RE: Project Madrid: New Hamlet? Giga Coaster? 315' Tower?
halfabee said:
So... thinking about costs here.
I don't know what truly is or has ever been BGW's real set of serious options for the current animal pastures. But as we're all talking about gigas, hamlets, and Sky Flyers here, what's the cost comparison between a new hamlet + Sky Flyer vs. a new giga coaster?
Turns out, I don't know that either.
But here are some rough numbers based on other installations...
Sky Flyer: Maybe $1.5M to purchase + $0.5M to install
Hamlet: No idea. Let's say it costs $10M to build and then staff for a year or two
vs.
Giga: $25-$30M, maybe including marketing
I have to seriously wonder what the expected return period would be for a $30M investment, on even a world-class ride. The park could spend 1/2 of that money to build out a new hamlet, plus the tallest ride in Virginia, plus a major marketing campaign, and if the resulting incremental bottom-line benefit is only 1/2 that of a giga -- which many of the park's target demographic won't even ride -- then they are no worse off than if they build La Montaña Rusa Gigante in an otherwise empty field. Offsetting a new hamlet's staffing costs would be (hopefully) additional in-park revenues, which could compare with a new ride's incremental T-shirt and keychain revenues.
If the hamlet is a huge hit, then the stage is set to make the case with corporate for La Montaña Rusa Gigante in the early 2020s.
I guess the wildcard with a new hamlet is that there is really no data on what kind of additional business it would actually drive at BGW. Ireland was just a refresh of the existing Hastings area, more than a decade and a half ago. The most recent addition of major guest-facing footprint was Festa Italia back in the late 80s.
Rooting for a huge roller coaster, but...
Very interesting things to contemplate here:
In the giga-range you got Intimidater-305 at $25mil, and Fury 325 at $30 mil. Now that includes the lights, the movement of dirt, station, moving of paths. So in an open field, I think they would look a little closer to the I-305 level, even if they decide to cross the river. Even at a smaller coaster, Skyrush took $25 mil and it had some interesting new never done things.
The Starflyer costs about $1.2 mil, but that doesn't include infrastructure and everything with it. And if they then build out a hamlet, I think it would cost more than $10mil. I've heard projections of $50-60 mil for the space Hershey could expand to, even without any rides. I think the cost would be about $15mil for the buildout, then they would need to bring some other rides to the area, entertainment, all the merchandise. In the end it could end up costing just as much.
So the interesting thing here then:
They could build a coaster, with a "mini" hamlet to start out and only have a quick food area, a store, some seating. Think of something like the Pompeii area to serve as the gateway to the remainder of the new hamlet.
And, if you think the financial ramifications of a buildout either way could be that involved then it could be a long time for any expansion after that. So I think the question would be which one would have the longer income pull for them. Sure shots mean continual money, but would a Starflyer really be that big of an attraction? Everywhere I've been that has one, never has a line. But a coaster will almost always have a draw to it.
I dunno. I can really see both arguments here. Both make a ton of sense.
We'll have to wait for the meeting and see what's added, whats asked, whats answered. I think the landscape impact could really hold a ton of keys to what's really going on here.
