Future SDC Development Speculation (Long-term)

KBCraig · April 02, 2025, 06:44:36 PM

Quote from: Pudgy Jones on April 02, 2025, 08:14:08 AMThey are going to get their "Gaslight Square" after all.

It was such a big hit the first time, right?

legoerosion · April 03, 2025, 08:47:57 AM

Quote from: Swoosh on April 02, 2025, 04:02:35 PMCompletely speculative, but heard that corporate didn't "get" the old backwoodsy style of the park and thought it looked too run down.

It isn't just a corporate thing unfortunately. I remember remarks from park guests when I worked there talking about how they won't enter a shop or a restaurant because it looked run down and unsafe. I remember hearing that about Wildfire and AP as well because of the looks of the stations and the lifthill of AP.

It's unfortunate, because I love the backwoodsy feel of the park as I'm sure everybody else here does. But I can see how corporate and the general public don't get it as well.

sdcfan88 · April 03, 2025, 01:09:25 PM

Yeah that does explain why every time the park adds or expands they seem to find it necessary to raze older parts of the park in the process.

Zumwalta · April 07, 2025, 11:38:33 AM

I was talking with someone last week and noticed that SDC now owns the park instead of COFO and the church in Branson. This was mentioned in another thread by mg in the White Water discussion (and maybe elsewhere), but that explains to me why there is so much investment going on in the park.

I was also reading a book last week about SDC history where the lease stipulated the rent for the lease was $1,000 or 10% of ticket sales (may be slightly off, the book isn't in front of me).

Looking at the 2022 990 for COFO, there is $1,194,627 in miscellaneous income. If that was 5% (half of the 10%), then that would put ticket sales at ~$23 million.

I don't have a napkin in front of me (for the math), and I've made many assumptions, but I wonder how close that is...

shavethewhales · April 07, 2025, 12:21:18 PM

^The investments in the park have been ramping up for the past couple of decades or so. As I recall, the ownership thing was handled a while back. It sounded complicated to me when it was explained, so I won't try to paraphrase, but essentially it's all been sorted somehow. There are probably some agreements still in place, but everything has changed over time. I'm sure their ticket sales are probably well beyond $23 million at this point.

^^There has definitely been a generational culture change regarding the aesthetics. Back in the 90's people would have screeched at the "clean" vintage aesthetic they have going now. Today if people saw the trees growing through buildings, the crooked roofs, the hillbilly decor, etc. - they'd say the place was "ghetto". Just give it another decade or two, and it'll swing around...

Lampie · April 07, 2025, 04:56:12 PM

Quote from: shavethewhales on April 07, 2025, 12:21:18 PMThere has definitely been a generational culture change regarding the aesthetics. Back in the 90's people would have screeched at the "clean" vintage aesthetic they have going now. Today if people saw the trees growing through buildings, the crooked roofs, the hillbilly decor, etc. - they'd say the place was "ghetto". Just give it another decade or two, and it'll swing around...

Can I have both?
Clean vintage areas like fireman's landing and rivertown, but also other areas that have trees growing through buildings, crooked roofs, etc.

ColaSDC · April 14, 2025, 01:50:59 PM

I am still wondering how the park and resort are gonna connect. I wont mind if I can see the resort from some coasters, but they need to find a way to hide a resort access road. I know the front gate can get crowded, but a resort second gate just does not sound appealing to me. I want to walk through the hospitality house, that makes the entrance so unique! (And drives merch sales I'm sure!)

Swoosh · April 14, 2025, 05:11:34 PM

Quote from: ColaSDC on April 14, 2025, 01:50:59 PMI am still wondering how the park and resort are gonna connect.

Highway 76.
The two will not "connect"

MCLFLN · April 14, 2025, 05:14:47 PM

Quote from: Swoosh on April 14, 2025, 05:11:34 PM
Quote from: ColaSDC on April 14, 2025, 01:50:59 PMI am still wondering how the park and resort are gonna connect.

Highway 76.
The two will not "connect"

I believe you but this seems like an odd choice.

ColaSDC · April 15, 2025, 01:33:53 PM

Hm. I'd rather they have a dedicated road so that they dont have to deal with public traffic but at least we'll keep the one original entrance. Probably a good choice for now to save money. I wonder if any signifigant changes will be made to the front entrace parking.

MCLFLN · April 15, 2025, 07:12:19 PM

Quote from: ColaSDC on April 15, 2025, 01:33:53 PMHm. I'd rather they have a dedicated road so that they dont have to deal with public traffic but at least we'll keep the one original entrance. Probably a good choice for now to save money. I wonder if any signifigant changes will be made to the front entrace parking.

I don't have any visibility on plans, but long before the resort was announced there were plans of replacing the entrance.

ColaSDC · April 16, 2025, 07:43:23 AM

Man, that would really suck. Idc about People per hour, that entrance is iconic. I don't mine some renovations to handle larger crowds, but replacing it is unthinkable.

mg · April 17, 2025, 09:18:02 AM

I would expect it to be similar to the Dollywood entrance remodel where it pushes security further out and possible adds new ticket booths further out before you get to the actual SDC logo. So spread out where people have to stop for something to improve the flow into the park. You can't really do anything about the cave sinkhole that you have to go around to get to the park.

shavethewhales · April 17, 2025, 12:40:04 PM

I mean, they can always move the sign around. Or just keep it in place and move the entrance area out into what is currently the tram stop. I've been expecting them to do away with some of the handicap parking by the entrance and make that whole area into the new shuttle/tram "depot". The entrance turnstiles would then go about where the cul-de-sac thing is that the trams don't even line up with currently. Not sure what would be done with the current admin building in that scenario though. You still need a building to sell day-of tickets and customer service stuff. I guess they could knock it down and build a new, bigger, better one. Unfortunately that actually would be a bit of a nostalgia hit.

I don't think there are any signs of them doing anything with the entrance anytime soon though. If they really needed more capacity, they would have re-done it already. We've speculated about it for years, and one of these days they will eventually get around to it, but I don't think it's anywhere near the top of the list at the moment.

ColaSDC · April 17, 2025, 02:02:14 PM

I've been thinking about Grand Exposition, and I think that it would benefit from a small scale GCI-Gravity Group family wood coaster. Outlaw Run is terrific, but they need a gentle, family wood coaster to act as an in-between coaster between Grand expo coaster/FITH, and thunderation. Something like Oscar's wacky taxi at sesame place. Alternatively, since SDC loves RMC, I could see an RMC wild moose going there as well.