The American Heartland Theme Park and Resort

[shavethewhales]

^That's really interesting. Will definitely shake things up a bit between WOF/SFStL/SDC. The one in Pheonix took forever to get off the ground, but is supposedly opening this year. Wonder how many they are going to end up building around the country, but I assume an east coast location is next. These parks aren't huge, but they have several high caliber attractions and of course are loaded with pop culture IP that make them much more obvious destinations to families than some random "American Heartland" theme.

Still waiting on American Heartland to put up or shut up. They need more than just vague ideas and big promises at this point.

[shavethewhales]

The timelines are definitely slipping now. Here we are in April and nothing is happening on site. Looks like the wheels are coming off... The thing is, they have the money to do something. A few hundred million into a resort complex would go a LONG way and supposedly they have that much on hand or can raise it easily. I don't understand what they are playing at anymore, but patience is going to wear thin VERY quickly.

[Pete]

^

And now every time there is an interview they make sure to include this type of wording:

Mansion Entertainment Group adds that they will continue to engage with local and state leaders to make sure funding is available.

[BDP]

This was my favorite part:

The park is reminiscent of what it means to live in the heart of America.

[bombermwc]

Who here is surprised that this isn't actually happening? Anyone? Nope.

I could have sworn I also heard something about a park like the new Mattel park in AZ being built somewhere in Missouri. Hotwheels or Matchbox or something??? Anyway, if that happens with that kind of corporate backing and in an actual city instead in the middle of godforsaken nowhere, then it's another nail in this joke's coffin.

[jn1780]

The Disney and Florida feud (which probably started all this) is at least temporarily over. Also, what Universal Studios is building is going to light years better.

I think the ship has set sail and this development has very little chance of happening.

[shavethewhales]

Supposedly they are working through the necessary infrastructure that will be needed to actually support the site. There will be significant water, sewer, storm, and roadway development that will need to be paid for and started before they can commit to actually doing anything. Which goes back to all the questions about the timeline... Why promise something for 2026 if you can't even get the infrastructure designed and approved by then, not to mention actually finishing construction? They made all these crazy timelines before they even had ZONING APPROVAL and incorporation into Vinita.

Mullin published something the other day saying that he and other leaders were still committed to getting them funding (for the outside infrastructure improvements), so there are still wheels turning. It's obviously a huge gamble for Vinita and all the local utilities to commit to expanding their systems for something that likely won't get built to the scale that is advertised. It probably won't last long either...

For reference, it took Tulsa YEARS of planning and approvals for projects like Gathering Place and the new river improvements before they ever broke ground, then YEARS of construction. They have seriously underestimated the time it takes to design, get approval for, and construct civil infrastructure. It's almost like they thought that local government would just slap an approval stamp on everything because they showed up and promised to make them a bunch of money. I've definitely had clients do that before.

[jn1780]

What I really want to know is do they have FAA approval for the coasters and slingshot tower? That's an important item afterall.....

[TheTravellers]

What I really want to know is do they have FAA approval for the coasters and slingshot tower? That's an important item afterall.....

And will it make Dallas and KC jealous?

[PhiAlpha]

And will it make Dallas and KC jealous?

Uhhh...if you think otherwise, you must not know Gene Bicknell!

[shavethewhales]

FAA approval isn't the hardest to get. Although I've never had to get it for something that tall. Can't get approval for something that hasn't been actually designed yet though... Have to submit a site plan and coordinates, plus final design height. Concepts aren't enough.

[PhiAlpha]

^ Shun the loser who doesn't get the inside jokes!!!!!

(just kidding lol)

[jn1780]

^ Shun the loser who doesn't get the inside jokes!!!!!

(just kidding lol)

Sometimes the response is better than the joke itself. Glad someone agrees that FAA approval is not that big of a deal when it comes ro multimillion dollar developments.

[shavethewhales]

^lol, I still have no idea what the reference is.

Anyway,

https://tulsaworld.com/news/local/bu...ce=mp-homepage

The latest update. Essentially they are saying that they are redesigning portions, including the RV park that is supposed to be under construction and the hotel. The say they ran into floodplain issues with the RV park. Sure seems like the cart is WAY before the horse. Running into floodplain issues is something that comes up during design - usually WAY before the contractor shows up and puts out silt fencing and the contractor staging area and such. So it seems they really were rushing to get a few turns of dirt moving just for the cameras... Or they just have no idea what they are doing and how this process works.

Regardless, they say they are still moving forward.

[Jersey Boss]

5 million in unpaid debts. Not off to a promising start.
https://nondoc.com/2024/05/09/compan...r-unpaid-work/

[Pete]

“The market isn’t there,” Dennis Speigel, founder and CEO of Cincinnati-based International Theme Park Services, Inc., told NonDoc on Thursday. “It’s not a supportable investment in that market for a theme park. Now for an RV park, that’s totally different. There may be a million campers that go through that area, and that could be fine. But in terms of building a theme park that’s going to draw 4.9 million people in the first year, it’s just not practical, and it’s totally unrealistic. They don’t have the tourism, and they don’t have the local population to support it. And the industry as a whole, I haven’t heard anybody say they think it’s a viable and possible idea.”

https://nondoc.com/2023/10/20/vinita...roundbreaking/

[PhiAlpha]

Would be much smarter for them to lean into doing some type of resort on the Cherokee Spur Ranch property that has a ton of lake frontage. Could actually make money on that project.

[Jake]

Also, makes OKANA even cooler in context. Props to the Chickasaws for actually doing what they said they would.

[BDP]

Agree. A super nice RV park has always seemed to be the most logical and feasible part of this project. That sounds like a guaranteed money maker, imo.

The cynical view would be that the theme park was proposed to garner the attention it's gotten and to wow local government to assist in the project.

[Jake]

I will forever love the fact that their claim to competence in all their press releases is that they were the sponsor for the Rose Parade.

[The]

The whole thing was a sham and a trash idea from the very beginning. It needs to die.

[PhiAlpha]

The whole thing was a sham and a trash idea from the very beginning. It needs to die.

The park may be a sham but they did buy several thousand acres worth of property out there, both near Vinita and on Grand Lake. Will be interesting to see what they do with all of it whether they build a theme park or not.

[The]

The park may be a sham but they did buy several thousand acres worth of property out there, both near Vinita and on Grand Lake. Will be interesting to see what they do with all of it whether they build a theme park or not.

Your idea above made a lot more sense. I’m against the theme park nonsense.

[PhiAlpha]

Your idea above made a lot more sense. I’m against the theme park nonsense.

Agree, even IF the park was realistic lol. Much rather promote the lake than a new disney world in the middle of no where.

[Swake]

Agree, even IF the park was realistic lol. Much rather promote the lake than a new disney world in the middle of no where.

The park would make much more sense if it was part of a resort on the lake itself.