Hard Rock Park (cost, vacation, best, 2013)

[Labonte18]

I watched a youtube video on this last night which brought up alot of memories... We're approaching, or just passed, 10 years since this park opened(Spoilers - 9.5 years since it closed). I'm constantly surprised at how many people had never heard of it.. Figured this was probably the best forum for it..

HRP was the first brand new amusement park built in the US in about 10 years. It was a flawed idea, IMO, from the start for one reason.. Location. Why would you build an amusement park in Myrtle Beach, SC? They were charging $50 to get in and.. Most people, if they have the choice.. $50 a head (No child discount.. One price. Over 3 was $50) vs basically no cost to sit on the beach.. And it was in a bad location in Myrtle Beach at that.. Down at Fantasy Harbor, which was a failed retail area.

I think this place could have stood a chance if it were build somewhere else.. Vegas would be a good fit theme-wise, but too many other options there.. Orlando a possibility, but same concerns.. Cleveland might have actually been a good idea.

Anyway.. HRP was a disaster.. $400 million in capital, it lasted 4 months. Sold on the courthouse steps for $25 million around January of 2009.. Opened the second year as "Freestyle Music Park" because Hard Rock yanked the license.. It made it through that season and closed the doors for good.

You can see a number of 'urban exploration' videos on YouTube of it.. I actually worked there during the construction as one of the network cabling contractors.. I never saw it having a chance of succeeding.

The main reason for the failure, according to the CCO, was timing. The economic crisis of 2008 hit right as they were opening.. They didn't have the advertising budget they needed to promote it.. They needed to appeal to people 6 months BEFORE they went on vacation to make them come to the beach and not just get some of the people who came to the beach.. That last part, I actually agree with.

I felt.. And I saw most of everything they were doing during the construction.. I did not think it was a place for kids.. There were a number of things.. Three that stick in my mind and they're all related to the park, I think, trying to tiptoe the 'family friendly' line and failing.



1 - Rockcow Billy


2 - Drug references.. One of the shows had a VW Bus pull up and the doors open with smoke pouring out.. Things like this.. There were a number and I thought that wasn't entirely appropriate for a place billing itself as a 'family' park.

3 - Naming of some locations.. "Cod Piece Fish and Chips".. Others that I can't remember.. They were intending to be fun and tongue in cheek, but..


I'm just curious.. How many of you remember this place, did you ever go.. And whether you had ever heard of it or not,.. Look some things up online about it.. Would it have been something you would consider going to?

Thoughts on where would have been a better location for this than Myrtle Beach.. Do you think Myrtle Beach was the proper location and it wouldn't have succeeded anywhere?