PG07 Park News Final 3/26/07 12:48 PM Page 7
Park News
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Plan B for Blackpool
Six Flags Magic
Mountain looses
Resort not defeated by casino decision
world record
In an ongoing effort to become more family
friendly, Six Flags Magic Mountain,
Officials at a Blackpool regeneration company Valencia, California, will not operate two
have insisted the future for the British seaside
Storm City is a year-
rides this season, shattering its claims to the
round resort project
resort is still positive despite loosing out recently
proposed by
world record for most coasters in one park
on the right to host the UK’s only ‘super casino’.
Dreamstorm
(a title now claimed by Cedar Point).
“A casino looks less likely than before,” Doug Flashback is an Intamin Space Diver that
Garrett, chief executive of ReBlackpool, told first operated in 1985 at Six Flags Great
delegates at the World Waterpark Association’s America, Gurnee, Illinois, as Z-Force
European Symposium, held in the town last before being moved to Six Flags Over
month. “However, we delivered a masterplan for Georgia, Atlanta, in 1988. It operated at
the town that has lots of different elements and Magic Mountain from 1992 to 2003, and
that is still good today.” will now be dismantled.
Garrett’s colleague Peter Hall has revealed that Psyclone is a larger version of the
talks are now underway with potential developers original Coney Island Cyclone that Magic
of a more family-focused attraction, which could Mountain introduced in 1991, and the only
make use of the same Central Station site. wooden coaster to feature trains from
Developers of Storm City, a 30-acre undercover Bolliger & Mabillard (B&M). It was
entertainment venue, recently signed an exclusivity designed by Curtis Summers and built by
deal with Blackpool Council to explore options for the Dinn Corporation.
another site, the Central Gateway. The project is The California park is in the process of
spearheaded by Dreamstorm’s Norman Wallis, a long-term planning and the sites of these
former marketing manager of Blackpool Tower. two coasters have been designated as a
Substantial improvement work to the town’s starting points for future expansion.
promenade has already begun and plans have
been announced for sculptures along the seafront
and a ‘Northern Lights’ display using Blackpool’s
often misty and overcast weather conditions as a
backdrop for light projections.
Acknowledging that the existing Blackpool
North train station “is not a particularly pleasant
way to arrive,” Garrett also promised a new
interchange area and tramline extension,
ReBlackpool chief
including links to the town’s fast-growing airport.
executive Doug
A proposal for a new civic building includes a
Garrett addresses
glazed roof through which the landmark tower
World Waterpark
could be viewed. In the same area, an extension Association delegates
to the Houndshill Shopping
Centre is already in progress.
However, all hope is not lost
just yet with regards to the
super casino. The decision to
award the licence instead to
Manchester has not yet been
rubber-stamped by parliament
and a significant number of
politicians are now
recommending Blackpool’s
case be reconsidered.
It appears talk of the casino
alone has been a sufficient
catalyst for change across the
resort - and all agree it is long
overdue. Although it still attracts
millions of visitors each year,
they do not tend to stay in
Blackpool for the length of
time they once did.
APRIL 2007