In June, Great America’s owner, amusement park giant Cedar Fair, announced it had sold the Santa Clara property for $310 million. “The sale and lease agreements allow us to monetize a high-value asset in the heart of Silicon Valley,” Cedar Fair President and CEO Richard A. Zimmerman wrote in the press release at the time.
The deal stipulated that the park would shutter sometime in the next 11 years. When theme parks close, their rides are often sold to other parks or moved to other locations within a company. Great America has more than 50 attractions, ranging from bumper cars to steel roller coasters.
Christopher Smith told FOX26 News that he is working with architects to present a plan to move Great America’s rides to Fresno County. Smith said Fresno’s proximity to the major tourist hub of Yosemite, location along Interstate Highway 5 and future stop on the high-speed rail line make it the perfect place for a theme park. He’s calling his concept the Heart of California.
“We plan on doing five different themes to help incorporate California with a Gold Rush theme, a winery theme, a beach theme, ski theme, and we’re hoping with the architect’s design will help create more interest in the project, to show a possibility actual come true,” Smith told FOX26.
This theme may sound familiar to amusement park enthusiasts; it’s reminiscent of the original concept for Disneyland’s California Adventure Park. That theme was a catastrophe upon opening, with many tourists confused as to why they wanted to see watered-down versions of California attractions that they could visit in other parts of the state. After a huge financial investment, Disney was able to re-theme and rescue the park.
Smith has a petition to gather support for his project. He said he intends to present a plan to Fresno County officials soon.
“We have contacted Cedar Fair with the interest of them controlling the park and supplying the park with amusement rides from Great America,” Smith wrote on his petition page. “They have responded with a lack of interest in the project at this time. We hope this petition will show them the public interest in the project and hopefully they will reconsider the project, or other investors will join our project.”
