Hard Rock Park: An Epic Failure

[@starfilmsanimation]

“It was built in 2007” ...I can see where this is going

[@jeffc1347]

I've been working in the theme park industry for 25 years, there is a reason nobody has built a major park in the USA since the 70's boom decade. It would be so extraordinarily expensive to build a new park that could compete with the established parks that already exists in each market that nobody can afford to take the risk to do it properly.

[@billacular]

Ownership clearly never played Rollercoaster Tycoon.

[@ryeinc]

Shame because I think a lot of potential was there. Nights in White Satin was regarded as one of the top dark rides by critics at the time.

[@gregashknowsrock]

Dude. I rode it twice. And it was epic. They got videos for it,. But the ride also had incense burning and burst of wind in your face. Like a trip... It was great

[@jimmycrisp1180]

"Choosing a theme in rock and roll, that was well past its prime in 2008, was also a poor choice." Guitar Hero - Am I a joke to you?

[@JimBrownski]

Never even heard of this place! Wow

[@aaronwhite8838]

To add to the reasons listed - I'll say that competition also hurt them. Family Kingdom is a very modest theme park, but is much more conveniently located (right off Ocean Blvd) than Hard Rock, which was about a 15 minute drive from the beach. In addition to that, Hard Rock made terrible decisions with charging a $50 flat rate for admission (no kids or senior discount) and charging $10 for parking. So basically, while Hard Rock was the superior facility, most families preferred Family Kingdom for the same reasons they chose Myrtle Beach - it's cheaper and more accessible Source: My many summer trips to Dirty Myrtle

[@gregashknowsrock]

I was there for the grand opening. The place was packed . they really had no idea how to handle that many people. The park was awesome. Had great potential. But way overpriced and bad service. I think everyone that got to go there, told everyone else not to go. But the rides and the park layout was pretty cool. Glad I got to see it

[@overbanked]

I was lucky to visit this place back in 2008

[@chouts1]

The 2000’s where a dry spot for amusement parks, the only park I can think is still open is California adventure, and the next park after that was OWA in 2016

[@scottyb2688]

That big building at the back is what was building 3 of outlet park mall it was a three building mall anchored by waccamaw pottery it had over 250 stores an they built hard rock park in the parking lot of mall 3

[@porcelainthunder2213]

The licensing alone for all the bands and names would have cost a fortune.

[@calicojack3628]

You know why it failed? They called the Led Zeppelin ride "Led Zeppelin The Ride" HOW THE F do you not call it "Stairway to Heaven"?? Come on! It's like right there.

[@boganpainter1638]

Maybe because it played “Whole Lotta Love” and not “Stairway”

[@dindog22]

I wonder where that B&M coaster went to. B&M's are very expensive. I bet some park picked that up practically new for a song. Edit. it ended up in some park in Vietnam

[@jasonyau326]

It was relocated to an amusement park in Vietnam now, there are quite a few KZbin Videos about Hard Rock Park which go into more depth than this one

[@ThrillsofColdplay]

@@jasonyau326 Barely any videos of Dragons Run exist

[@SunshineStateCoasters]

Yesss!! A theme park related on one of my favorite channels! Thank you! Please make more!!

[@atribecalledjudah5436]

4:18 you can see Baby Groot’s face on the path, once you see it you can’t unsee it.

[@georgesealy4706]

No problem. They'll dig it up and put condos in there. Things come and go in Myrtle Beach fast.

[@boganpainter1638]

I don’t think the theme was the issue other than the costs of licensing the Hard Rock brand. They were going for an older crowd serving alcohol throughout the park and charging the same price for kids as adults. The cost of licensing all the music, artist, Gibson guitars, and the brand were a big part of why it was doomed to fail. The developers got investors by projecting numbers that were ridiculously inflated. They were in it to pay themselves with the investor’s money and really didn’t care if the park was a success. They then caused Freestyle Music Park to fail by claiming that everything down to the layout of the park was their intellectual property. Freestyle would have had to tear everything down and start from scratch in order to operate a park in that location and therefore were forced to close. The economy caused a big downturn in tourism for all of Myrtle Beach that year along with not having enough money left to do the advertising necessary to draw the few tourists to it. There were really only two great rides in the park (Led Zeppelin and Moody Blues). They shows really carried the experience. Unfortunately, that wasn’t advertised well either and people really didn’t understand what they would be getting for the cost of admission, if they even knew the park existed.

[@josephfreeman8516]

I miss Geauga Lake so much! This park looks like it could of been cool with some time to improve it but nope

[@andygrutkowski8734]

Honestly this seems like it could’ve worked if it opened in like 2012

[@theintr00dr48]

It's really sad, could have been amazing. Guess where it was supposed to originally be...CONEY ISLAND, there were talks about this. Coney island is actually doing alright in 2020 and 2021 oddly enough 2019 was the busiest year in 10... Brighton beach is really getting fancy and theyve been talking about expanding. Possibly aquatic construction to make it 2/3 larger. That THAT is a game plan a major city that's impossible to collapse like NYC, you'll always have people there willing and able to spend money

[@zoefaith120]

I live there.... it came up and died as fast it opened... wasted money and space.....

[@derbagger22]

Yeah, I didn't even know about Hard Rock Park. As soon as you said Myrtle Beach, I immediately thought, "Oh no!" Myrtle Beach is a hole anyways. Why there? Ugh...

[@hbbeverly]

Why, you asked? It's because Myrtle Beach is the most popular "hole" between Va. Beach and Daytona Bch. It's demise wasn't caused by where it was at - it was caused by charging too much to park, get inside, and then buy anything like tickets for the rides, food, or souvenirs. I worked there the whole four months it was open, and I couldn't afford to buy anything there. Also, they opened right when the recession started and Wall Street crashed in August. That was the final nail in the coffin. Just bad timing really.

[@nicholasgolden8882]

It was in a very poor location and confusing to get to. They should have never got rid of The Pavilion

[@CIF-pm7tk]

3:16 is that Jokers face

[@richardlong6097]

It wasn't terrible, they had a few cool rides, restaurants, and sold alcohol which is nice in an amusement park. Tickets were pretty high for what it was, it was almost empty the day we went. It was clear if something didn't happen it wasn't gonna be around long.

[@theghd2020]

But how was Eagles Life in the Fast Lane ride?

[@boganpainter1638]

It was more of a family coaster. It featured two small lift hills, some good turns, and a nice fire feature at the end. It was not that thrilling.

[@franandwood14]

I’ve never even heard of this place

[@ThrillsofColdplay]

It was a very fun place if you don’t count the prices

[@ThrillsofColdplay]

This would probably still be here if the economy wasn’t bad then

[@hbbeverly]

Correct. It strictly was a case of bad timing. The recession was fully engaged, and Wall Street crashed. I worked there and referred to the time as the Summer Nobody Came To Myrtle Beach. Not only the park was empty, the streets were empty as well. Myrtle Beach was a ghost town that summer.

[@bluekewne]

1:05 the irony of going back in time to see Moody Blues

[@JJacobs803]

I remember this park too bad I energy went it was only 3hrs from me

[@thechristurner2568]

Do the Miami Arena, the Pink Elephant.

[@2400Bklocc]

I went there. It was cool. Its sad that it closed so quickly.

[@TheCymbalProject]

either you see the crazy face in the map... or you don't

[@derbagger22]

So abandoned amusement parks? I like this. Rocky Point in Rhode Island could get you a lot of unique viewers.

[@BigJared2]

When this first popped up on my KZbin notifications, I thought it was in reference to that dump in Southern Florida where the Miami Dolphins play football!

[@gpturner0924]

It's not so much a dump anymore. The recent renovations upgraded the seats, improved sightlines, and added features that make it a pretty nice stadium now. Sure, it's no USBank Field or Mercedes-Benz Stadium, but it's much nicer than it used to be.

[@shenandoahgreek3943]

A theme park I remember visiting as a kid (in what was apparently its last year) was Circus World in Florida. The whole thing lasted less than 10 years. I guess it's kind of hard to compete when you have Disney World, Busch Gardens and Sea World as neighbors. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circus_World_(theme_park)

[@ThrillsofColdplay]

I thankfully got some of the credits here

[@RichardShelton]

It looks a little like Chernobyl.

[@gpturner0924]

Hard rock music is nowhere near past its prime, so that cannot be considered a contributing factor to the failure of Hard Rock Park. It was built in 2007 in a location that didn't have a need for an amusement park by a company that is known solely for their restaurants and a hotel. That's it.

[@forgottenplaces9780]

Rock music is past its prime, the theme was rock music not hard rock and was based on 70s and 80s bands which was when rock was in its prime, not in 2008

[@gpturner0924]

@@forgottenplaces9780 Why do you think it's called "Hard Rock?" It's because it's theme is based on what is considered hard rock music. Current alternative and indie rock music IS hard rock. Moreover, Hard Rock restaurants play current alternative and indie rock regularly. Think Halestorm, Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, Breaking Benjamin, etc. All get exposure at Hard Rock restaurants. Rock music, as a genre and as a whole, is NOWHERE NEAR past its prime.

[@roberts1440]

@@forgottenplaces9780 Yeah, well, you know, that's just, like, your opinion, man.

[@boganpainter1638]

I agree that hard rock music is far from past its prime plus the park featured all kinds of music. The park really had nothing to do with Hard Rock International other than a license to use the name.

[@thetdstone]

You want some images from the abandoned park

[@somethingsomething404]

You sound like the non Simon Whistler guy from top tenz

[@MoonLanta]

Hahahahaha Boomers are insufferable

[@alejandroballesteros2075]

5th

[@reyesm2292]

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[@someperson3883]

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[@felipethefirst8293]

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