If Hard Rock Park Was Owned By another Company...
Hard Rock Park: Would it do better. Would a dif company make this park reach its full potential?
From Tim W
Posted October 21, 2008 at 6:39 PM
Do you think hard rock park would do better if it was owned by say disney, universal, cedar fair, or anheuser-busch? Which theme park giant would you enjoy to run this failing park?
1) Disney
2) Universal
3) Cedar Fair
4) Busch
I think Disney would do best running any park...but the one that would make the most sense would be Universal, considering they already have the Hard Rock Hotel and Hard Rock Cafe at Universal Orlando
However, it may have been poorly managed and wasn't in the greatest theme park market, but I still think the park's big down fall was the whole music theme....just doesnt seem so appealing...that's why I dont think Disney should have a music themed park, like previously brought up
One ride like RnR or Universal's upcoming Rip-it Ride-it Rock-it is fine, but I dont think an entire park full of music coasters is worthwhile
I think you need Disney or Universal to do it because they know how to do it right, especially Universal since they opened IOA much more recient than a Disney Park, but both would be able to work out the kinks.
I am disappointed it didn't do better. The park sounds like something with great ideas and potentals. If Disney ever builds a Music Park, they should take some clues.
Actually, Disney opened DCA and Tokyo DisneySea in 2001, and Hong Kong Disneyland in 2005, while IOA opened in 1999, but IOA is probably more well done than at least DCA, in most people's view
I guess the best answer I can give is that none of those companies would have built HRP in MBSC to begin with which would indicate that they would probably have managed it better (somewhere else!) I enjoyed HRP. Just nothing to bring me back again. BTW, amusement parks "at the beach" should be "AT the beach"!
Hard Rock Park would have done fine under the current ownership if A)They had marketed the park outside the immediate area, and B)MB tourists had more money to spend.
There is nothing wrong with Hard Rock Park inside the gates, they followed the formula of IOA and other theme parks closely and although the park needs to grow a little, it still looks great. If it were built 2 years ago, it would have been a financial success even without mass marketing. Instead it opened amidst a perfect economic storm for the area, and management wasn't prepared for it. They spent all of the money on the park and staff, and chose to completely rely on Myrtle Beach's tourist base, which was in budget mode and had little money to spend. Most other years, that wouldn't have been such a gamble.
This park is not dead. As long as they can stick with it and fix what's broken (and it really isn't much), it will be a success.
From steve lee
Posted October 26, 2008 at 6:58 PM
I really have to agree with Derek. The people running the park got so much stuff right I can almost forgive them for where they screwed up. But when they screwed up, they were doozies.
From J. Dana
Posted October 28, 2008 at 11:25 AM
I have to agree with Peter. The "biggies" aren't in Myrtle Beach for a reason...Myrtle will do well with seaside amusement parks (akin to Paradise Pier!), but top-tier theme parks might be a little too much for the region.
From Tim W
Posted October 30, 2008 at 12:03 PM
so it was announced today that hard rock park would be sold to another company in the near future.....hmmmm
interesting. I'd buy it if I could.
Is there a buyer?
Well Busch is not going to buy it for certain. They just got bought out by InBev. I can't see Disney are Universal trying at this point either. I don't know who will buy it. The problem with HRP is location. Location,Location,Location, it always come down to it. What should have been done is HRP should have been built in the Universal Orlando Resort next to the Hotel. That could have been a whole other park.
From Tim W
Posted November 10, 2008 at 1:28 PM
i agree justin. it would have been better done if universal ran the project than hard rock. im not sure they forsaw what they were getting into. plus it would have made a great addition to their resort
From Jeff M
Posted November 13, 2008 at 12:41 PM
My personnal thoughts are that the HRP did just fine with what they had. Sure I would have operated it differently, but anyone can say that!
I agree admission prices were just to far above the norm in Myrtle Beach! I really feel the park failed in growing upon an already proven concept! Music, rock and roll, or call it what you'd like!
Other than opening weekend, did they have any other "big" name intertainment? Ya, sure currently touring acts, ie....KC and the Sunshine band, etc....which are not bad if marketed correctly, etc....
I would have hired or just found the right people to bring in the regular touring acts and make them become an issue! My meaning is that there is a House of Blues in Myrtle Bch that had better and more well named acts appear at such venue. Why couldn't HRP bring in those acts??? You tell me who wouldn't pay their asking admission price and then get the name music acts that others were paying 30 plus dollars for just down the road?
Just to name a few......Peter Framton, Queesryche, Godsmack, Lynard Skynard, etc....just review the music acts that had or have appeared this last year there at House of Blues, and you can see where HRP missed out on being a true advance on the Hard Rock scene!
Again, me personnally.....I'd pay $50 to get the park and concert inclusive! I'd maybe even pay more pending on who might be playing, etc!!!
The park did just fine in personnal and I had enjoyed my visits there, but I still feel that if they treated the park as a concert/amusement venue, they may have done much better??? If they're interested, and reading this, contact me and I'll be happy to lend more ideas to what I feel the Hard Rock concept is truely about, but I feel they just missed a great oppertunity to make things work!
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