Hard Rock Park: Not Fade Away?

They almost waited 'till the midnight hour, but two eleventh-hour suitors are vying to purchase the bankrupt Hard Rock Park. Both are hoping to line up financing, get court approval, and reopen the park this season--possibly with the Hard Rock Park name and theme intact. The $400-million Myrtle Beach park opened with a power-chord boom April 2008, posted dismal attendance, and closed with a soft-rock whimper in September. A December auction yielded no bidders--even at the bargain-basement asking price of $35 million. According to the Myrtle Beach Sun News, a group of investors offered $25 million for the park, and a second locally based group is also trying to put together a deal. The incredibly low offer--it probably cost about $25 million to build the park's signature Led Zeppelin coaster and get its licensing fees alone--should allow the new owners plenty of wiggle room to wage a massive marketing program and set reasonable admission fees. High ticket prices and a low-profile advertising campaign may have helped doom the park's opening season.

• Hard Rock Park Overview
• Nights in White Satin- The Trip at Hard Rock Park Ride Review