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My town is getting a new theme park

JMFP

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YGIFS

YGIFS 19449

Posted
Posted
11 minutes ago, BabaYaga said:

Whole area is blowing up.  The casino's in OK are some of the biggest in the country.  Broken Bow is exploding with cabin values doubling and tripling in a matter of a few years.  Layer in the new PGA headquarters north of Frisco and the plans for a Universal Studios - it's a ton of development going in.  

It makes a lot of sense from a land cost and location standpoint.  Such a theme park complex can draw from a number of mid-to-large size metro areas that are all growing YoY.  Land is still affordable.  Gonna need some serious infrastructure/road upgrades, but maybe that's doable.  The nearby casino draws are an added bonus.  Plus plenty of places to build pad sites a few miles from the hotel/RV density where Mom & Dad can pick up their "Medicine" on the way to/from the parks.  Maybe have a kids sleep-away deal on park grounds so Mom & Dad can go hit the slots at a nearby casino.  

I love that Oklahoma got wise to his but Texas is still "If we legalize gambling, could lead to a criminal element in our state.  Never mind we already have legalized gambling called the Texas Lottery and nobody has any idea where the money goes.  Then we can't have legalized marijuana because it could lead to a criminal element in our state.  Meanwhile Texas has a higher crime rate than New York, California, Illinois, Florida, Georgia, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts.  But hey, we got a Six Flags! 

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BabaYaga

BabaYaga 15289

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23 minutes ago, YGIFS said:

I love that Oklahoma got wise to his but Texas is still "If we legalize gambling, could lead to a criminal element in our state.

There is also so much outside pressure from adjacent LA, OK, and even NM to keep gambling out of the state.  If TX were to allow massive casinos, etc. it would be a huge blow to these neighboring states that rely so much on the steady flow of gambling money and labor.  

It's also a different animal in OK - they have two large, state run casinos, but over a hundred smaller tribal casinos that can operate in distinctly different ways.  

Legalized gambling in Texas impact

Quote

“While Oklahoma borders no less than five states that offer commercial casino gaming, the primary competitive threat to the state’s gaming market comes from potential legalization in Texas.”  

“Texans routinely cross into Oklahoma, New Mexico and Louisiana for gaming. A positive vote by Texas lawmakers could open the door for them to stay home, negatively impacting money flowing to Oklahoma’s coffers.”

 

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atomheartbevo

atomheartbevo 89630

Posted
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19 minutes ago, YGIFS said:

It makes a lot of sense from a land cost and location standpoint.  Such a theme park complex can draw from a number of mid-to-large size metro areas that are all growing YoY.  Land is still affordable.  Gonna need some serious infrastructure/road upgrades, but maybe that's doable.  The nearby casino draws are an added bonus.  Plus plenty of places to build pad sites a few miles from the hotel/RV density where Mom & Dad can pick up their "Medicine" on the way to/from the parks.  Maybe have a kids sleep-away deal on park grounds so Mom & Dad can go hit the slots at a nearby casino.  

1 hour ago, YGIFS said:

This Oklahoma theme park megaplex will instead be grounded in reality, faith, values, and the best rides designed by C- students from NE Oklahoma State University.  And there will be American History shows every hour on the hour in the Heritage Pavilion where you can learn about the proud history of Oklahoma. 

I think you're reading way too much into the location though - I still have my doubts, but in reading around, there's a decent chance this will happen. It's the folks who have major money from Branson properties (https://www.mansionentertainmentgroup.com/), and possibly another group/family who owns the Chiefs, and they aren't investing this kind of money to copy some shitty Kentucky Bible theme park that families will only visit once - this is definitely being built as a property that people will come back to.

In thinking a little more about it, it's a well-suited area, even if it's rural as fuck.  Yes, as mentioned, they can draw from a large number of mid-to-large size metro areas, but it's not just that. If they move such a development too far north, they run into weather issues (not that Oklahoma has great weather year-round, they definitely don't), and they are also competing with other entertainment - pro sports for instance, plus most major metroplexes up north have theme parks, etc. within driving distance.  West Coast and East Coast locations - not going to get too many 1,000-acre plots for cheap, and if you're in California or near or in Florida, you're competing with the bestest theme parks, and if you move up the coast you're competing with a lot of other attractions.

That part of Oklahoma though, yeah, it's a lot of mid-to-large metro areas across 5 states within an easy drive, and sure Dallas has Six Flags and Kansas City has a theme park, and there's Branson, but people do get bored with those, and this could also capture people who are driving north or south through that part of Oklahoma.  Decent highway connections.

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atomheartbevo

atomheartbevo 89630

Posted
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1 minute ago, BabaYaga said:

There is also so much outside pressure from adjacent LA, OK, and even NM to keep gambling out of the state.  If TX were to allow massive casinos, etc. it would be a huge blow to these neighboring states that rely so much on the steady flow of gambling money and labor.  

It's also a different animal in OK - they have two large, state run casinos, but over a hundred smaller tribal casinos that can operate in distinctly different ways.  

Legalized gambling in Texas impact

The recent spate of YouTube advertising in Texas about Texas casinos, it's right there in the fine print - it's a company tied to Vegas and Louisiana casinos.

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Gatorubet

Gatorubet 30189

Posted
Posted
11 minutes ago, atomheartbevo said:

I think you're reading way too much into the location though - I still have my doubts, but in reading around, there's a decent chance this will happen. It's the folks who have major money from Branson properties (https://www.mansionentertainmentgroup.com/), and possibly another group/family who owns the Chiefs, and they aren't investing this kind of money to copy some shitty Kentucky Bible theme park that families will only visit once - this is definitely being built as a property that people will come back to.

In thinking a little more about it, it's a well-suited area, even if it's rural as fuck.  Yes, as mentioned, they can draw from a large number of mid-to-large size metro areas, but it's not just that. If they move such a development too far north, they run into weather issues (not that Oklahoma has great weather year-round, they definitely don't), and they are also competing with other entertainment - pro sports for instance, plus most major metroplexes up north have theme parks, etc. within driving distance.  West Coast and East Coast locations - not going to get too many 1,000-acre plots for cheap, and if you're in California or near or in Florida, you're competing with the bestest theme parks, and if you move up the coast you're competing with a lot of other attractions.

That part of Oklahoma though, yeah, it's a lot of mid-to-large metro areas across 5 states within an easy drive, and sure Dallas has Six Flags and Kansas City has a theme park, and there's Branson, but people do get bored with those, and this could also capture people who are driving north or south through that part of Oklahoma.  Decent highway connections.

Shhhhhhhhh!  Nobody mention theme parks and tornado states being a good fit. 

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BabaYaga

BabaYaga 15289

Posted
Posted
32 minutes ago, Macanudo said:

Roy Clark is dead.   But dead, he still puts on a better show.

And isn't this prime for a tornado to come tearing through and make it a real ride?

Worse than annual hurricanes in FL?  Casino's in OK today seem to be fine

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RDCanecutter

RDCanecutter 26402

Posted
Posted
14 hours ago, Beau Vine said:

They're gonna have a huge "Pro-Life" water slide shaped like a giant pelvis where you slide down these huge pink tubes and come shooting out of a great big vagina at the end while the Hallelujah Chorus plays.

You just had to reel me back in, didn't you.

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Samson's Wig

Samson's Wig 3191

Posted
Posted
2 hours ago, BabaYaga said:

There is also so much outside pressure from adjacent LA, OK, and even NM to keep gambling out of the state.  If TX were to allow massive casinos, etc. it would be a huge blow to these neighboring states that rely so much on the steady flow of gambling money and labor.  

It's also a different animal in OK - they have two large, state run casinos, but over a hundred smaller tribal casinos that can operate in distinctly different ways.  

Legalized gambling in Texas impact

 

Fuck the other states and fuck the blue hairs and fundies that allow for the continuation of these foolish policies.  The morons just provide cover for the politicians taking bribes to keep everything illegal.   If Abbott and co. really want to get rid of property taxes (they don't), the only way it's going to happen is to upset the uneducated and unwashed religious goobs who keep them in office by legalizing and taxing "sin".

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'stache

'stache 21801

Posted
Posted
18 hours ago, Left Coast said:

What are the odds that the RV park portion is the only part that actually gets built?

Lol, that's literally been every conversation I had about this yesterday. Nobody believes this is real. There some stuff out there about the people proposing this, apparently a guy who got rich off Pizza Hut franchises and runs b-list media studios. Grand lake is nice, but is still an artificial lake, not my scene. Nearby Pryor had well known and publicized cross burnings well into the 90s, and it's assumed they still go on, just not as publicly acknowledged. There is some form of grift here, my friends in the local media are gonna figure it out soon enough.

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atomheartbevo

atomheartbevo 89630

Posted
Posted
5 hours ago, Gatorubet said:

Shhhhhhhhh!  Nobody mention theme parks and tornado states being a good fit. 

Well, I went to Frontier City outside of Oklahoma City when I was a kid, and it's still standing.

And I got dragged to Enterprise Square (relative was in a hospital, we were out in the area, one of the parents volunteered to haul all of the kids somewhere for an afternoon), which was all about capitalism/free markets, and it could have only happened in Oklahoma

I did get a cool pen that was full of shredded money.

And was treated to gems like this

 

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Brisketexan

Brisketexan 105083

Posted
Posted
2 hours ago, 'stache said:

There some stuff out there about the people proposing this, apparently a guy who got rich off Pizza Hut franchises and runs b-list media studios.

Respek for the bolded.

One of my friends was a credited "script doctor" for this gem:

MV5BNTYzMTJkZTUtNjY2Zi00NGQ0LTlmZGEtZTQ0

I'm sure his work was what helped turn it into an Academy Award Nominee (wait, correct that... I hear it fell just a couple of votes short of making the nominee list that year).

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ChiTownDoc

ChiTownDoc 21144

Posted
Posted
8 hours ago, BabaYaga said:

Whole area is blowing up.  The casino's in OK are some of the biggest in the country.  Broken Bow is exploding with cabin values doubling and tripling in a matter of a few years.  Layer in the new PGA headquarters north of Frisco and the plans for a Universal Studios - it's a ton of development going in.  

Can’t believe I’m having to remind people here of all places…Oklahoma sucks.  

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Kennythetiger

Kennythetiger 9376

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21 hours ago, Steel Shank said:

I knew a Ruth Ann. No doubt she could've kicked my ass.

Did she wear a skinny little halter?  

23 hours ago, CleverNickname said:

Is this the thread to discuss the Turnpike Troubadours new album? First two released tracks are alright, but I'm just glad they are back together touring and recording. 

Seeing them again in one month. 

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crash_davis

crash_davis 23103

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Gotta keep up with...(checks notes) Oklahoma! SEC! SEC! SEC!

Texas-themed Amusement Park Coming to an unlucky shit town near you. I could see Corpus, San Antonio, San Angelo, White Settlement, Arlington, or even Beau-fucking-mont jizzing themselves to get this amusement park.

 

https://www.kxan.com/news/texas/texas-themed-amusement-park-to-open-in-2026/

One Texas entrepreneur has a Texas-sized goal: to build a Texas-themed amusement park.

“Why not put a business model that’s meant to bring people together with the content of Texas that already brings people together? It’s a match made in heaven,” TexasLand USA founder and CEO Lizzy McGee said.

McGee, a sixth-generation Texan and Houston native, said she noticed there was a lack of theme parks in Texas — particularly in the Austin and Houston metros — for a state that has the population and metrics that theme park companies look for.

So, she took her Disney theme park strategy background, earned a master’s degree in business administration and started planning TexasLand USA.

She wants the park to have elements from all parts of the state — West Texas, East Texas, North Texas, South Texas — to celebrate the differences across the state and bring people together to celebrate Texans’ unique identity.

“The coolest thing about Texas is it’s kind of a microcosm of the US in terms of geographies, ethnicities, religions,” McGee said. “Despite having all that all those differences, we all come together to sing ‘Deep in the Heart of Texas’ in the seventh inning stretch.”

McGee said the park will be built in phases. The first phase will not be “thrill-focused,” as that can be found at Six Flags. Instead, it would be “story-driven,” with attractions like a Marfa haunted house, a Galveston pirates ride and a Fort Worth rodeo skills ride, for example.

The opening would also have Texas-based foods and drinks. From Dr Pepper and Fletcher’s Corny Dogs, to Tito’s and Blue Bell ice cream, as well as any number of barbecue joints, McGee said the possibilities are endless.

The project’s location is still to be determined, but McGee hopes to have land under contract this fall.

“We’re going to put it somewhere where the people want us,” she said. “Local collaboration is really important to us, and we understand that it could bring jobs, but it also will bring traffic, and there’s a lot of considerations.”

McGee and her team started a Kickstarter to raise money for a demand study. The study will help the team create the grand vision for the park as well as plan for less-fun details like utilities. Their goal was about $71,000, but they exceeded that goal with nearly $82,000 raised.

McGee is also hosting focus groups to learn what future parkgoers are looking for. She said TexasLand “will truly be a park that’s by Texans for Texans.”

After the demand study is complete, they hope to land investment money for designing, planning and building the park.

McGee said the most ambitious part of her project is its timeline. Her goal is to start construction in late 2024 with an grand opening in summer 2026.

“We had to go big and bold on something because we’re Texas,” she said.

Park updates will be posted on the TexasLand USA website and social media.

Earlier this year, Universal Studios announced it would open a theme park in Frisco geared toward families.

Last week, a $2 billion amusement park in Oklahoma was announced. The “Americana-themed” park is also slated to open in 2026. McGee said this announcement validated her idea that there is a need for theme parks.

“So this really puts the fire under us. Everyone loves a David and Goliath story,” she said. “…Let us know your thoughts–whether you like what we’re doing whether you want to see something different–because if Oklahoma’s gonna have something Texas needs to have something.”

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Macanudo

Macanudo 12976

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, crash_davis said:

Gotta keep up with...(checks notes) Oklahoma! SEC! SEC! SEC!

Texas-themed Amusement Park Coming to an unlucky shit town near you. I could see Corpus, San Antonio, San Angelo, White Settlement, Arlington, or even Beau-fucking-mont jizzing themselves to get this amusement park.

 

https://www.kxan.com/news/texas/texas-themed-amusement-park-to-open-in-2026/

One Texas entrepreneur has a Texas-sized goal: to build a Texas-themed amusement park.

“Why not put a business model that’s meant to bring people together with the content of Texas that already brings people together? It’s a match made in heaven,” TexasLand USA founder and CEO Lizzy McGee said.

McGee, a sixth-generation Texan and Houston native, said she noticed there was a lack of theme parks in Texas — particularly in the Austin and Houston metros — for a state that has the population and metrics that theme park companies look for.

So, she took her Disney theme park strategy background, earned a master’s degree in business administration and started planning TexasLand USA.

She wants the park to have elements from all parts of the state — West Texas, East Texas, North Texas, South Texas — to celebrate the differences across the state and bring people together to celebrate Texans’ unique identity.

“The coolest thing about Texas is it’s kind of a microcosm of the US in terms of geographies, ethnicities, religions,” McGee said. “Despite having all that all those differences, we all come together to sing ‘Deep in the Heart of Texas’ in the seventh inning stretch.”

McGee said the park will be built in phases. The first phase will not be “thrill-focused,” as that can be found at Six Flags. Instead, it would be “story-driven,” with attractions like a Marfa haunted house, a Galveston pirates ride and a Fort Worth rodeo skills ride, for example.

The opening would also have Texas-based foods and drinks. From Dr Pepper and Fletcher’s Corny Dogs, to Tito’s and Blue Bell ice cream, as well as any number of barbecue joints, McGee said the possibilities are endless.

The project’s location is still to be determined, but McGee hopes to have land under contract this fall.

“We’re going to put it somewhere where the people want us,” she said. “Local collaboration is really important to us, and we understand that it could bring jobs, but it also will bring traffic, and there’s a lot of considerations.”

McGee and her team started a Kickstarter to raise money for a demand study. The study will help the team create the grand vision for the park as well as plan for less-fun details like utilities. Their goal was about $71,000, but they exceeded that goal with nearly $82,000 raised.

McGee is also hosting focus groups to learn what future parkgoers are looking for. She said TexasLand “will truly be a park that’s by Texans for Texans.”

After the demand study is complete, they hope to land investment money for designing, planning and building the park.

McGee said the most ambitious part of her project is its timeline. Her goal is to start construction in late 2024 with an grand opening in summer 2026.

“We had to go big and bold on something because we’re Texas,” she said.

Park updates will be posted on the TexasLand USA website and social media.

Earlier this year, Universal Studios announced it would open a theme park in Frisco geared toward families.

Last week, a $2 billion amusement park in Oklahoma was announced. The “Americana-themed” park is also slated to open in 2026. McGee said this announcement validated her idea that there is a need for theme parks.

“So this really puts the fire under us. Everyone loves a David and Goliath story,” she said. “…Let us know your thoughts–whether you like what we’re doing whether you want to see something different–because if Oklahoma’s gonna have something Texas needs to have something.”

This is terrible, this idea.

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Ghost of LL

Ghost of LL 15531

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On 7/19/2023 at 7:07 PM, YGIFS said:

“will attract visitors from around the world to celebrate all that we stand for, here in hometown America,”\

What does that even mean?  Celebrate all we stand for?  It's an RV park, roller coasters, fried food, and waterslides.  That's not the bedrock of the Republic.  That's a theme park.  And that's fine, that's what a theme park should contain.  Nothing wrong with it.  Sounds like a fun detour for us to take when we go visit my in-laws in Kansas every year.  But let's tap the brakes on making it out to be a cultural and historic mecca for the United States.  Branson said the same propaganda lines of bullshit 50 years ago and it's still the same backwards-ass flyover dystopia it ever was.  Can still offer a fun time for the Golden Corral/Cracker Barrel crowd.  And kids will enjoy the rides, but c'mon...we all know who this is geared towards, and the "from around the world" crowd ain't it.  

You shit on Golden Corral all you want, but I love it.

There is no better appetite suppressant in the world than seeing the American Fats go crazy at Golden Corral.  You can take your $1,000 Ozympic shot if you want.  Me--I'm gonna buy a cup of coffee and spend the dinner hour at the Golden Corral.

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Longhornsnus

Longhornsnus 200

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Posted

This ain't ever happening. Like the guy said, a $2bn price tag? That will never turn a profit.

Quote

 

Will it ever be more than fanciful artwork, though?

Mansion says the park will open in 2026. That’d be grand for the families (and economy) of northeast Oklahoma, but it may be a tougher road ahead.

Industry expert Robert Niles runs Theme Park Insider, and his analysis raises questions for American Heartland:

How’s it getting financed? “$2B? That’s the current market cap of the entire Six Flags chain.” Niles says “even a $100m park would struggle to make back investment.”

… because how are millions getting there? The site is “miles away from any major city or airport.”

How can a park without popular tie-ins attract enough visitors? Disney World attendance is slumping despite the pull of Mickey, Marvel, Star Wars, and more. American Heartland’s biggest IP is… freedom?

The best news here: We all win no matter what.

If American Heartland gets built, we’ll have fun in a few years with the inevitable fried monstrosities on its concession menus.

If it doesn’t materialize, we’ll get to revisit the long list of foiled theme parks, including our favorite pipe dreams: Kansas’s Land of Oz and Virginia’s Disney America.

 

 

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