Belmont Park
| Belmont Park | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Statistics | |
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Location |
San Diego, California, USA |
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Opened |
1925 |
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Owner |
Tom Lochtefeld |
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Official Website |
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Belmont Park is a historic oceanfront amusement park located in the Mission Bay area of San Diego, California, USA. The park was developed by sugar magnate John D. Spreckels and opened on July 4, 1925 as the Mission Beach Amusement Center.[1] In addition to providing recreation and amusement it also was intended as a way to help Spreckels sell land in Mission Beach. Located on the beach, it attracts millions of people each year.
Attractions[edit | edit source]
The attractions and rides that remain from the original 1925 park include Giant Dipper, a wooden roller coaster that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places]. Another historic facility is The Plunge, an indoor swimming pool.[2]
Other amusements include a Tilt-A-Whirl, a three story drop tower called Vertical Plunge, Liberty Carousel, and the Wave House Athletic Club. The Wave House Bar and Grill overlooks the ocean and features two artificial waves. The larger wave is a FlowBarrel called "Bruticus Maximus" (or "bmax") and features an 8-foot barreling wave. The other wave is a smaller sheet wave known as a FlowRider. Newer attractions in Belmont Park include a pendulum ride called The Beach Blaster and another ride called Chaos.
History[edit | edit source]
In 2002, businessman/surfer Tom Lochtefeld bought the master lease for the property and started development of the Wave House. In Spring 2006, the Wave House hosted MTV's 'Total Request Live.
On November 3, 2010 Wave House Belmont Park LLC filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in United States Bankruptcy Court citing a 700% increase in rent owed to the City of San Diego as the reason. Tom Lochtefeld, Belmont Park Manager Member, alleges the city has breeched its lease agreement.[3]
Roller coasters[edit | edit source]
Present[edit | edit source]
| Name | Manufacturer | Type | Opened | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Giant Dipper | Frank Prior, Fredrick Church | Wooden | 1925 | Operating |
Past[edit | edit source]
| Name | Manufacturer | Type | Opened | Closed | Relocated |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kiddie Coaster | Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters, Inc. | Wooden | 1955 | Unknown | - |
| Wild Mouse | Unknown | Wooden | 1974 | 1976 | J's Amusement Park |