Bell's Developments

shavethewhales · April 23, 2016, 05:50:21 PM

So bells hasn't opened this year, and it looks like Robby really has called it quits. Still no movement on site since something like over a year ago. The paint on the fences and coaster station platform is already blistering off, and all that painting took him months the first time around. I guess its all finally gotten away from him.

Sounds like no one from the flea market has heard from him in months. Speaking of, the flea market seems to be on a downward trend anyway, if that's even possible. Not as many vendors anymore, though there's still a lot of interesting and cheap stuff.

I guess we're back to hoping for something new someday. The only bright spot is that at least frontier city is on the way to becoming an awesome place.

sdcfan88 · April 24, 2016, 12:56:05 AM

Sad to hear. Went there a few times when the family would take day trips to Tulsa when I was a kid. I think it was after they got ran out of town that the city really started going downhill. (lived there from '08-'12)

shavethewhales · July 17, 2016, 05:28:55 PM

I drove past the flea market again today because I heard that some of the rides are disappearing. Sure enough, the coaster is gone. If I recall correctly, that coaster was on 'loan' from one of the owners of IRM who felt bad for Robby. Robby painted it and sandblasted the cars, but was never able to even get started on all the moving parts.

The other rides have clearly not operated this year and at this point it all looks like a junkyard. Weeds have grown up through everything, the covers that fell off a year ago were never put back on the kiddie rides, and of course nothing has moved on the Tilt-a-whirl since work stopped on it two years ago.

It's kind of a shame - Robby put so much time and work into just making a nice fence to go around the coaster, which is now useless. The little station platform he built also looks roughed up - like they tore it apart to get the track out.

So it looks like the rest of it will be scrapped soon?

DeweyBald · July 17, 2016, 09:56:35 PM

That's a shame. I drove by there quite a while ago this year, and it sounds like it looks the same as it did when I saw it. I sure miss Zingo.

CoasterWrangler · July 22, 2016, 07:20:05 PM

I have been told that Bells is done at that location. Robbie is moving everything out. Hopefully they find a permanent location.

shavethewhales · July 22, 2016, 08:24:21 PM

If I wake up in time I'll head out there tomorrow to get a final look with the place actually open. If Bell's is really being forced to move out that's kind of sad to see Robby going through that again. He had so much trouble after Bell's was kicked out finding a place to put it all, and it was a huge deal for them when he was able to land the deal with the flea market to store all that crap out there. Moving it all out there was a huge process and took him something like a year to accomplish and now he'll have to find some way to do it all over again....

The thing is, most of it is worthless, especially after sitting out in a junk yard for years. I doubt his relationship with IRM is good enough anymore for them to help him sell any of the old rides for parts.

shavethewhales · July 25, 2016, 11:24:17 PM

So it turns out the roller coaster is still on site after all. Some of the pieces are in the back parking lot. If I had to guess, I'd say the flea market owner is starting to disassemble it himself to clean it up and make room for more parking again. It looks like it was lifted in sections and dragged over there without being properly disassembled. The little oval train kiddie ride was taken over there as well.

shavethewhales · January 09, 2017, 11:55:49 PM

Just wanted to add a note in case any enthusiasts are still tempted to venture out here: most of the park seems to have been cleared from the parking lot now. They seem to be keeping one tiny kids ride - maybe a gift to the flea market owner? The tilt-a-whirl base is also still standing in a corner for the time being. There's not much to see anymore - not that there ever was much.

I think all the old Bell's stuff that is left is still scattered around the bone yard behind the flea market. The coaster track is probably still back there unless that IRM guy bothered to repossess it. I haven't been back to check since July but I have driven past several times. If it ever gets warm for a weekend I'll try to stop by one more time just to see what is left and if Robby is still around at all.

shavethewhales · July 26, 2018, 03:43:18 PM

I don't really want to raise any hopes here, but there was a little tidbit from Robby at the end of this recent article remembering Zingo: https://www.tulsaworld.com/scene/features/zingo-turns-beloved-tulsa-roller-coaster-is-gone-not-forgotten/article_ae20c4f6-ab5c-5b59-bc30-bfb5a9cbe7de.html

So they apparently have new plans... But probably still no money or any real assets. The family name is worth something at least. It would be incredibly exciting to have something even as simple as the Branson Fun Park in Tulsa. We're starved for amusements in this state.

cowboy · July 26, 2018, 04:21:08 PM

I have worked with Robby on at least six different potential locations, but something happens each time and things don't quite work out. He's had a couple really close transactions - on the brink of making an announcement, then bad luck strikes again. I'm hoping he's getting close to making this happen but I'm not sure how much more heartbreak he can endure (but he keeps trying).

Here's a picture of the current state of Zingo - I'm hoping for a miracle.

Kemotblue · July 26, 2018, 09:40:23 PM

I hope he makes it happen I'll keep praying it would be nice to ride Zingo again I only rode that coaster once. Wish it was still around it was a great woody.

sdcfan88 · August 12, 2018, 02:14:32 AM

Quote from: shavethewhales on July 26, 2018, 03:43:18 PM
I don't really want to raise any hopes here, but there was a little tidbit from Robby at the end of this recent article remembering Zingo: https://www.tulsaworld.com/scene/features/zingo-turns-beloved-tulsa-roller-coaster-is-gone-not-forgotten/article_ae20c4f6-ab5c-5b59-bc30-bfb5a9cbe7de.html

So they apparently have new plans... But probably still no money or any real assets. The family name is worth something at least. It would be incredibly exciting to have something even as simple as the Branson Fun Park in Tulsa. We're starved for amusements in this state.

This really makes me wish the Hershends would enter into some kind of partnership (if Robbie agreed on moving operations) and just let him move the park up to the old CC site in Branson and lease out the land or profit share or something. That way at least his assets wont be rotting away as shown in the photo above and it would also put the remaining CC structures back into use. I would love to see Zingo in the spot Ozcat used to occupy. Bells Branson has a nice ring to it. It just seems like Tulsa just doesn't want him anywhere. The Hershends can kinda relate as SDC is currently sitting on land with a still active 99 year lease. Who knows what might happen afterward.

Again I know its wishful thinking and I know it will probably never happen.

shavethewhales · August 13, 2018, 08:14:00 AM

lol, do you not remember how crazy HFEC went when Branson USA opened? They literally bought an entire park and ultimately closed it just to keep the competition out. I'm surprised they didn't try to buy up the Branson Fun Park too, but it probably closed before they even got a chance.

Robbie's assets rotted away a long time ago. He had multiple chances to get something worked out with several different municipalities and businesses, but he just doesn't have the capability. If he had any sense he wouldn't have been kicked out of the fairgrounds in the first place. Anyone else would have raised a stink and gone after state, city, and county officials until the decision had been reversed. He didn't even file a lawsuit...

I like the guy, but there's a few reasons why no one will work with him. Tulsa DESPERATELY wants Bell's back. It is at the top of every list of things people want/miss in Tulsa. Unfortunately it will take someone else to do it.

sdcfan88 · August 14, 2018, 05:04:00 AM

I haven't heard the whole story on that issue... thats quite unfortunate. I just thought it was just a simple case of the city council being bullies to the man because like most politicians, money and special interests talk more than anything and anyone who gets in the way of that gets elliminated.

shavethewhales · September 12, 2019, 02:12:54 PM

Out of the blue last night the Bell's Amusement Park facebook page was updated again... today a new message was posted:

Quote"Hello from the Bells team!! Thank you for liking the official Bell's Amusement Park Facebook page. We are as excited as you are to bring the park back. Here is what YOU can do TODAY to help us make that happen. Like, Comment and Share our page and posts. Tag your friends in your comments. Invite your friends to like our page. Help us spread the word and keep checking for exciting updates! Post your Bell's pictures and share your memories! Thank you, Robby and the Bell's team.

So, has someone reached out to Robby again about rebuilding Bell's? Are they just getting their flea market operation going again? Lots of questions here, but I'm not holding my breath this time.