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[shavethewhales]

Sounds like the game by GG will be moved to GE this coming week.  The giant GE map has been removed to make room for it.

My eyes could have been playing tricks on me, but there appears to be several rides backstage getting worked on.  You can see them in certain lift hills.  Just keep your eyes open

I wish we knew why they were so hell-bent on keeping that thing in the park. I try not to be too much of a "purist" any more, but you can tell it just doesn't fit the place... Even the GP I saw thought it looked tacky.

There is obviously something big and yellow in the backlot, but I have yet to spot anything else obvious. I'm not going to go out of my way to look for anything yet, but they can't hide the accelerator pieces, and they are clearly visible when you ride TGS.

[KBCraig]

I miss the days when the only talk of a "shot tower", was the wooden tower on Main Street where molten lead was dropped into water to form shot for a shotgun.

[okiebluegrass]

You mean that's not what they're talking about? 

[Swoosh]

I know you enjoy pictures of flags, capped tubes and gravel so here you go
http://www.midwestinfoguide.com/silver/2014/05.23/

[DollarCityBoy]

Thanks for the gravel pics! 

Nice big open area...i wonder if SDC still goes by their ole practice of planting 2 trees for every tree removed? They posted that a few months ago on facebook, we'll see if that holds true.

[Swoosh]

Yes, but that doesn't mean that they will plant the trees here or even in the park.

[cowboy]

Swoosh, when I was there back in March, they had some "Bobcat" style equipment doing work/clearing around the Water toboggan tower, and the little building located in the woods just north of the water toboggan tower.

This work was taking place at the same time that the other clearing around GG was taking place, so I just assumed it was also for the new area. But since that time, it doesn't seem like any additional work or clearing has occurred in the tower area.

Do you think that work that was being done by the tower was just routine maintenance of the area, or do you think a new ride will wrap all the way back to that location?

Jay

[Swoosh]

Just speculation on my part, but I would assume that the new project will be inside the current fence perimeters and that does not include the tower.  I am hoping that the tower will come down soon, but that's just out of personal preference.

[mhguy77]

Yes, but that doesn't mean that they will plant the trees here or even in the park.

And that's a shame. The deal with the trees is once the realize they have removed too many,  tree farm or not it will take a long time to replant and gain the shade they are removing.

[Swoosh]

Well unless things have changed, there is a family member who has a tree farm that specializes in mature trees.  This is what they did for Grand Expo.  I can't imagine them not doing this again for the new area.

Edit: Removed verbage that offended

[Junior, too!]

Thanks for the report, Swoosh. My thought is the project is GE2. Obviously several small family flat rides, and as we have heard before, return of balloon chase and the CC amusement. So, Rube Dugan theme, or what? The large area of gravel to me means alot of foundation work for pavement. Again, GE2. I understand their goal...several amusements at a relatively lower cost than something like the last coaster, with a high impact for guests, especially families with young kids. We shall see...I suppose an announcement in the fall sometime. Thanks again for the pictures.

[shavethewhales]

They can plant trees easily enough, but what is somewhat striking about this development is that departs so heavily from the original "city in the woods" concept that gave SDC it's famous tree canopy. They used to go in and mark out the trees in an area that were worth keeping and try to plan developments around those trees as best they could - oftentimes even designing buildings so that trees would come up through the buildings. Now it looks like they are clear-cutting and adding a few trees back in as landscaping. That is a huge difference for the feel and layout of the park.

While a lot of this area was going to be a gravel pit anyway due to the old clearing from the waterboggin, they definitely took out a few things that I know would have been kept back in the day.

Whatever though - it's not necessarily a huge deal, just a different way of doing things. They can certainly landscape it back up to create a tree canopy or whatever they want.

[mhguy77]

Now it looks like they are clear-cutting and adding a few trees back in as landscaping. That is a huge difference for the feel and layout of the park

This procedure is what robs the authenticity in the very base of the theme.
Marking trees and working around them to retain was the "hard" way to do the job.  The end results however were without argument,  warm and inviting.  Now they are clear cutting and inserting non forest native trees. It shows.
Juxtapose / compare walking in nicely planned yard or gardens and walking in the woods.  Both are lovely but one feels much more adventurous and consuming.  Gardens come and go with the seasons but the woods stay wild and mysterious.   This creates a natural theme, I insist its the very basis of the theme that made us all fans of the park.

Although I keep hearing the GE mentioned I have yet to here anything other than the job they did is growing in well. I don't hear much "connection" to this area.  Its great for the kids but there is little character.  Theme and character have little to do with each other.

Possibly you have heard the story about Miss Mary and workers fired because of a cut tree.  She did not deem this necessary, the end result was a peace treaty lasagna dinner that she herself supplied to smooth things over and get those boys back to work. This reaffirms and supports the fact that the founders of the park knew the importance of the trees and wooded feel that their soon to blossom park naturally contained. 

One more thought, If it were possible how many of you would like trees inserted to block the view of the row of resorts down from Wildfire? Does this disturbance of the natural view set the theme on its side a little? It does for me.
I am not a tree hugger, but I am in awe of their natural beauty and hate to see them removed.

[Duelist]

Remember this post by Grapeslie from the 2013 Construction thread?

"Just got home from day two of the ACE SDC Event going on right now. First of all Outlaw Run is amazing beyond expectation! Also I spoke with Pete Herschend (yes he showed up it was cool) and he  told me that us coaster enthusiasts should keep our eyes open for 2015 because they are gonna make us happy again!  SDC Bring it on!"

Sounds like some kind of coaster for next year unless the project has been delayed.  Just saying...

[Duelist]

^^^ Thanks for the update