I grew up Millstone Twp and still have family and friends in Jackson, Brick, and Howell. Trust me, I know EXACTLY what you’re referring to.
News Project 2027/Purple: Delayed “World Record Breaking Coaster" (Phantom Spire?)
- Thread starter Zachary
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The demand for residential real estate is high.
Not in that part of Jackson. As evidenced by Adventure Crossing getting shut down by the township for trying to convert their "we can't do anything with this property that we vastly overpaid for" land to residential zoning.
The Proud Delaware Resident
edit: proof of Amy's instigatory behavior that she then deletes in the quote.
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Yet I still am able to comprehend the situation in the part of Jackson that SFGADv is in better than you.The Proud Delaware Resident
If Adventure Crossing is being having its proposal for residential development denied by the township, what makes you think that the SFGAdv property would be marketable as residential development?
Probably the recent history of the state AG defanging Jackson's zoning board under the looming threat of further intervention? Its decisions are under immense scrutiny by a superior state government selectively enforcing laws on behalf of a decidedly pro-growth group, not that I'm saying that's bad, but it is what's happening.
I refuse to discuss this further because this is about when the banhammer falls typically (or has elsewhere). I'll be happy to continue speculating about the future of Great Adventure and its rides without needing to write a political treatise.
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And all of those decisions are about the density of residential zoning, not a complete conversion of use case, as the Adventure Crossing and hypothetically SFGAdv's property would be.
But you're right, it is a moot point, because SFEC isn't closing the park anytime in the forseeable future. We're not the ones who brought it up.
You are the ones who denied the applicability of a viable profitable alternative use for a particular property at a time when Six Flags has stated they're looking to monetize underperforming parks without specifying which parks those are
I do think additional context to what six flags means by underperforming is important. We will probably never get an explicit statement from them exactly what defines it. But, it’s entirely possible (and honestly I think rather likely) that great adventure’s attendance is higher than Dorney’s even with it underperforming. When I read that statement by six flags it sounds to me more like analyzing growth at the mid to small tier parks, like valleyfair (new water park expansion), Dorney (Iron menace), worlds of fun (Zambezi) and if they get the growth they are looking for from those additions. I just don’t think you give up on a property right in between New York and Philly only a few years after what is probably the largest single year investment in park history, regardless on if they see the bump they are looking for. But I guess six flags has made worse decisions before.
I mean even in the <5% chance SF decides to sell off the park you’d have to imagine it wouldnt close and instead would be sold to a competitor trying to poach the NY market.
With the right budget and all the land surrounding GADV, would be a perfect spot for a northeast resort if Universal or Disney were interested. Only con with this location is you’re really missing out on the November-March months, but I feel even HITP was successful enough if done right.
Once again this is straight speculation and i dont expect SF to sell the park in the foreseeable future, but even if so I do not see any world where this park closes, at the end of the day its just too prime of a location and no matter how crappy the park is the potential is limitless.
With the right budget and all the land surrounding GADV, would be a perfect spot for a northeast resort if Universal or Disney were interested. Only con with this location is you’re really missing out on the November-March months, but I feel even HITP was successful enough if done right.
Once again this is straight speculation and i dont expect SF to sell the park in the foreseeable future, but even if so I do not see any world where this park closes, at the end of the day its just too prime of a location and no matter how crappy the park is the potential is limitless.
And, crucially, unless someone can provide me evidence to the contrary, I currently believe it's obvious that the land the park sits on is worth FAR more as a park than it is as new tract housing or the like.
Feel free to look at satellite images. Density is super low, there's plenty of agricultural land use around the park, the municipality is clearly not development-adverse, etc. In my opinion, anyone trying to suggest that SFGAdv is remotely likely to follow in the footsteps of SFA and CGA fundamentally misunderstands why those parks are closing.
For many parks, there will likely be a time when the enormous tracts of land they occupy will be worth more for uses other than roller coasters. For some parks, that has already happened. For others, we could be entering a gray area in the decade+ ahead. Six Flags Great Adventure though? I think it's almost certainly safer than at least 60% or 70% of the major, regional parks out there from a land value optimization perspective. You'll almost certainly see MANY other parks in the chain have their land sold to maximize shareholder value LONG before the reaper comes for SFGAdv.
If Six Flags did ever decide they wanted out of SFGAdv, like @MitchC, I fully believe it would be sold to another operator. There is simply no financially justifiable reason to make any other decision.
Feel free to look at satellite images. Density is super low, there's plenty of agricultural land use around the park, the municipality is clearly not development-adverse, etc. In my opinion, anyone trying to suggest that SFGAdv is remotely likely to follow in the footsteps of SFA and CGA fundamentally misunderstands why those parks are closing.
For many parks, there will likely be a time when the enormous tracts of land they occupy will be worth more for uses other than roller coasters. For some parks, that has already happened. For others, we could be entering a gray area in the decade+ ahead. Six Flags Great Adventure though? I think it's almost certainly safer than at least 60% or 70% of the major, regional parks out there from a land value optimization perspective. You'll almost certainly see MANY other parks in the chain have their land sold to maximize shareholder value LONG before the reaper comes for SFGAdv.
If Six Flags did ever decide they wanted out of SFGAdv, like @MitchC, I fully believe it would be sold to another operator. There is simply no financially justifiable reason to make any other decision.
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I'm very sorry @Zachary but Mola Rom at the Temple of Doom says you are not a true believer and unworthy as you cling to the delusions of corporate brainwashing and local real estate valuations. The sacrifice of Great Adventure for The Greater Good will come to pass in time, and all those who think it can escape its fate as foretold in the Epic of Weber & Anderson shall be cast aside by the power now residing in the Temple of Doom. Look on its Works, ye Mighty, and despair! The Great and Powerful Mola Rom has spoken! [jk!]
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Nobody can tell
Sweet Summer Squash Zachary,
I hope you are correct.
Thank you for your open-mindedness @Suspense . I'm not suggesting the sale of the park would be good, something I want to happen, or likely. However, I do believe it has historical parallels, or at the very least, wouldn't shock me. Inland OC may seem like useless farmland, but it's ripe for further exploitation, because it's New Jersey
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Nobody can tell
Sweet Summer Squash Zachary,
I hope you are correct.
Thank you for your open-mindedness @Suspense . I'm not suggesting the sale of the park would be good, something I want to happen, or likely. However, I do believe it has historical parallels, or at the very least, wouldn't shock me. Inland OC may seem like useless farmland, but it's ripe for further exploitation, because it's New Jersey
Okay Mr. Constantly complains about getting banned and then continues to call the mod “sweet summer squash”
Do you even read what you write on here before you post it? Genuinely
Have you ever heard the idiom “You catch more flies with honey than vinegar”? Currently you’re trying to catch flies with battery acid.
The people posting in this sub may have a different opinion on the park than you, but we aren’t your enemies. We’re all concerned about the state of the park, or else we wouldn’t be on this random forum in the middle of winter.
Please stop playing the victim card when you’re clearly the instigator. Just because someone may disagree with you does *not* mean that they are wrong or that they don’t want to hear what you have to say.
You’ve been alluding to some bigger plot for the park getting sold, but then you’ll say “oh people aren’t receptive” or “if I say that then I get banned,” and personally I would love to hear it! Please write it out and post it here! It doesn’t need to be in response to anyone, it can just be your thoughts on the matter. Clearly you’re convinced that the park is being set up for sale, and I want to see exactly why you think that and what evidence you have to back it up.
FWIW, I actually kind of like the practice of showering Zachary with flowery superlatives. It's got big Leslie Knope vibes.
Zachary, you delicate, moonlit blossom...
Zachary, you delicate, moonlit blossom...
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I think the always challenging part for parks when it comes to reputation is you need MASSIVE investments into the park. Not just rides but also infrastructure, staffing, landscaping, hardscapting, maintenance, etc.
That said, it’s 100% worth it and paired with Dorney they have an absolute win they could get. They should position Dorney are really family friendly (in part to the height restriction issues) and put SFGAdv as a thrill seeker park, upgrade Hurricane Harbor, put in an extra recreational aspect (Ropes course, Par 3 course, etc) with a hotel and offer it as a package. It’s 1:30 from SFGAdv to Dorney so they could offer it as a “stay and play” package to bus you over.
Something I will say, is that NJ has kinda become a bad location for theme parks. Not only is the shore always going to be a bigger draw no matter what, but the cost of living here is way more than it was back in the 2000s, a time not only when people could afford to visit the park, but people afford to work at the park as well.
Staffing issues here shouldn’t be a surprise when the Amazon facility off the same exit is paying their workers more + offering benefits, which SF doesn’t do
If SFE did end up offloading Great Adventure then it'd be a slam dunk for United Parks to pair with Sesame Place, which is even closer to Jackson
It would end up going to somewhere off the wall, not United.
That said, I think SFE understands how much of a gold mine this park is. For example:
SFGAdv is actually a fantastic mid-week break, or as my family did the arrival day/getaway day stop here. I think what people often miss is coming from the west there’s basically 4 ways across NJ without backroads all the way. It’s either 55 (sucks but only way to WW), AC Tollway, 78, or 195 (which SFGAdv) runs right across. Most people tend to take 195 in my experience because dealing with Philadelphia and the Skook express sucks.
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OMG a DISNEY WORLD!
could you imagine we skip 10 years and we have Cinderella's castle in place of The Joker and mission space in that old motion simulator building on the boardwalk! Here is an interesting take… the layout of this park kind of… matches magic kingdom…
with the golden kingdom, plaza de carvel and frontier adventures already gives them something to work with! Plus they can build an animal kingdom lodge overlooking the safari! Unfortunately, this would mean that 95 percent of the coaster community and NJ residents would be priced out 
I would be so excited but devastated when spending 800 dollars on a season pass lol. 