Justin2000
Mega Poster
Then put them in the rehab centers at the parks. How many aquatic animals does Marineland have left?
Marineland of Canada (may) be closing/sold
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Then put them in the rehab centers at the parks. How many aquatic animals does Marineland have left?
Eyebrows
Hyper Poster
If only it were that easy…
davidm
Strata Poster
There's some twitter-noise this evening about Marineland (Ca, Niagara Falls adjacent) being shut.
No idea on the veracity but if true, Dragon Mountain
Edit: Merged with existing thread. - ECG
No idea on the veracity but if true, Dragon Mountain
Edit: Merged with existing thread. - ECG
cookie
Giga Poster
He’s dead, Jim. (Maybe. Awaiting confirmation on that one.)
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Youngster Joey
Strata Poster
It was pretty clear no one wanted it.
This isn't a surprise, I've been saying for over a decade that I'm surprised every year it reopens, especially post pandemic. That said, losing Dragon Mountain hurts a great deal. Still probably the best Arrow Looper I've done.
Yes losing Dragon Mountain is a shame. It is impossible to relocate since it is one of the most terrain and custom coasters ever built.
Eyebrows
Hyper Poster
While obviously the world is better without a park that mistreats their animals, I’m pretty sad that Dragon Mountain is finally kicking the bucket, especially so soon after I rode it and loved it. I’m glad I rode it at all, but man. That thing was probably the funniest coaster to ever exist.
TPoseOnTantrum
Giga Poster
Park has pounced and denied the rumors… again; https://www.wellandtribune.ca/news/...cle_21c734c5-f0d6-542f-a3ce-d4f3a577b275.html
Since I've last posted in the thread, I went to dinner in June with reps from the real estate developer most interested in the land. This was following a visit in May in which I went to check the park out for the first time in a decade. Very nice evening and venue in St Catharines, was more or less a consultant.
Marineland is an extremely complex situation. Depending on where you hear it from the park is either near death or could run indefinitely; literally either could happen at any time. In a nutshell the actual family is no longer associated with the park's ownership and a shell management runs it under their name. The kids are distanced and indifferent about the park's operations and not really pushy about selling it right now, but the lawyer has other ideas. It's also in the grandmother's will that it remains an animal park, and nobody seems keen to contradict it right now. In other words, the park is very much in equilibrium and there's a lot of miscommunication between parties.
There is a lot of interest across the board and politicians in keeping a theme park and redeveloping the excess land, although there's been zero motion on either matter. Nobody's yet to make a sale, nobody is yet to organize a team. There's an emphasis on keeping as much of the natural environment as possible. I recommended bringing in another party to help redevelop and operate the park with some funding provided, but not necessarily own it. It's not a bid that any current North American theme park operators would be likely to accept, but it's the most viable option as the interested party has no theme park experience.
The "Marineland is closing" report and denial is literally an annual tradition nowadays, as was the case this weekend… another year, perhaps. For now, there remains zero movement.
Since I've last posted in the thread, I went to dinner in June with reps from the real estate developer most interested in the land. This was following a visit in May in which I went to check the park out for the first time in a decade. Very nice evening and venue in St Catharines, was more or less a consultant.
Marineland is an extremely complex situation. Depending on where you hear it from the park is either near death or could run indefinitely; literally either could happen at any time. In a nutshell the actual family is no longer associated with the park's ownership and a shell management runs it under their name. The kids are distanced and indifferent about the park's operations and not really pushy about selling it right now, but the lawyer has other ideas. It's also in the grandmother's will that it remains an animal park, and nobody seems keen to contradict it right now. In other words, the park is very much in equilibrium and there's a lot of miscommunication between parties.
There is a lot of interest across the board and politicians in keeping a theme park and redeveloping the excess land, although there's been zero motion on either matter. Nobody's yet to make a sale, nobody is yet to organize a team. There's an emphasis on keeping as much of the natural environment as possible. I recommended bringing in another party to help redevelop and operate the park with some funding provided, but not necessarily own it. It's not a bid that any current North American theme park operators would be likely to accept, but it's the most viable option as the interested party has no theme park experience.
The "Marineland is closing" report and denial is literally an annual tradition nowadays, as was the case this weekend… another year, perhaps. For now, there remains zero movement.
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Esther7
Roller Poster
That's good news. I hope they finally open the park this summer, we had planned to visit it during our road trip, and I'd love to try Dragon Mountain.
InvertsAreMyJam
Roller Poster
I honestly don’t care how unique Dragon Mountain is. I’m an animal lover, first and foremost. And the very idea of supporting such an animal abusing park disgusts me. At least SeaWorld makes an effort to care for their animals. This park does not. Never in a million years would I go there.
TPoseOnTantrum
Giga Poster
Marineland typically releases their schedule a lot later than other parks for whatever reason. Am sure I'll be echoing these comments this time next year
JMW
Roller Poster
Finally been sold!
InvertsAreMyJam
Roller Poster
Fiender
Roller Poster
Not being an industry expert, it feels weird to me that the buyer hasn't been announced. Worrying, even.
And Parques would be better than the Holers of course but my hopes wouldn't be terribly high that the park would become a destination, or worthy competition to Wonderland.
InvertsAreMyJam
Roller Poster
I don’t really care who buys it, as long as they can start treating the animals better and make it stop being a dump.