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American Adventure Park

Sazzle said:
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The money that AA made was, I have on good authority, raked back into racecourses and not into the park itself.
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I seem to recall hearing about NN being a wreck and the cost of the attractions being a factor, what I had no clue of to my recollection is that fact though!

That's a real shame, because I think of all the UK parks I've visited it had one of the most stunning entrances and vistas of them all. They didn't have the luxury of a whacking great folly to build around, it was basically a big pit - but somehow with the mineshafts, the buildings, and those steps down as the park view opened and the noise of the theme park hit you like a big wall of sound. It was almost like playing a game as you look over your entire park creation.

In it's heyday it really was spectacular.
 
So I saw this petition going around my own newsfeed a few weeks ago... But I didn't sign it. Another theme park in the Midlands would be a huge risk for its owner! Towers is less than an hour from Ilkeston, as is Drayton Manor. I was all up for saving the existing park, but trying to start from scratch now would be... Stupid.

The physical infrastructure of the town and surrounding localities could not support a park of any magnitude, and I personally believe the housing and commercial properties planned for the previous site are going to have a noticeable impact on traffic and local facilities as it is. The area has had nearly ten years without a park; you soon forgot the coaches and cars whizzing past your house!

Besides, as far as I could see that petition is for DCC to respond to regards reopening the park. A council??? It was never their responsibility in the first place! They owned the land, but they never had a say in the park operations or investment!
 
This was my issue with the petition. Frankly there didn't seem to be any point to it, I really couldn't understand what they hoped to achieve from it. He was saying that he wanted the park built in a different location with a dark ride added, so what significance would that have to the old AA park? He's basically saying he wants the council to build a theme park from scratch, or if he didn't want the funding to be from the council (this isn't made clear) then surely he could just build his own theme park somewhere. No idea where he'd raise the capital from.

Frankly I've no idea what he's hoping to achieve from this petition and it totally baffles me that this muppet has made it in to the newspapers and ITV news when his petition is pretty meaningless.
 
Sazzle said:
*wipes a tear* I lived five minutes from this park and saw it every day from my house!

Anyone who read the topic over on TowersTimes will know just how indepth I knew the park!

There's such a fantastic history to the park, with many twists and turns. I spoke with the park manger Roger Lloyd the year before the park closed to discuss the change to family market, and I couldn't quite grasp the reasoning even then.

It boils down to cost unfortunately... The Missile needed extensive work on it, and Nightmare Niagara was condemned (the trough was literally held together with polyfilla in places).

Towers and Drayton were investing in thrill, and Gullivers had the family market crowned - all of them within an hours drive.

The money that AA made was, I have on good authority, raked back into racecourses and not into the park itself.

I so hope this topic evolves :) I have a lot to share, not least hundreds of photos!
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I used to love reading and being part of that topic on TT. Certainly for me the charm of the AA was the area, I even brought a house in the area because I loved Shipley Park.

If only John Broome had stayed....
 
Speaking of which, does anyone have and idea why John broome left the company? He's now involved with Cornwall Crealey, he's certainly been around the block a few times.
 
John Broome ruined American Adventure just liked he ruined Battersea Power Station.

His legacy of sunshine was born from, and stayed at, Alton Towers.

His plans of grandeur for the park included an ambitious rebrand from American Adventure to Adventure World (which partially came to fruition and was then entirely reverted), and the introductions a ride similar to "It's a Small World", and the changing of areas from American themed to various countries around the world.

Sound familiar?

Far too ambitious for a small-scale park whose investors had recently departed - Granada. To me, the whole project was approached in a very ar$e about face kind of way...
 
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I was led to believe that he actually had idea's of adding a Woodie and various other rides which would enhance the parks ride lineup?
 
Sazzle said:
John Broome ruined American Adventure just liked he ruined Battersea Power Station.

His legacy of sunshine was born from, and stayed at, Alton Towers.

His plans of grandeur for the park included an ambitious rebrand from American Adventure to Adventure World (which partially came to fruition and was then entirely reverted), and the introductions a ride similar to "It's a Small World", and the changing of areas from American themed to various countries around the world.

Sound familiar?

Far too ambitious for a small-scale park whose investors had recently departed - Granada. To me, the whole project was approached in a very ar$e about face kind of way...
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Yeah yeah I know all of that, but I just wondered why he left the company? His flying island wasn't a huge success as far as I could see. Then the following year it became AA.
 
He applied for planning permission for a huge coaster (woodie IIRC) that impinged on the surrounding protected country park which was understandably refused. He had many another idea, but this was when Towers was in its heyday and the park simply couldn't cope with the competition or raise the required funds. He left on a sour note, as if he'd given up and dropped everything. The park soon reverted to American Adventure and.. Well... The rest is quite plain to see.
 
I did actually see his plans and they intruded into that protected lake bit next to the dog walking path (Pauls Arm I think it's called?)

There's no way in the world they'd have got permission to do that, shows his complete lack of research into the site. After he left I seem to remember Tony Sunley who took over only seemed interested in getting a holiday village built which the locals were also dead against.
 
Ahhhh someone else with a little bit of knowledge!! :D

Indeed the plans did encroach onto Pauls Arm, and it was only ever going to be rejected with that as the case!

The holiday village was a farce - they pleaded with the local media that if the plans weren't passed then the park would fail. The truth? The park would have failed regardless. The locals objected as the village stretched right up to the housing estate which they (and I at the time) lived on.

There just were never any realistic plans for the park to develop and be sustainable. The likes of Towers & DMP were too far ahead by the time AA even thought of catching up.
 
Makes you laugh that the lodges were rejected yet several years later housing is being allowed on the site. I am sure one of the clauses to the park was that it first and foremost stayed a park/lesuire developement, Not for housing
 
I remember Tony Sunley ran the park for quite a few years after Broome left and, apart from that dreadful JCB World, he did nothing for the park except push for the holiday village. When he didn't get it he left. How can anyone run a park like that? So much could have been done in those 1999-2004 years which didn't require lots of planning consent, yet they did nothing.
 
The petition made the radio news this morning.
It's going to happen

It's going to reopen ;)

Ok don't judge , I was listening to smooth radio , but still. Was on the 8am news :)
 
According to my mate who works for the local council, there are plans to re-open American Adventure. But they’re going to take it in a slightly different direction to before. Rather than setting it in the past with the old Wild West, it’s going to be set in a futuristic post Donald Trump disaster world. Apparently American Adventure is going to look like a theme park would if Donald Trump was in charge. It’s all very clever. My friend showed me some photos of what it looks like at the moment and it’s very authentic.
 
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