of MemorialBoulevard School. Further I disagree with the member’s decision to discuss thismatter in an executive session rather than in public.
In its proposal, the CentralConnecticut Chamber of Commerce submitted a viable plan which I believe answeredthe wishes of our community — to protect and find a potential re-use for thishistoric property. The plan was visionary and provided innovative ideas foreconomic development to Bristol through the creation of an arts center thatincluded the preservation and future improvements of the theatre, and a businessincubator for start up entrepreneurs in the technology, media and bio-fields.
At its last Real Estate workshop,with a change of use from a building educating students to the anticipated usethe Chamber was proposing, city department officials offered their views of ADAupdates, fire and building code deficiencies, and future capitol improvementcosts that may lay ahead for any intended use. Revealing these facts and costs may have worriedthe committee, but should not have warranted the rejection of the Chambersproposal or a motion and approval to request a new RFP.
I understand the city’sbudget is under pressure, but imagine the unknown costs associated with the innovativeidea of ESPN back in 1978/79 that gave city officials reason to pause. ThankGod we pressed forward. In my opinion, revealing all the facts and costs only facilitatesa better understanding of the risks for all involved.
The proposal was anopportunity for the City and Chamber to develop a Public/Private partnership,thus allowing them to work together to preserve the theatre and building, andsimultaneously bring some kind of economic development in the downtown area. Weneed new innovative vision—not the same old same old.
Downtown needs energy; artenergy, entrepreneurial energy, young professional energy, upscale energy,community energy—and the Chamber’s proposal offered all of this. Unfortunatelythis didn’t happen. After a questionableexecutive session meeting, the committee decided to start the process all overagain.
The Real Estate committeefailed to work collaboratively with the Chamber to determine if a format couldbe established which met both their and the City’s goal. The process wasinstead adversarial in nature which was not fair to the Chamber and does adisservice to our citizens.
If the Real Estate Committeewas worried about the potential costs mentioned by the department officials orhad unanswered questions; those details could have been addressed duringnegotiations between the City and the Chamber before any final lease documentwas executed. The concept was still sound.
City officials should beworking collectively with our business partners in the Chamber to achieve thegoal of the community to preserve the historic Memorial Boulevard School. Inthe end, we either may have had an agreement that met the needs of both sides,or maybe it wouldn’t have worked for the either, but the decision would havebeen reached in a cooperative manner rather than the way it did.
Unfortunately, the Chamberhas decided to withdraw its proposal and not respond to the new RFP, and giventhe nature of the process which was followed who can blame them.
Now we’re back to square one…
Copyright 2012. All rights reserved. Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
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| City Councilor Henri Martin, left, with Mayor Art Ward and Councilors Ken Cockayne and Kevin Fuller trailing |
In its proposal, the CentralConnecticut Chamber of Commerce submitted a viable plan which I believe answeredthe wishes of our community — to protect and find a potential re-use for thishistoric property. The plan was visionary and provided innovative ideas foreconomic development to Bristol through the creation of an arts center thatincluded the preservation and future improvements of the theatre, and a businessincubator for start up entrepreneurs in the technology, media and bio-fields.
At its last Real Estate workshop,with a change of use from a building educating students to the anticipated usethe Chamber was proposing, city department officials offered their views of ADAupdates, fire and building code deficiencies, and future capitol improvementcosts that may lay ahead for any intended use. Revealing these facts and costs may have worriedthe committee, but should not have warranted the rejection of the Chambersproposal or a motion and approval to request a new RFP.
I understand the city’sbudget is under pressure, but imagine the unknown costs associated with the innovativeidea of ESPN back in 1978/79 that gave city officials reason to pause. ThankGod we pressed forward. In my opinion, revealing all the facts and costs only facilitatesa better understanding of the risks for all involved.
The proposal was anopportunity for the City and Chamber to develop a Public/Private partnership,thus allowing them to work together to preserve the theatre and building, andsimultaneously bring some kind of economic development in the downtown area. Weneed new innovative vision—not the same old same old.
Downtown needs energy; artenergy, entrepreneurial energy, young professional energy, upscale energy,community energy—and the Chamber’s proposal offered all of this. Unfortunatelythis didn’t happen. After a questionableexecutive session meeting, the committee decided to start the process all overagain.
The Real Estate committeefailed to work collaboratively with the Chamber to determine if a format couldbe established which met both their and the City’s goal. The process wasinstead adversarial in nature which was not fair to the Chamber and does adisservice to our citizens.
If the Real Estate Committeewas worried about the potential costs mentioned by the department officials orhad unanswered questions; those details could have been addressed duringnegotiations between the City and the Chamber before any final lease documentwas executed. The concept was still sound.
City officials should beworking collectively with our business partners in the Chamber to achieve thegoal of the community to preserve the historic Memorial Boulevard School. Inthe end, we either may have had an agreement that met the needs of both sides,or maybe it wouldn’t have worked for the either, but the decision would havebeen reached in a cooperative manner rather than the way it did.
Unfortunately, the Chamberhas decided to withdraw its proposal and not respond to the new RFP, and giventhe nature of the process which was followed who can blame them.
Now we’re back to square one…
Let's make sure Newtown is the last massacre
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Between Sunday morning's church service and Sunday night's vigil in West Hartford, I saw a lot of candles flickering, tiny flames to stand against the evil that enveloped Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown the other day. It is hard to see how the puny lights we carry can do much in the face of such overwhelming darkness. And yet the only good that can come of such a nightmare is that it might force us to wake up, to open our eyes and see that we don't have to keep on sleeping. We can build a better world, one in which loopy young men can't get their hands on weapons that could have wiped out a Roman legion or turned the tide in any battle of the American Revolution. These powerful guns, which can wipe out a classroom in minutes, are not something that anybody with a credit card and a trigger finger ought to have the right to buy. That almost anybody could walk into Wal-Mart and walk out in no time with the means to slaughter scores of people is nothing short of sickening. No civilized country allows it, except the United States. So it's no surprise that when a massacre happens -- in a mall, in a movie theater, in a McDonalds, at a church in a classroom -- it happens in America. We're better than this. All those little shining faces from Newtown, those precious kids who never had a chance, we owe it to them to make sure that this doesn't again, and again, and again. We have to give up the idea that if we just arm enough people, just station enough cops in enough places, just put bulletproof glass in our schools, just create a mountain of fake security, that it will be enough. It will never be enough. The only answer is to make sure that guns that are capable of firing large magazines of bullets are no longer available and that the bullets they use are also impossible to find. I believe the Second Amendment, along with many state constitutions, allows people who are stable to have a gun. But we even regulate free speech, allowing time and place restrictions and barring the most idiotic types of speech (like the old yelling "fire" in a crowded theater example). We can surely regulate guns at least as much. Let people have a hunting rifle, a shotgun, maybe a six-shooter. But nobody -- absolutely nobody -- needs a semi-automatic rifle like the one used to mow down children and teacher in Newtown. The se heinous weapons shouldn't be allowed and those who sell them, right now, ought to pull them off the shelves. There are some ways of making money that are simply immoral. This is clearly one of them. Our elected representatives promise to make changes every time some horror hits the headlines. And then they do nothing. This time, we can't let that happen. We can't just let the National Rifle Association and its most fanatic fringe control the agenda any longer. We've had enough vigils. We've had enough prayers. What we need is action. We have the ability to roll back the darkness, to push back the fear and to make this country one where children don't have to worry about anything more menacing than homework.
Copyright 2012. All rights reserved. Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
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Knott's Busy Creating a New Boardwalk
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With an entire newly re-themed Boardwalk area to be created, Knott's Berry Farm has been wasting no time in starting the heavy construction work.
The biggest part of the expansion - the extended wild mouse coaster named Coast Rider - has seen the most work done so far. Footers for the ride are well underway, showing off how the ride will sit in its given area. It will utilize most of the space that Perilous Plunge used for the lift, turn around, and drop - it's actually amazing how nicely the coaster will fit in that exact area.
The former water ride's large lagoon will be used for the expansion's other two new attractions, the Surfside Glider Flying Scooters and the Pacific Scrambler. Those two rides aren't quite as far along, but with the new year around the corner I have a feeling work will pick up.
More photos of the construction of Coast Rider can be seen in this recent update from Westcoaster.
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| via Knott's Network |
The biggest part of the expansion - the extended wild mouse coaster named Coast Rider - has seen the most work done so far. Footers for the ride are well underway, showing off how the ride will sit in its given area. It will utilize most of the space that Perilous Plunge used for the lift, turn around, and drop - it's actually amazing how nicely the coaster will fit in that exact area.
The former water ride's large lagoon will be used for the expansion's other two new attractions, the Surfside Glider Flying Scooters and the Pacific Scrambler. Those two rides aren't quite as far along, but with the new year around the corner I have a feeling work will pick up.
More photos of the construction of Coast Rider can be seen in this recent update from Westcoaster.
Building Harry's New Home in Universal Studios Japan
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Universal Studios Hollywood may not have started much work on their new Wizarding World of Harry Potter, but Universal Studios Japan sure hasn't been waiting around!
Over on the Theme Park Construction Board (which you should check out if you haven't, lots of great stuff gets posted there) some new photos of the gigantic show building for - I assume - Hogwart's castle has been built already.
Sure, it helps that Japan's Wizarding World will take up residence in a former parking lot meaning almost no ground work other than concrete removal was needed before foundations could go in. Hollywood, however, has some massive land projects needed before Harry can move in.
Check out the photos of the new show building going up at this link.
From The Vault: New for 1996 at Worlds of Fun
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In last week's Vault I shared the 1996 park map from Worlds of Fun. This week we will continue to look at some of the park's press materials from that year, when several new attractions were featured.
Part of the information that the park shared was a general release about what was new and happening at the theme park. The additions included the Detonator tower ride, RipCord, and the addition of the Berenstain Bear family (not the land, though, just meet and greet opportunities). The park also featured a heavily discounted gate ticket for the evening, and kids got in for only $4.95!
RipCord was an extra admission thrill attraction that simulates "sky-diving, hand-gliding, and bungee jumping," according to this press release. A Skycoaster, this style of attraction was already popular at many amusement parks across the globe. RipCord was positioned so that fliers swing out over the Beat Street Lake, adding to the thrill.
Here is a diagram of the attraction that was sent out, to provide a visual of 180 foot tall ride. The Worlds of Fun version of the ride featured room for one set of fliers at a time, where some others could accommodate two at a time.
The biggest news of the year was Detonator, a brand new S&S Sports Power double-tower space shot ride.
Here's the fact sheet for the ride. Each tower seats 12 riders and blasts them up the 200 foot tower at 45 miles per hour. The sheet also points out that Detonator was the "first two-tower design" and also the "first at a theme park in the United States." As we are well aware many, many more tower installations quickly were built around the world - including almost every Cedar Fair park.
And how about some concept art for the ride? Unfortunately the image that I received was not in color, but it's still pretty neat to check out.
Scott And Carol Present - A Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex Update
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On Thursday, Dec. 27, Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex unveiled the first phase of improvements designed to dramatically enhance the guest experience. The brand new $16 million entry is part of the 10-year Master Plan developed by Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex concessioner, Delaware North Companies Parks and Resorts, in partnership with NASA’s Kennedy Space Center.
The new entry includes a grand plaza and fountain; ticket stations and self-service kiosks; will call, guest services and information stations; a retail shop; and a restaurant. And those visiting during the holiday season will be among the very first to experience the brand new entry. 
Photo courtesy of Kennedy Space Center
Entering from the parking lot visitors encounter the grand plaza, featuring the first-ever 3D representation of NASA's insignia that spans 13 feet in diameter. To the right of the globe stands a majestic 75-foot long fountain that pays homage to the dreams of late President John F. Kennedy, for whom NASA’s Kennedy Space Center is named. Kennedy’s face, along with a quote from his famous 1962 “moon speech” at Rice University, are laser etched onto a skyward-reaching arch of blue granite that stands 30-feet at its highest point.
The 5,000-gallon fountain is spectacularly lit in the evenings with LED lights and features 26 jets of water that can be programmed to create inspiring light shows for guests as they exit the complex or during evening special events or exhibitions.
Photo courtesy of Kennedy Space Center
The changes to the entrance and ticket plaza, are just the initial elements in a start of the Center's comprehensive plan. Space shuttle Atlantis, still covered in 16,000 square feet of shrink wrap, is in the middle of a construction zone. The new shuttle $100 million, 90,000-square foot exhibit showcasing the shuttle and celebrating the 30-year space shuttle program is slated to open in July of 2013.
The Vehicle Assembly Building, or VAB in NASA terminology, is now open to the public for tours for the first time since it became operational. For those of you who remember the original trips to the moon, during that time it was called the Vertical Assembly Building, since they various parts of the rockets were stacked bottom to top as they were assembled for launch. There was no public access while rockets with dangerous chemicals were on site.
This look up the transfer aisle shows the tallest vertical enclosed space in the world. This building is so large, the 4th largest building in the world by volume, that under proper conditions it can even create its own rainstorm inside. Massive cranes with the ability to move heavy loads in the tiniest fractions of an inch picked up the parts here and moved them into the proper assembly bay.
Everything that come in this building has to be lifted over 160 feet up to the open bays and then lowered down to the transporter on top of the crawler, which is 50 feet high by itself. You to can take a peek inside one of the iconic structures of the Kennedy Space Center by signing up for the Up Close Tour. Our thanks to the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex for the update, July cannot get here quick enough!
NPN's Look Back at 2012
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In last year's look back at 2011 I wrote how there was so much to look forward in 2012, so much in fact that it made it pretty easy to say goodbye to '11. Now that that exciting year will come to an end at the stroke of midnight tonight, I thought we could take a look back at it. A full year for the theme park industry to say the least, we'll just be looking at some of the highlights from each month. Time warp - let's go!Technically Legoland Florida opened in 2011, but I'd be remiss if I did not make mention of its spectacular performance in 2012. Between their first full year of operation, and the reopening of the water park, and the announcement of more new stuff - things appear to have gone quite well for the park. Scott & Carol posted their coverage of the property in January, introducing our readers to the park in detail. The month also marked the first day of work for Matt Ouimet as Cedar Fair's CEO - a seemingly small thing that will speak volumes over the next few years.I'm sorry February, but you're a cold and ugly month. Still, some things that happened during this month in 2012 had ride fans drooling on their keyboards. Both Shambhala at PortAventura and Leviathan at Canada's Wonderland reached construction milestones, the former reached its high point and the latter completed its track. A bright spot appeared on the future of Kentucky Kingdom when it was announced that the Koch family planned to reopen it as Bluegrass Boardwalk. The plans fell through later in the year, but it was quite a development at the time.It was still quite early in the year, but March brought the first round of new ride openings. Scott and Carol were at Dollywood to cover the opening of Wild Eagle, the park's anticipated wing coaster from B&M. Across the pond, two other large rides opened to passengers for the first time as well: the stellar looking Wodan at Europa Park and The Swarm, another B&M wing coaster, at Thorpe Park.Busy, busy, busy - lots of ride openings were the focus in April here on NPN, with a busy schedule of covering them all. Everyone was waiting to see how Busch Gardens Williamsburg's Verbolten turned out, and Scott and Carol were there to tell us when the ride opened. Later in the month they headed up North to take a spin on B&M's tallest coaster - ever - which also happens to be over 300 feet tall. Leviathan at Canada's Wonderland is a monster both literally and figuratively, as the duo reported. Later in the month I checked out Dorney Park's pair of new offerings, Stinger and Dinosaurs Alive!Who doesn't love a good surprise? May started out with one from Cedar Point, that Wildcat would be removed in favor of additional seating for Luminosity. It's amazing looking back at just how many ride openings Scott & Carol hit this year, as May also saw X-Flight's premier at Six Flags Great America. It is not often that we write about a whole new park opening in the U.S., but that's exactly what we were able to do when Galveston Pleasure Pier opened in May. The seaside amusement park in Texas combines classic rides with modern thrills.One coaster was really the talk of the town in 2012, and we finally got to check out Skyrush at Hersheypark in June. For any fan of intense rides, Skyrush provides some of the most extreme ejector airtime I've felt. The Summer also really picked up with new attractions opening on the West coast, and Kevin was there to share the developments with us. Two big theme parks offered two big new attractions: the entire new Cars Land at Disney California Adventure, and Transformers at Universal Studios Hollywood. The next big opening was Superman: Ultimate Flight at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom, a unique launched coaster that sits on a small space but packs a big punch.In between celebrating the country's birthday, NPN also was at the celebration of Six Flags Over Georgia's 45th anniversary in July. The Summer also marked the 20th anniversary of Dorney Park's ownership by Cedar Fair, which I covered in some seriously lengthy detail for you all. The (warm) winds of change started to blow as well, with the news that Fiesta Texas' Rattler, Disaster Transport and Space Spiral at Cedar Point, and Kings Island's Son of Beast would be turned to dust. I set off on one of my coaster-seeking road trips, and documented my trip via several updates.August was a rather big month for announcing things, both what is coming this year and also what won't be around any more. Additional items that would be retired included Flashback and the Texas Chute Out at Six Flags Over Texas, and Perilous Plunge at Knott's Berry Farm. Those may have been bummers, but they were quickly overshadowed by some mega-announcements. Cedar Point unveiled GateKeeper, Silver Dollar City took the wraps off of Outlaw Run, California's Great America gave the details of Gold Striker, and Six Flags revealed more new stuff than you can shake a stick at for all their parks.Don't tell the parks that Halloween actually takes place in October, not September. While it was a little early, NPN was out covering several Halloween events in September, including the Haunt at Worlds of Fun and Fright Fest at Six Flags Great Adventure. We also launched a new series on NPN, the Vault, showcasing some of the older stuff we have laying around. New announcements continued during September as well, including news from Kings Dominion, Wild Adventures, and Darien Lake.The screams of the recently departed continued into October, with plenty more in-park coverage of hauntings across the country. Scott & Carol got into the swing of things with the Haunt at Kings Island, the Phantom Fright Nights at Kennywood, and Six Flags Great America's Fright Fest. All those scares, I'm glad they survived! Dorney Park celebrated their fifth anniversary of Haunt with another year of screams. Everyone got a bit of a wicked treat when they got to check out the deconstruction of Son of Beast, for it is not every day we get to see a ride of this size come down. The month of November is a big one for our industry, that's when the annual IAAPA trade show takes place. A series of updates from Scott and Carol kept us in the loop on all the news. Some of the special announcements included the unveiling of Outlaw Run's cars, and the addition of an inversion on Mt. Olympus' Hades. Several other updates included plenty of hidden gems that all show off the latest and greatest the amusement industry has to offer. And as if all that wasn't enough, a brand new water park, Aquatica San Diego, was announced!Finally, the current month we are saying farewell to, December. One of the largest news items so far has been the opening of New Fantasyland at the Magic Kingdom in Disney World. Filled with new rides, shows, and restaurants, the new area has created quite a buzz for its level of theming and attention to detail. It is also fitting that as the year rolls to an end we take a look at what 2013 has in store with stories like an update of the well underway GateKeeper at Cedar Point and a brand new addition to Miniland at Legoland Florida.
So that's 2012 according to NewsPlusNotes, at least a condensed version of the 558 posts that were written this year. Thanks to all our readers for stopping by, we certainly look forward to checking out all that 2013 has to offer with you guys! Happy New Year!
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