Riverview Resurrection (Amusement Parks)

ardecila · August 21st, 2006, 08:55 PM

I've been a fan of roller coasters for a long time - I'm not one of the fanatics who take trips to visit faraway parks, but if I have time and I'm in another city, I like to visit the amusement parks there. 2 years ago, I was in Pittsburgh and I had a day with nothing to do (I was waiting for a cheaper plane at 7 that night). So, I went out to Pittsburgh's amusement park, Kennywood. This place is interesting, since it is in an urban area, and many of the key attractions remain from the 1920s, some earlier. Lots of big wooden coasters, it was great. People flocked to it, too. It was packed.

In New York, Coney Island is now being renovated in an attempt to return it to the vitality it had before WWII. In other cities across the country, pre-war amusement parks are thriving, from the piers in California to Atlantic City.

Awhile ago, I read a review of Great America which stipulated that Chicago had enough of a market to support another large theme park. We have 10 million people, for chrissake, and Great America also draws from Milwaukee, Madison, and other regional cities.

So, my question to you is: can Chicago support a second theme park, in an urban location, designed in a retro style? It would still have modern thrill rides, but the architecture and some of the rides would be 1920s style.

Note: We used to have just such a park, called Riverview, at Belmont and Western. It closed in 1967 due to financial difficulties. We still have Kiddieland, which is sorta what I'm thinking, but it appeals to a smaller audience (no pun intended).

Note 2: The whole concept of a midway, with shows, food, and rides, originated here in Chicago at the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition. It seems right that we have a classic theme park here in the city.

forumly_chgoman · August 21st, 2006, 09:04 PM

Yeah maybe , but it seems that there are so many other alternative today.....video games, all sorts of kids organized sports, the web as an entertainment avenue I am not 100% convinced it would be economically viable...but maybe at least it is interesting to consider.

I wonder do you have an idea where it might go. Also isn't the Navy Pier expansion sort of what you are describing, or are looking for something larger in scale?

ardecila · August 22nd, 2006, 02:13 AM

I suppose - but I haven't heard any plans for roller coasters at Navy Pier. You can't capture the amusement park audience without thrill rides of some kind, and little flight simulators don't count. You can't put thrill rides at Navy Pier anyway without charging admission - they cost a lot of money to operate.

gocity1979 · August 22nd, 2006, 03:27 AM

hells yeah

chikid · August 22nd, 2006, 06:35 AM

I say make riverview 2, knock down the ugly strip mall that is there now! then again that area is develpoing so well into a lincoln park and wicker park jr. that most residents would probably be against it and stop it

Hecago · August 22nd, 2006, 08:01 AM

I wish we couuld build a giant artifical island and have a theme park there.

ChicagoSkyline · August 22nd, 2006, 12:02 PM

There are plenty of location in chicago for indoor roller coast rides, we can outdone the ones in America Mall in Minneapolis or is there any other bigger indoor ones?
Out door ones in chicago don't seem economical due to its weather.

ChiSox2005 · August 22nd, 2006, 05:58 PM

Having a roller coaster amusement park in the city is not a good idea. It doesn't bring any influx of businesses to an area. Let's be honest for a second. For all the families that go to Great America there are also a lot of trashy and "less desirable" customers. Your not gonna put an amusement park in a good neighborhood mostly because they are already fully built up, and putting one in an area that requires a little urban renewal won't do any good either because it really wouldn't help the surrounding area.

edsg25 · August 22nd, 2006, 07:56 PM

Unless I'm mistaken, the best example of an amusement park like you are describing is in downtown Denver (is it Elyssian Gardens or something like that). From what I understand it is similiar in being smaller scale and non-themed. Could something like it be built in Chicago? Sure. If the project isn't massive, it could be supported quite well. People like roller coasters well enough that they don't have to go to a theme park to get on one.

August 21st, 2006, 08:55 PM	#1
ardecila Jack-Of-All-Trades Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: New Orleans/Chicago Posts: 1,391 Likes (Received): 0	Riverview Resurrection (Amusement Parks) I've been a fan of roller coasters for a long time - I'm not one of the fanatics who take trips to visit faraway parks, but if I have time and I'm in another city, I like to visit the amusement parks there. 2 years ago, I was in Pittsburgh and I had a day with nothing to do (I was waiting for a cheaper plane at 7 that night). So, I went out to Pittsburgh's amusement park, Kennywood. This place is interesting, since it is in an urban area, and many of the key attractions remain from the 1920s, some earlier. Lots of big wooden coasters, it was great. People flocked to it, too. It was packed. In New York, Coney Island is now being renovated in an attempt to return it to the vitality it had before WWII. In other cities across the country, pre-war amusement parks are thriving, from the piers in California to Atlantic City. Awhile ago, I read a review of Great America which stipulated that Chicago had enough of a market to support another large theme park. We have 10 million people, for chrissake, and Great America also draws from Milwaukee, Madison, and other regional cities. So, my question to you is: can Chicago support a second theme park, in an urban location, designed in a retro style? It would still have modern thrill rides, but the architecture and some of the rides would be 1920s style. Note: We used to have just such a park, called Riverview, at Belmont and Western. It closed in 1967 due to financial difficulties. We still have Kiddieland, which is sorta what I'm thinking, but it appeals to a smaller audience (no pun intended). Note 2: The whole concept of a midway, with shows, food, and rides, originated here in Chicago at the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition. It seems right that we have a classic theme park here in the city.

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August 21st, 2006, 09:04 PM	#2
forumly_chgoman BANNED Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Chicago Posts: 762 Likes (Received): 0	Yeah maybe , but it seems that there are so many other alternative today.....video games, all sorts of kids organized sports, the web as an entertainment avenue I am not 100% convinced it would be economically viable...but maybe at least it is interesting to consider. I wonder do you have an idea where it might go. Also isn't the Navy Pier expansion sort of what you are describing, or are looking for something larger in scale?

August 22nd, 2006, 02:13 AM	#3
ardecila Jack-Of-All-Trades Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: New Orleans/Chicago Posts: 1,391 Likes (Received): 0	I suppose - but I haven't heard any plans for roller coasters at Navy Pier. You can't capture the amusement park audience without thrill rides of some kind, and little flight simulators don't count. You can't put thrill rides at Navy Pier anyway without charging admission - they cost a lot of money to operate.

August 22nd, 2006, 03:27 AM	#4
gocity1979 Registered User Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Chicago Rogers Park Posts: 73 Likes (Received): 0	hells yeah

August 22nd, 2006, 06:35 AM	#5
chikid Registered User Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Chicago Posts: 451 Likes (Received): 5	I say make riverview 2, knock down the ugly strip mall that is there now! then again that area is develpoing so well into a lincoln park and wicker park jr. that most residents would probably be against it and stop it

August 22nd, 2006, 08:01 AM	#6
Hecago Registered User Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Chicago Posts: 481 Likes (Received): 0	I wish we couuld build a giant artifical island and have a theme park there.

August 22nd, 2006, 12:02 PM	#7
ChicagoSkyline BANNED Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Chicago[Naperville-SW Suburb] + Miami[Miami Beach & South Beach] Posts: 2,188 Likes (Received): 0	There are plenty of location in chicago for indoor roller coast rides, we can outdone the ones in America Mall in Minneapolis or is there any other bigger indoor ones? Out door ones in chicago don't seem economical due to its weather.

August 22nd, 2006, 05:58 PM	#8
ChiSox2005 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 54 Likes (Received): 0	Having a roller coaster amusement park in the city is not a good idea. It doesn't bring any influx of businesses to an area. Let's be honest for a second. For all the families that go to Great America there are also a lot of trashy and "less desirable" customers. Your not gonna put an amusement park in a good neighborhood mostly because they are already fully built up, and putting one in an area that requires a little urban renewal won't do any good either because it really wouldn't help the surrounding area.

August 22nd, 2006, 07:56 PM	#9
edsg25 BANNED Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Chicago Posts: 9,327 Likes (Received): 0	Unless I'm mistaken, the best example of an amusement park like you are describing is in downtown Denver (is it Elyssian Gardens or something like that). From what I understand it is similiar in being smaller scale and non-themed. Could something like it be built in Chicago? Sure. If the project isn't massive, it could be supported quite well. People like roller coasters well enough that they don't have to go to a theme park to get on one.