Bell's Coming Back?

[shavethewhales]

So apparently Bell's is once again mounting a comeback. A new message on their facebook reads:

"Hello from the Bells team!! Thank you for liking the official Bell's Amusement Park Facebook page. We are as excited as you are to bring the park back. Here is what YOU can do TODAY to help us make that happen. Like, Comment and Share our page and posts. Tag your friends in your comments. Invite your friends to like our page. Help us spread the word and keep checking for exciting updates! Post your Bell's pictures and share your memories! Thank you, Robby and the Bell's team.

This following years of silence following the disaster of their little flea market operation.

I know a lot of people on here hold Robby and Bell's in disdain, and I'll agree there are some good reasons to. I still miss Bell's though, and our metro is in dire need of new amusements. Can't believe all we have is a crappy little water park that's barely been updated in decades.

[Weatherdemon]

Very exciting news for Tulsa!

[swake]

Conan is going to have to re-share that business plan from Robby Bell.

No one should get their hopes up too much on this.

[SXSW]

I'll believe it when I see it. 

[Conan71]

Conan is going to have to re-share that business plan from Robby Bell.

No one should get their hopes up too much on this.

Heh...

[shavethewhales]

https://post.futurimedia.com/kfaqam/playlist/listen-802.html?fbclid=IwAR3csi4LkcfXS3gKsR9XSG0BRnLD1nZ4TdcQw0z3g476VfVQwgPkHDH86YU

Here is a recent interview with Robby Bell. He mentions there being a plan in progress with him "in the drivers seat this time". Sounds like they have a lot of plans in place. Says he wants to open the park in phases with kiddie park first, then potentially a water park and an indoor area among several additional phases to follow. He also says he still has plenty of equipment stored around the country, but will still buy a number of new rides for the park. The first phase would be roughly half new, half old rides.

He says it will cost $7 million, not including real estate... that sounds kinda cheap to me, but within the realm of possibility if the first phase is just a few kiddie rides, a snack stand, and restrooms.

I mean, it sounds good. I always said that if I were to start an amusement park in Tulsa, I would model it after Toverland. They started with an indoor kids and water park area then expanded outdoors with several roller coasters and big rides.

The main thing here is that it sounds like he has backing and a plan that is finally moving forward. Could go up in smoke once again, but I would think by now he has learned his lessons and is ready to make a final do-or-die effort. I am optimistic.

[Weatherdemon]

$7M?

Hmmm....
That's nothing in the amusement world. But, I guess it's a start.

I was wondering how he got 10's of millions to really try and get something going. Guess he didn't.

[918superboy]

How viable is the giant plot of land by Spartan college at 89th and Pine? It is fairly close to the airport.

[shavethewhales]

^I would say not at all. First of all, you don't want a bunch of tall amusement rides right in the flight path for the main runway. Secondly, it's still surrounded by housing, which was part of their previous downfall.

I predict their new piece of land will be out of town just a bit. Probably on the north/northeast end closer to the industrial areas.

There's plenty of cheap land around though within a half hour of the metro. I know he's starting out small, but honestly it could be located anywhere between Bartlesville, Muskogee, Wagoner, and Drumright and still be close enough for people to drive out there. You almost don't want it too close in order to keep out some of the riff-raff that get dropped off at parks.

[swake]

^I would say not at all. First of all, you don't want a bunch of tall amusement rides right in the flight path for the main runway. Secondly, it's still surrounded by housing, which was part of their previous downfall.

I predict their new piece of land will be out of town just a bit. Probably on the north/northeast end closer to the industrial areas.

There's plenty of cheap land around though within a half hour of the metro. I know he's starting out small, but honestly it could be located anywhere between Bartlesville, Muskogee, Wagoner, and Drumright and still be close enough for people to drive out there. You almost don't want it too close in order to keep out some of the riff-raff that get dropped off at parks.

The neighborhood wasn't their downfall.

It was the park getting run down and a couple of massive fights taking dozens of cops to break up.

That and County Commissioner Randi Miller seemingly being in the pocket of Murphy Brothers Exposition, who owned Big Splash and provided the rides for the fair and didn't want to share fair ride money with Bells. It was really more about Randi Miller and money than anything. She kept pressing Bells for more rent money while holding many months of uncashed rent checks for Big Splash. Dirty stuff.

[Conan71]

It was really more about Randi Miller and money than anything. She kept pressing Bells for more rent money while holding many months of uncashed rent checks for Big Splash. Dirty stuff.

My take as well.

[Vision 2025]

How viable is the giant plot of land by Spartan college at 89th and Pine? It is fairly close to the airport.

The City has airport protection zoning in place for both of its facilities and even if they agreed you'd never get a "Finding of No Obstruction" for that site from the FAA for much of anything and due the vacant land being under the glide slope for 36R I seriously doubt anything ever goes there.

[swake]

And now we know Robby's business plan.

Sell t-shirts.

https://ktul.com/news/local/bells-amusement-park-merchandise

[DTowner]

And now we know Robby's business plan.

Sell t-shirts.

https://ktul.com/news/local/bells-amusement-park-merchandise

Can he rebuild Zingo from merchandise sales?

[swake]

Can he rebuild Zingo from merchandise sales?

Didn't he sell Zingo on EBay?