HRP: After the Thrill Is Gone...

Chat about the latest and greatest, or the oldest and best in here.

Moderators: Site Administrators, Site Contributors

Post Reply
User avatar
PapaMouse
Posts: 1189
Joined: Thu Jan 04, 2007 3:38 pm
Location: Myrtle Beach, SC

HRP: After the Thrill Is Gone...

Post by PapaMouse »

Image

It now seems ironic and maybe just a bit prophetic that when the Hard Rock Park opened, they had a big concert with The Eagles. Because, thanks in part to the worsening economy, the thrill is gone. HRP closed early this year (their first year!), and filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

http://www.usatoday.com/travel/news/200 ... ptcy_N.htm

The $50 admission ticket included the cost of most concerts that were given at the park (Except when they had groups like The Eagles or The Moody Blues). But most people either didn't care about the concerts, or didn't realize that that's part of what the $50 was for.

The daughter of one of my daughter's employees was supposed to work at HRP until early November. They didn't even call her to let her know she no longer had a job. She called them when she heard on the news that the Park was closing.

They are planning to re-open in 2009, hoping that the economy will be better, and the Park will have more people showing up than they had this year. But some economists have said that re-opening is just a "pipe dream".
Last edited by PapaMouse on Wed Sep 24, 2014 1:37 am, edited 1 time in total.
Lord, you have filled my cup so full,
How can I fear tomorrow?
fiona
Feenotes Owner
Posts: 4497
Joined: Sat Dec 09, 2006 2:06 pm
Location: Scotland/Illinois

I hadn't heard anything about this...

Post by fiona »

....but it looks to be another one of those casualties caught up in the financial global mess.

It is sad that the daughter of your daughter's employee has been affected and I would have thought that a phonecall or something to tell her about what had happened to the HRP would not have been too much to expect.

I hope everything turns out OK for her and although I doubt this economic disaster will be sorted by 2009, I hope the tide will turn for the park and everything/everyone else as soon as if can.
I'm not going to let my history pull me down and hold me back, you see.
User avatar
jodlyn
Feenotes Contributor
Posts: 2908
Joined: Fri Dec 29, 2006 10:09 pm
Location: California

Another casualty...

Post by jodlyn »

I'm sorry about your daughter's employee's daughter. Losing a job is hard enough without finding out that way. I hope she finds something quickly to take its place.

*Sigh* This economic problem is hitting everyone. No one is immune with it being a global crisis. I think we all have to pray each of our countries pulls out of it.
I'm not bad. I'm just drawn that way!
User avatar
PapaMouse
Posts: 1189
Joined: Thu Jan 04, 2007 3:38 pm
Location: Myrtle Beach, SC

Not long ago, it was announced that the people who built...

Post by PapaMouse »

...the Hard Rock Park had sold it. It cost them around $400,000,000 to build it. They sold it for $25,000,000. That's a whopping 6.25% of the original price! (My daughter's boyfriend thinks they built it intending to lose money, so they could write if off their taxes. Can you imagine having so much money that you need to lose $375,000,000 just to avoid paying higher taxes?)

The new owners say they'll have it open in time for Memorial Day weekend, and have begun hiring. They were gracious enough to offer former employees first crack at getting their jobs back.

The only thing I haven't seen in the news yet, is what they plan to call the place. Only that it will NOT be Hard Rock Park.
Lord, you have filled my cup so full,
How can I fear tomorrow?
User avatar
PapaMouse
Posts: 1189
Joined: Thu Jan 04, 2007 3:38 pm
Location: Myrtle Beach, SC

Seems I missed the announcement.

Post by PapaMouse »

Yesterday, when I posted that the Hard Rock Park name would be dropped, I said I hadn't seen anything about what the new name would be. But I found out today that they announced on April 9 that the new name will be Freestyle Music Park. They also said that the "new" park will be more family friendly, as many people said that there was little for children to do at the HRP.

Here's to the new park, with prayers that it will be more successful than the old one, so people around here can keep their jobs for more than half a season. :5170:
Lord, you have filled my cup so full,
How can I fear tomorrow?
User avatar
PapaMouse
Posts: 1189
Joined: Thu Jan 04, 2007 3:38 pm
Location: Myrtle Beach, SC

If anyone's interested,...

Post by PapaMouse »

...(I am, because it's in my "back yard", as it were): The Freestyle Music Park closed for the season on September 13. They don't know when it will open next season, only that they are shooting for "some time in March". Unfortunately, there still seems to be some residual fall-out from the old HRP, and FSMP is being sued for non-payment of some of their bills. Some questions linger as to whether some of these bills are rightfully owed by FSMP, or were actually leftovers for the Hard Rock people to worry about. But anywhy, it looks as if the "new" park will be around for a while.

I went there on the last day of the season. They had a Christian Music Festival (which they are hoping to make an annual event), and you could get into the park for $5 with a coupon you printed from the website of the organization that sponsored the Festival, and your church bulletin. My $5 ticket ended up costing me in the neighborhood of $25: $7 for parking, $5 for the ticket, $12.50 for lunch, and $1 for 4 wooden roses. Since it was the last day of the season, the roses (normally $1 each) were 75% off. But the parking and the lunch (burger, drink, and onion rings) would have cost the same anyway. So it was still a good deal. And I got to hear a great Christian rock band called No Walls. I had never heard most of the songs they played, but when they got to "Jesus Is Just Alright", it really blew the crowd away!
Lord, you have filled my cup so full,
How can I fear tomorrow?
fiona
Feenotes Owner
Posts: 4497
Joined: Sat Dec 09, 2006 2:06 pm
Location: Scotland/Illinois

Thanks for posting about the Park and the Festival PapaMouse

Post by fiona »

I never understand all the ramifications of unpaid bills and things like that but I'm glad to hear the park is still open. :D

The festival you went to sounds pretty good and I would say you got off pretty well with what you paid. The last music festival I went to cost an arm and a leg, but like you, I think it was worth it. :D
I'm not going to let my history pull me down and hold me back, you see.
User avatar
PapaMouse
Posts: 1189
Joined: Thu Jan 04, 2007 3:38 pm
Location: Myrtle Beach, SC

Third time the charm?

Post by PapaMouse »

Hard Rock Park: less than one season; bankrupt, closed.
Freestyle Music Park: most of one season; bankrupt, closed.

Two years of sitting idle.

Now it seems that the theme park might re-open next summer.
http://www.thesunnews.com/2011/08/03/23 ... t-out.html

As the article says, there has yet to be announced whether it will still be FMP, or if there will be a new name. But the mortgage owners have resisted selling off the rides, hoping to keep the park intact, and maybe giving it another chance. They are currently "in talks" to get it up and running in 2012.
Lord, you have filled my cup so full,
How can I fear tomorrow?
fiona
Feenotes Owner
Posts: 4497
Joined: Sat Dec 09, 2006 2:06 pm
Location: Scotland/Illinois

It's good it may re-open.

Post by fiona »

It's so sad the park has been closed due to bankruptcy twice and has been standing empty for the last couple of years

Maybe it will be third time lucky for it. Here's hoping.
I'm not going to let my history pull me down and hold me back, you see.
User avatar
jodlyn
Feenotes Contributor
Posts: 2908
Joined: Fri Dec 29, 2006 10:09 pm
Location: California

Re: Third time the charm?

Post by jodlyn »

I hope they get it up and running. Fingers crossed!

:1026: :wave:
I'm not bad. I'm just drawn that way!
User avatar
PapaMouse
Posts: 1189
Joined: Thu Jan 04, 2007 3:38 pm
Location: Myrtle Beach, SC

The beginning of the end of the end...

Post by PapaMouse »

One year as the Hard Rock Park.
One year as the Freestyle Music Park.
Six years idle.
And now, it's being dismantled, presumably to be shipped out and reassembled elsewhere.

http://s81.photobucket.com/user/papamou ... 2.jpg.html
http://s81.photobucket.com/user/papamou ... 4.jpg.html
http://s81.photobucket.com/user/papamou ... e.jpg.html

And so it goes...
Lord, you have filled my cup so full,
How can I fear tomorrow?
Post Reply