Ccron10 wrote:I think it's best to stop disputing if the Arena is going anywhere and if it's being used. Any posts doing so after this will be edited or removed.
Why?
The existance of the Arena is completely relevant to the topic at hand, and to Hersheypark's future expansion plans. Trying to control what people can and cannot talk about is a good way to lose participants.
I'm going to ignore gb980109's Arena remarks in an effort to not start an argument.
I will say this - you are still confusing eras. Yes, the big parks all have skyrides and trains with multiple stops, but what you're still neglecting is the fact that those rides were all built in the 70's or earlier. Thinking back on all of the parks I've been too, I can't remember any that has a new sky ride or a new train, or even a new monorail. On the contrary, many parks that once had monorails and skyrides have gotten rid of them.
Parks don't build these people movers anymore because 1) they already have one, or 2) they've realized that money is made on the midways, and that's where they want their guests spending their time. It's common business sense to me. I don't understand why everyone here seems to have so much trouble with that concept.
Another thing to consider is what most park guests want to do on these rides? Do they really want to get off at the next station? Or would they rather stay on for the full ride and get off where they got on? To me it seems the majority wants to stay on for the whole ride.
warfelg wrote: In regards to everything dealing with the area, don't expect it to go away anytime soon...while not federally protected yet it's county and state registered as a historic place. But the way it was registered it can be internally altered, but the facade cannot be altered. Same goes for the museum and the stadium, so those three structures aren't going anywhere. All parts of the reason the acquiring the golf course was huge for HE&R.
My coworkers and I were talking about this issue and if the main entrance were to be relocated, I would put money on it being through the arena.
That's interesting to hear. There were rumors of an indoor roller coaster a few years back, to be built inside the arena. That would go right along with the internal alteration aspect. In that sense, it could be incorporated into a new park entrance as an indoor ride. I believe that would be the best option for it.
warfelg wrote: The monorail station at the area then could play a big part in moving people to the extremes of the park quickly. Also the arena would be centrally located.
Onto the part of the monorail and where it could be located, I think with the boardwalk going in we see just how much HP cares for the Midway, which I think is not at all. Other than the coasters and the Ferris wheel there is no attachment to the rides in that area. I could see some of them being taken out, or possibly moves to an expansion area to make room for the monorail.
I know for a fact that the decision makers at HE&R are looking at a new park entrance in the Arena/Claw area. They've been looking at it for years. It is the center point of the park. Upon entering (likely a new Founder's Circle) you can go right toward Comet Hollow and old Hersheypark, straight toward Minetown, or left to Pioneer Frontier, the Boardwalk, and Midway America. It just makes sense, and eliminates the excess walking that everyone here seems to be concerned with.
I just don't see a park expansion to the golf course. It's just way too far out there, and the park would have to cross Park Blvd. I don't know if there is an effective wat to do that unless that road is somehow moved.
The golf course purchase enables HE&R to expand the entertainment complex, perhaps a new concert venue. Maybe a monorail expansion would be involved with moving guests to the park from the entertainment portion of the complex. Any park expansion I think would be into parking lots.
warfelg wrote: It could also be routed through the middle of stormrunner and trailblazer up to near the greatbear, down to the new expansion, behind the comet though founders circle back up to the main station near the arena. By far the easiest route for the monorail expansion.
I suppose it could, but that would be awfully tight, and an awful lot of monorail track ($) to run the entire perimeter of the park. If the entrance is finally moved to the Arena area, I don't see any need for monorail stops inside the park.