CoasterRadio.com #415 - The Biggest "Turkey" of the Decade

The world's Original Theme Park Podcast is back with another episode!

Thanksgiving might be history, but we're still talking turkey.

This week, we talk about nominees for the Biggest Amusement Industry "Turkey" of the Decade.

The CoasterRadio.com listeners have checked in and have nominated what they think were the biggest busts from theme parks over the last 10 years.

You'll be surprised at some of their picks.

Also, EB and Mike talk about the National Roller Coaster Museum and Archives. Is this a good idea? Or is it destined to be the biggest turkey of next decade?

We'll also go off-topic to talk about the DARPA Network Challenge. Can you find 10 giant balloons hidden across the United States? If so, you'll win 40,000. But why is the government sponsoring this challenge? EB has some ideas.

Mike also sounds-off about people going crazy with Christmas lights. When is enough enough?

Plus, we recap the Grandma Thanksgiving Challenge in The David Arquette Project!

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I'm going to FREESTYLE MUSIC PARK!

This morning, FPI MB Entertainment anounced the new name for the former Hard Rock Park. The name they settled on....

"Freestyle Music Park."

My first reaction.... what?

It doesn't exactly roll off the tongue when you first say it. Actually, I've been saying it a few dozen times as I've been writing this and it hasn't gotten any better.

It's not that I don't think it works. I bet when a new park called "Six Flags Over Texas" opened in the 70's, people thought that was a weird name too. Now, it's one of the most famous brands in the amusement industry. (Even if the stock was de-listed last week.)

But these days, people have short attention spans and even shorter memories. The name of an amusement complex needs to be catchy, memorable and easy to say. It needs to be something that can easily become park of the pop culture lexicon.

When you hear the words "Freestyle Music Park," what does it mean? What images does it invoke?

The new owners say "Freestyle Music Park" represents a renewed vision and direction for the Park in 2009 and beyond. They plan for the park to celebrate the excitement of rock n' roll but also include other genres of music including country, reggae, beach music, pop, R&B, alternative, Christian, and disco.

The plan is to make "Freestyle Music Park" the prototype and launching point for a "Freestyle Park" brand with parks throughout the world.

During the next few weeks, most of the rides, restaurants and areas throughout the park are being re-themed to better fit into the vision of the new owners. It should be interesting to see the differences between Freestyle and the old Hard Rock Park.

I'm excited about new direction of the park and happy that the owners were able to save what looks like a pretty great place to visit. And who knows, maybe the name will grow on us and won't seem so strange a year from now.

Maybe that's what the new owners are hoping.

I bet the readers of this blog could come up with some good names for the park. Let's see what you can do in the CoasterRadio.com Forums.

Trip Report - Hard Rock Park

Coaster Radio.com listener Zero-G recently had a chance to visit the brand new Hard Rock Park in Myrtle Beach, SC.

He filed a detailed trip report, complete with rankings of the roller coasters...including Led Zepplin: The Ride.

You can read the entire thing HERE, in the CoasterRadio.com New Forum Forums.

Is anyone else excited about the Hard Rock Park?

There hasn't been a new park to get this excited about since the opening of Islands of Adventure way back in 1999.

The Hard Rock Park looks absolutely fantastic. We've all seen the YouTube videos of the different rides testing... but I'm most excited about the different theming we'll see throughout the park.

An entire 1970's themed land sounds awesome to me.

The Hard Rock Park website really gives you a great idea of what the entire experience is going to be like.

Thrilling rides set against the backdrop of music we all know sounds like a recipe for success.

What do you guys think?

Click Here to join the discussion on our forums.