Lower-Priced Ticket to Ride Rocks Freestyle's Attendance

When I visited Freestyle Music Park in early June, the barely there crowds were eerily reminiscent of the attendance woes that helped force the previous owners into bankruptcy. The Myrtle Beach property debuted in 2008 as Hard Rock Park and closed before the end of the season. This past Saturday, however, as huge crowds reportedly jammed the midways and oohed and ahed to the special Fourth of July edition of the Kiss the Sky fireworks finale, the new management team may have finally been able to declare independence from last season's failures. But the impressive attendance numbers came at a price.

To tie in with the summer holiday, Freestyle offered four admission passes for $17.76, or $4.44 per ticket. Once inside the park, guests could purchase four meals at the special July 4 price of $17.76. $4.44 is a far cry from the $50 fee that Hard Rock Park charged all guests, regardless of age. The high, inflexible price likely played a major role in the doomed inaugural season. But the new Freestyle name refers to a brand, not a pricing policy for a sound business model; the park will need to charge more than four bucks and change per person to keep its choreographed fireworks blasting.

Still, the huge crowds prove that Myrtle Beach visitors and locals are willing to embrace the park. And that's good news for the new owners. While acknowledging that the pre-Independence-Day attendance numbers have been less than stellar, Steve Baker, president of the park, says that they have been growing. He also says that the new management team had a scant few weeks to rebrand the park, install new attractions, and do everything else necessary to open by Memorial Day. The marketing plan only kicked into full gear a few days ago. This year is something of a work in progress. “We're trying to catch up. Next year will be the real test of whether this park can truly work," Baker says. "We won't have any excuses next season."

Baker insists there will be a next season, regardless of this year's attendance. “This is a long-term commitment for us. We will make it a successful park." While he wasn't specific, Baker did say that with the luxury of time, he and his team plan many changes and capital improvements for Freestyle in 2010. He also says that the schedule will expand into the spring and the fall, and hinted that a major event may kick off the season.

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