Randi Miller wants Bell's business plan released

[Double A]

quote:Originally posted by Conan71

Who else read the blog about the guy they hired, in what- 2004, who was starting to renovate Phantasmogoria?  Along with the new business plan (not the one I secretly obtained) and plans for upgrades, I think the Bells were working in earnest to improve the park.

Was the place pristine?  No, and I honestly can't ever remember it being pristine from my first memories of the park, 30-some years ago even.

According to the News On Six story, Bells paid more rent in '06 than '05, they had approval for major upgrades.  Paid more rent than the other two tennants, so what gives?  I can't believe the Drillers pay less than $1000 per game for rent on their space.  Does anyone know if they have to share concessions revenue with the un fair board?

This was a railroad job and I think the reasons are going to become clear when the Arabian show has run out it's contract and we see what the land is used for then.

Booting out a tennant paying $135,000 + in rent to put in an asphalt free-parking area is a dumb business move on so many levels.  This carte blanche agreement with Murphy also stinks to high heaven.

Sorry, there's just no defending the un fair board on this.

Bell's had always been safer, cleaner, and more family friendly than the Murphy midway and the dregs of the labor pool they employ.

[RecycleMichael]

quote:Originally posted by Double A
Bell's had always been safer, cleaner, and more family friendly than the Murphy midway and the dregs of the labor pool they employ.

I remember working as a parking lot attendant during the fair when I was in high school.

There were about 20 carnival workers living out of three parked station wagons over by the old ballpark. You could smell them fifty feet away.

[Shavethewhales]

quote:Originally posted by recyclemichael

My kids always had fun there as well.

I remember the three or four times in the last four years where they had large gang fights and had to call in 100 deputies.

I also remember the miniature golf course, the part of the park facing the main street, being closed for the last few years. The carpet was ripped and stained for a decade and was never mowed.  How much upkeep does it take to maintain a miniature golf course?

I don't dispute any notion that there were outside forces working against the third generation running the park. I have no idea if it is true.

I also think that the county should ask for business plans for the other tenants when they are negotiating leases and the tenants have obvious problems (like whole sections falling apart or closed because they can't maintain it). That holds true for the Drillers and Big Splash and Fair Meadows.

But the Bell's park was an embarassment. No other family oriented entertainment business I know of like it was run worse than the way this one was at the end.

The miniature golf course was left to ruin because it was to be the site of that new roller-coaster. Unfortunately, they were delayed for years, so they never got around to starting construction.

If you think Bell's was an embarrassment, well... you're crazy - that's about it. Try out a few other entertainment venues of the likes of Bell's some time, it might open your eyes a little.

If you haven't read the KOTV article yet - read it. It makes everything as clear as day. Just look at how Bell's was about to explode with an entire new era of thrills. Anyone that complained about Bell's before surely can't argue that dismissing them the right to totally re-build the park makes sense.

[Conan71]

quote:Originally posted by recyclemichael

quote:Originally posted by Double A
Bell's had always been safer, cleaner, and more family friendly than the Murphy midway and the dregs of the labor pool they employ.

I remember working as a parking lot attendant during the fair when I was in high school.

There were about 20 carnival workers living out of three parked station wagons over by the old ballpark. You could smell them fifty feet away.

Did you ever meander over to investigate the distinct smell of burning rope from one of those station wagons?

[RecycleMichael]

quote:Originally posted by Shavethewhales
Try out a few other entertainment venues of the likes of Bell's some time, it might open your eyes a little.

I have. I have two kids that love amusement parks. You don't know me and haven't been on this forum for long, but I have written about my family vacations for a few years now and quite a bit about other parks and children's activities.

I also wrote my thoughts about Bell's way before the county took their action. I have never lived more than 3 miles from Bell's in my life, had company parties there for years, played there as a teenager almost every summer night and went there with my kids and took out of town families there regularly each summer.

I am not disputing nor agreeing with what KOTV is implying with their report. I have no idea.

But I can name ten similar parks that we have visited across America that are cleaner and safer than we we saw the last couple of years at Bell's.

It didn't use to be that way.

[waterboy]

quote:Originally posted by sgrizzle

quote:Originally posted by waterboy

I can't get past the fact that the Drillers who take up a similar space on the NE corner paid $18,000 per year while Bell's on the SW corner paid $147,000 per year! Did the fair skew that number so radically? Hard to believe that.  And he was the only one having to present a business plan? Unless they have one heck of a plan for that corner they could have offered him the same rent as the Drillers for a couple years in exchange for re-habbing it.

Drillers pay a portion of concessions as well.

Do they get a % of Bell's concessions too?

If the Drillers averaged $5 per person concessions at the games and the average attendance was 4000 per game, thats only 20,000 per game. 20 home games? That's $400,000. Shared concessions maybe 20%? Thats still
$80,000 and I'm being generous with the attendance and $/person. Versus $147,000?

[RecycleMichael]

Counting the bedlam games and concerts in with the Drillers is around 70 events in 180 days.

The Drillers average 4,800 per game and the other two way more.

That is more than 325,000 fans a year. The Drillers alone are on pace to go over 300,000 for the 14th time in 15 years.

I bet the average fan buys more than five dollars worth of food and drink (we probably average twice that and some other fans even more).

I would guess the gross concession sales number to be closer to 3 million dollars a year. If the county got a 5% cut, that would be $150,000 a year. If the county got ten per cent, it would double the rent paid by Bell's each year.

[sgrizzle]

I have to agree that while Bell's could've used some help, the fair midway is horrible. Disjointed, dirty, cables running everywhere, machines seem to be held together by the force, etc.

[waterboy]

quote:Originally posted by recyclemichael

Counting the bedlam games and concerts in with the Drillers is around 70 events in 180 days.

The Drillers average 4,800 per game and the other two way more.

That is more than 325,000 fans a year. The Drillers alone are on pace to go over 300,000 for the 14th time in 15 years.

I bet the average fan buys more than five dollars worth of food and drink (we probably average twice that and some other fans even more).

I would guess the gross concession sales number to be closer to 3 million dollars a year. If the county got a 5% cut, that would be $150,000 a year. If the county got ten per cent, it would double the rent paid by Bell's each year.

Well, that makes more sense. Even with the inflated fan numbers. $5 per person would include men/women/toddlers and babies.

[Breadburner]

quote:Originally posted by recyclemichael

quote:Originally posted by Double A
Bell's had always been safer, cleaner, and more family friendly than the Murphy midway and the dregs of the labor pool they employ.

I remember working as a parking lot attendant during the fair when I was in high school.

There were about 20 carnival workers living out of three parked station wagons over by the old ballpark. You could smell them fifty feet away.

Now...It alll smells like horse$hit...As do you.....Get a grip......