Search

[mhguy77]

I have always wondered where the parks boundary's actually are.
Seems like a lot of the level ground is gone, maybe more behind the Wilson's farm area?
Where are the property lines of SDC?
Any thoughts of expansion or its challenges?

[Junior]

The company has well over 2000 acres...most of it was purchased to "buffer" the park from outside development. Level land is a problem. Building back behind Wilson's Farm between the rail road tracks is an option...but for those who love the train, it would be a negative thing because it would mean sacrificing the woods. On one side, development is limited because of the parking lots...on another side, limit is due to Indian Pt. Road and Highway 76. If they built on the "Table Rock Lake side" where the church and homestead are...then more of the park would be exposed to existing development, homes and so on, along the lake. It's a tough call all the way around. Here is a question I have to ask others to answer for me...was not/is not the land that Stonebridge is on company owned or was company owned at one point? Seems like I remember somebody saying that most of the land between SDC and Shepherd of the Hills along old Highway 76 was owned by SDC or Shep. Hills? That allegedly going back to the late 60s and 70s when it was purchased to buffer from outside development. 

[Copper]

Stonebridge land was owned by SDC, but sold in the early 90s to Cooper Communities.  Much of the land between Shepherd of the Hills is owned by SDC, the highroad area was sold to the state, again back in the early 90s.  If they wanted to they could build on the parking lot behind the old Watterboggan.  They can also build on the current M&C (maintenance) area that is located behind Lake Silver and Geyser Gulch, this wouldn't interfere with the train much, but some.  Connecting Wildfire and Powderkeg is a good option too.   

[History Buff]

I don't know that they would want to expand the current property too much, but to build some of the other amenities that would make the place into a resort.

[maddilives4him]

I don't really think that expanding the property is really nessesary. There are some big chunks of land (take that piece of land beside the Grand expo for example) that SDC doesn't even use. Plus theyv'e wiped out way too many trees to make that stupid highway and parking lot as it is. As easy as it is to navigate to SDC now, I wish they would have just kept that simple little rode the way it was.

[Copper]

Progress is necessary, but I do miss the trees too.

[Junior]

I hope the company uses its head when expanding. The reason Disney bought thousands of acres in Florida is because he did not like the development that went on around the California park...cheap roadside attractions that brought down the quality of what it was he was trying to do. I know land purchasing has been important for SDC in years past, and the reason tracts of land are not developed is to buffer SDC from developed areas...Really, for decades the area between Indian Pt. Road and Shepherd of the Hills was not developed intentionally along Highway 76 as a buffer...to make you feel as if you were going back in time. It pains me to think of the location of the Grand Exposition because the rides are viewable from the roadway...especially in winter months...oh, I have a very hard time with that, and I think at times Miss Mary is watching from her resting place in the Shepherd of the Hills Cemetery and begins to spin in her grave. Not trying to be mean here, but even though she believed in making a good business and a profit, I think she would have had a hard time with GE being located where it is because it is not buffered as well as say the Main Street area.

[Polley]

It pains me to think of the location of the Grand Exposition because the rides are viewable from the roadway...especially in winter months...

I agree with you Junior! I felt sick when I first saw the GE from the road. Since then I have accepted it.  However, I hope the GE will be the last time they make this mistake. 

[Ozark Outlaw]

Surely they are going to use the old Waterboggan site for something, so I am confident they have that spot open at least.

[Copper]

I felt sick when I first saw the GE from the road.

I talked with one of the designers several years back and that is the way they wanted it.  They felt if you could see the rides it would help draw you in.  I am a fan of seeing Thunderation, it's not in your face and you have to almost be peeking to find it.

[Polley]

I felt sick when I first saw the GE from the road.

I talked with one of the designers several years back and that is the way they wanted it.  They felt if you could see the rides it would help draw you in.  I am a fan of seeing Thunderation, it's not in your face and you have to almost be peeking to find it.

Well that bummed me out... I guess I should be happy they didn't make it completely visible. I sure hope ideas like these will stop. IMO silver dollar city needs to focus more on being a theme park not an amusement park. I would hate for SDC to basically lose their theme like WOF did.

As Junior would say: "Not in Mary's time!"

(

[rubedugans]

If expansion does take place, I would like to see another train track crossing, either like the one at the Pottery shop, or like the one at the tin type shop, or like the corkscrew path...many options would be available, well aside from the whole downhill thing that would make it difficult to expand unless it was filled to make it somewhat level.

[Ozark Outlaw]

After much thought, I believe there is plenty of room for expansion to the southwest part of the park. Specifically south of Wildfire, extending all the way south to the parking lot. Sure, there is steep terrain there, but if they build say a rollercoaster there, the terrain would work to their advantage.

They could even build something south of the Homestead, for those purist out there, and build something closer to the parking lots. As long as they keep up a nice tree buffer, the new area would still be mostly hidden from view on the parking lot side.

Exhibit A:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ozarkbbq/5815353977/

[shavethewhales]

^I've always mulled over that area too, but you can't talk about that area without bringing up the subject of the cave formations underneath and the local endangered bat populations that enter and exit the cave system from that area every night. That's the primary reason they haven't gone in that direction, I'm sure. I've always wondered if there was a way to expand down there in some way though, though I doubt they can add a coaster over there.

[Zephon]

That area that you're talking about, just south of the Apple Butter place, was the original consideration for the location of the Opera House.  They even had it staked out.