| Location |  |
| Status | Standing but not operating |
| Operated | May 1, 1961 to 2015 |
| Owner | Ghost Town Adventures |
Ghost Town Village was a Wild West themed amusement park located in Maggie Valley, North Carolina, USA. The park was situated on top of a 4,600 foot tall mountain and accessed via a chair lift and funicular railway. To match the Wild West theming, Ghost Town (as it is commonly referred to) featured a variety of themed sets and many live shows including simulated gunfights.[1][2][3]
History
Ghost Town in the Sky featured three themed "lands" known as the Indian Village, Mountain Town, and Mining Town. Each section was located at different elevation levels on the mountain.
In 1988, Red Devil, a custom created steel roller coaster utilizing the terrain of the mountainside was opened.[1][4]
The park opened on May 1, 1961 and operated through 2003, when the park closed due to increasing operation costs and declining attendance.[1][5]
Reopening
There have been several attempts to reopen the park, but all attempts have failed due to costs and logistical challenges of returning the park to operating status.
2006-2009
In 2006, the park was purchased by ____. After nearly $40 million USD, the park reopened briefly. Alongside the reopening the film, Ghost Town: The Movie, which filmed at the park location, was released. The park would continue to operate through tumultuous financial missteps and insurance lapses until filing for bankruptcy in 2009.[1][3]
2010
On February 5, 2010 the park suffered a large mudslide that resulted in millions of dollars worth of damage to the infrastructure. The cause of the mudslide was determined to be the failure of several retaining walls that had fallen into disrepair. Despite the disaster that claimed three nearby homes, the park's operators insisted that the park would reopen for the 2010 season. However, due to the extent of the damage and financial status the park was in, the park remained closed and entered into foreclosure.[1][3]
2012
In 2012, local resident, Alaska Presley purchased the park as the sole auction bidder. Holding close to her original investment in the park in the 1960's, Presley, then 88 years old, attempted to revive the once thriving park. Trouble returned when safety concerns arose as attractions failed to meet basic safety standard requirements. Determined to revive the Park, Presley reopened Ghost Town in the Sky from 2012 through 2014 at a reduced capacity, in an attempt to raise funds to revamp the park's multiple closed attractions. Due to limited funds, the park did not have adequate security which resulted in multiple damages from vandalism and thefts.[1][3]
2014 -2015
In order to continue to operate, Ghost Town in the sky required millions of dollars of infrastructure repairs, including the addition of four new water wells to replace outdated wells that failed inspections. Because of the park's location on top of a mountain, pumping water uphill became an increasing battle that resulted in the failure of all but a singular well. Municipal water was then chosen to replace the former well system which carried a steep price tag to replace the failed systems. Presley attempted, unsuccessfully, to open a secondary location of Orlando's Holy Land Experience park on the upper section of Ghost Town to be called Resurrection Mountain.[1][3]
2016 - 2019
Efforts to revamp the park again continued and plans were announced to reopen Ghost Town in the Sky as Ghost Town Village in 2016. Like many other attempts, this proved to be unsuccessful and the park never reopened. The park was listed for sale and currently remains on the market in 2019.[1][4][3]
2019 - ...
More recently, a group by the name of Ghost Town Adventures has planned to purchase the park. The group headed by former Walt Disney executives and operators includes CEO Lamar Berry, President Spencer Oberle and VP, Valerie Oberle. Despite their plans to again reopen the park with new experiences and revamps, the opening has yet again been pushed back to a possible, though undetermined, 2020 date.[4][5][3]
Roller coasters
Standing but not Operating
| Name | Manufacturer | Type | Opened | Closed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cliff Hanger | Hopkins | Sit-down | 1988 | 2009 |
| Tumbleweed | B. A. Schiff & Associates | Kiddie | Unknown | 2009 |
Past
| Name | Manufacturer | Type | Opened | Closed | Relocated |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toboggan | Chance Rides | Sit-down | 1980 or earlier | 1980 or later | N/A |
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 "The Abandoned History of Ghost Town In The Sky | Expedition Extinct". Expedition Theme Park.
- ↑ "A Look Back at Ghost Town in the Sky".
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 "Abandoned Amusement Park - Ghost Town in the Sky". The Carpetbagger.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 "Ghost Town Reopening?".
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Ghost Town Village".
External links
- Ghost Town Village on the Roller Coaster DataBase.
