"Kids in America" to Debut at Freestyle Music Park

� 2009 DiscoverMyrtleBeach.com

This week Freestyle Music Park unveiled plans for a brand new 17,000-square-foot children's area called "Kids in America". [For you young'uns, "Kids in America" is an '80s song by Kim Wilde!] The new area will replace the former "Banana Splitsville" section of the park and will feature four new rides from Zamperla:

• Life is a Highway - A convoy ride featuring miniature 18-wheelers


• Wheels In The Sky - A "magic bike" ride where guests sit in hang glider carts and control the height of their carts by pedaling


• Fly Like An Eagle - A kite flyer that you ride lying down


• Get Off Of My Cloud - A tower ride which will take guests high above the park in balloon baskets

A number of existing children's rides and attractions--including a climbing wall, jungle gym, and train ride--will also be incorporated into Kids in America. In conjunction with the new area, the park also announced the creation of the Freestyle Music Park Kid's Foundation. This charitable foundation will provide tickets, park merchandise, and other services for various children's charities throughout the Myrtle Beach area. These developments are all part of the new management team's plan to create a more family friendly environment within the former Hard Rock Park.

One additional bonus "nugget" was revealed at the media event: The park has adopted a new logo (pictured above). It's actually very similar to the previous logo, it just incorporates a guitar pick! Very stylish. For more photos and lots of additional information on all the changes taking place at Freestyle Music Park, check out this thread on DiscoverMyrtleBeach.com.

Freestyle Music Park Interview

The Coaster Critic has posted a new two-part interview with the President of Freestyle Music Park, Steve Baker.

Part one covers the history of Mr. Baker and how he became involved with the park, while part two focuses on his strategy for getting guests through the gates this summer. Baker has a long history in the amusement park industry so hopefully that skill set will help him in turning the park around.

Part one and part two of the interview have been posted separately, so be sure to check out both.

Freestyle Music Park (Hard Rock Park)

Hard Rock Park has been renamed Freestyle Music Park! Details are to be released as we get closer to the park's reopening, but here's the press release they put out this morning:

~~~
FPI MB ENTERTAINMENT LLC TO OPEN FREESTYLE MUSIC PARK MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND - New Name Reflects Renewed Vision and Direction for Former Hard Rock Park in Myrtle Beach, S.C.

April 9, 2009, Myrtle Beach, S.C. - FPI MB Entertainment LLC (FPI MBE) today unveiled the new name for the former Hard Rock Park. "Freestyle Music Park" represents FPI MBE's renewed vision and direction for the Park in 2009 and beyond.

"Freestyle Music Park" is the destination for the celebration of that revolutionary phenomenon rock n' roll but also encompasses other genres of music including country, reggae, beach music, pop, R&B, alternative, Christian, and disco. At Freestyle Music Park, you can indulge your inner "rock star" while enjoying the park's many and excellent rides, shows and other attractions.

In addition, Freestyle Music Park will be the prototype and launching point for the Freestyle Park brand throughout the world. FPI MBE plans to open additional new attractions and entertainment venues in the coming years, under the Freestyle Park banner. Our Myrtle Beach Park will be the first to feature a music theme.

"Choosing 'Freestyle Music' as the name of the Park is a strategic move that we see as a key benefit for the long-term success of the project while broadening its appeal to an infinitely larger number of guests," said Steve Baker, president of FPI MBE. "With Freestyle Music Park, we own the name, leaving us unencumbered by one specific brand. This will allow us, from a partnership perspective, to explore other opportunities and collaborate with national and international brands that will strengthen and extend the 'Freestyle' brand in Myrtle Beach and throughout the rest of the world."

In the weeks ahead, FPI MBE will be announcing several changes to its Freestyle Music Park. Many of the rides, restaurants and areas throughout the Park are being re-themed to better fit into the vision of Freestyle Music Park. Castings are also underway for talent to star in Freestyle Music Park's musical and live stage show acts, which are currently in development and will be announced at a later date.
~~~

Interesting direction, no? Very bold move of the new owners to decide to start a brand with this park - they must have a lot of faith that they can turn things around and make the park a success. I wish them the best!

No More Hard Rock Park

Hard Rock Park is no more - turns out the new owners of the theme park and Hard Rock did not reach and agreement for the continued use of the name.

A new name was not announced, but parks officials said it will be music oriented with an emphasis on Rock'n'Roll. The Led Zeppelin and Eagles coasters will also be renamed.

An announcement with the new name should come within a week. The park's former website, HardRockPark.com now takes visitors to Hard Rock's website.

A Little Hard Rock Park Drama

Hard Rock Park's former CEO Steve Goodwin says that he has intellectual property rights to the theme park and filed in bankruptcy court a request to receive $500,000 a year plus more depending on the park's revenues.

Well, the judge in the case actually ruled in favor of Mr. Goodwin, however, he did not provide specifics about money - just the ruling that he has rights to intellectual property in the park.

The new owner quickly said they will simply rename rides, restaurants, and merchandise locations in order to avoid using the former owner's 'property.'

I certainly understand that a lot of time and effort was put into the park during the first year, but this seems like going against the flow of trying to get the park open this spring. Hopefully all parties can be satisfied so the focus on running the park can return.

Daily Spin 3.23.09

I'm getting a little dizzy from all these Daily Spins lately, but there's just so much news (and good news, too!) that I must condense! Let's start...

Legoland California will add a new ride... or I should say attraction to their theme park this year in the form of a giant slide. The 30 ft. tall attraction will open on the 4th of July and be called Dune Raiders. Located in the Lost Adventure section of the park, the slide will be heavily themed to fit in with its surroundings.

But wait there's more! Legoland California also recently received their next step of the approval processed for the new 250 room hotel they wish to build on their property. They're saying that the hotel is in their 10 year plans, so it's not something that's going to happen right away. Still, it's nice to see that further expansion is in their plans.

Yippie for more park openings! Silver Dollar City opened this past Thursday to a healthy crowd of 9,000 - more than the park was expecting. That's such positive news during these trying times. Hopefully more park openings will come with great results like this one.

Hard Rock Park is still not officially Hard Rock Park. Confusing, but true. The park is trying to work with Hard Rock to keep the theme park's name, but hasn't been able to come to an agreement yet. Although the park had a rocky start to say the least, most agree that a name change would make the park's recovery even more difficult.

Can you believe that Nickelodeon Universe at the Mall of America is already a year old? That went by pretty fast. To celebrate, the park is having a contest where 8 riders will try to outlast each other riding on the Spongebob Rock Bottom Plunge roller coaster in order to win a cruise for their family.

Although the rides and critters are gone, Cypress Gardens is ready to reopen this coming Saturday. Season Pass and daily admission prices have been set, and the article says that 40,000 annuals have been replanted and the water ski show will be ready for opening day.

Will the U.S. make it to the 2010 Shanghai World Expo? Still up in the air, sadly. I really hope that things can be pulled together in time for America to have a pavilion at the event.

Daily Spin 3.19.09

Six Flags Magic Mountain has some new photos of Terminator: Salvation up on their official website. The pics allow us new views of the ride's first drop from a perspective we haven't seen yet. Check those out here.

Change is in the air for Hard Rock Park, this recent article has the new park owners stating that they do not plan to keep the park's Nights in White Satin dark ride operating as it does not fit in with a family appeal. The park does plan on adding more kiddie rides, though.

Holiday World's Holiblog has some pics of the boats for Pilgrims Plunge that have arrived at the park, and some videos of them as well. I like their style! I'm anxiously awaiting seeing them fly down that massive flume into the splash pool below...

Wondering what the official story is behind Voodoo at Dorney Park's name change to Possessed? Well the cat is officially out of the bag on that one, you can read the details in this

newspaper article.

Universal Studios Florida is almost ready to top off their new Rockit coaster, in the latest photos you can see that they've started to install the first drop. All that leaves is the vertical lift and the crest to install.

Walt Disney World's Epcot recently started this year's International Flower & Garden Festival. If you've ever been to the theme park during this event you know how beautiful the displays are. The Orlando Sentinel has photos from the opening of the event.

Worlds of Fun always has a Prowler update for us, don't they? The latest batch of photos features the ride's finishing details coming into place. The new wooden coaster will hopefully open with the park this April.