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California's Great America

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View of Great America from above

Paramount's Great America is an amusement park owned and operated by Cedar Fair, L.P., located in the San Jose suburb Santa Clara, California. Great America is one of two major amusement parks that operate in the San Francisco Bay Area, the other being Six Flags Marine World in Vallejo, California.

History

Marriott's Great America, built by Marriott, a hotel operator, was opened in 1976 along with a sister park located in the Chicago area bearing the same name. The Chicago park later became Six Flags Great America.

The park, although profitable, was still an earnings disappointment for Marriott, leading the company in 1983 to agree to sell the park to Caz Development Co., which valued the prized land appraised at USD$800,000 to $1 million per acre. But Marriott also gave a first option to the park to the city of Santa Clara, which was already partially involved in the park, leasing 55 acres for parking space for $75,000 per year. Fearing development of the land would aggravate congested roads, on January 31, 1984 the city council approved a $101 million deal by a 4-3 count on the condition that the electorate authorize the agreement. City voters approved the sale by a margin of 3 to 1. Caz Development sued the city and Marriott in Santa Clara County Superior Court to block the transaction. The court nullified the sale, forcing the city to attempt to salvage their deal through negotiations with both other parties. Unable to broker a timely agreement, the city council voted 6-1 to scuttle the sale on February 5, 1985, although the city was still interested in owning the park. After Marriott refunded a $20 million down payment to the city, negotiations were started afresh. Finally all parties worked out a compromise, which was signed in marathon sessions taking place over June 4-5, 1985. The city for $93.5 million acquired the park and inventory from Marriott, which retained 20 acres for development. Caz Development settled its lawsuit and in exchange the city allowed the developer to build a hotel and an office on land near the park.

Kings Entertainment Co., an operator of other parks, was hired to manage the park for the city. As planned, the city ended its ownership and sold the park structures to Kings in 1989 for $22 million but not the land, which would be leased for $5.3 million a year. In addition, the city earned 5 percent of revenue over $56 million. Three years later Paramount Communications, best known for Paramount Pictures, sought to join other entertainment companies as a park owner. The company acquired Kings Entertainment, owner of three parks including Great America, and two other parks for $400 million and created Paramount Parks.

As of May 22 2006, Cedar Fair is expected to acquire Paramount's Great America along with the rest of Paramount Parks for a price of $1.24 Billion. [1]

On June 30, 2006, Cedar Fair, L.P. announced it completed the acquisition of Paramount Parks, including Paramount's Great America. [2]

Rides and attractions

The park's rides and attractions include the following:

Ride/Attraction Timeline

Invertigo Rollercoaster
  • 2005: Crocodile Dundee’s Boomerang Bay expansion.
  • 2004: Crocodile Dundee’s Boomerang Bay
  • 2003: SpongeBob SquarePants 3D; Nickelodeon Central (expansion of Splat City). Stealth roller coaster is removed and sent to Carowinds, another Paramount Park.
  • 2002: Delirium; Flying Eagles.
  • 2001: IMAX film "Siegfried & Roy The Magic Box"; Psycho Mouse; Celebration Swings; 7th Portal; additional rides and attractions.
  • 2000: Stealth "flying" roller coaster, Scenic Railroad removed
  • 1999: KidZville; Taxi Jam.
  • 1998: Invertigo.
  • 1997: Xtreme Skyflyer; Paramount Pavilion.
  • 1996: Drop Zone Stunt Tower.
  • 1995: Nickelodeon Splat City.
  • 1994: Paramount Action FX Theater, with Days of Thunder.
  • 1993: Top Gun
  • 1992: IMAX rehab, with film The Last Buffalo.
  • 1991: Vortex.
  • 1990: Whitewater Falls.
  • 1989: Skyhawk
  • 1988: Rip Roaring Rapids.
  • 1987: The Blue Streak (later renamed Rugrats Runaway Reptar); Revolution.
  • 1986: Redwood Amphitheatre. ,The Grizzly (coaster).
  • 1983: The Edge.
  • 1980: The Demon (roller coaster).
  • 1979: Skytower. Later renamed Star Tower.
  • 1978: IMAX Pictorium Theater, with film "Man Belongs to the Earth".
  • 1977: Tidal Wave (coaster). Later renamed to Greased Lightning.

Trivia

  • Though presented with a different name, Great America was used as the theme park at the end of 1994's Beverly Hills Cop III.

Injuries and Accidents

There have been a number of ride-related deaths in the park over the years. In 1980, a young boy was killed on the now-defunct Whizzer roller coaster. In 1989, two boys jumped out of the log ride. One was killed and the other jumped safely onto a platform. In 1998, after riding Top Gun, a Hispanic man who could not read English (cite) disregarded the warning signs and was hit and killed by the foot of a passenger on the Top Gun train. The passenger suffered a broken leg. (cite)

In 1999, a young boy fell out of the Drop Zone Stunt Tower and was killed. The investigation seemed to show that the boy, who was mentally handicapped, was forced on the ride by his mother. He panicked when the ride reached the top and was able to wiggle free of his restraints. Following the accident, it was reported by park employees that the restraints were still secure when the car reached the base of the tower. Following the accident, modifications were made to add redundancy to ride restraints.

References

  • Michelson, Herb. (June 7, 1984). "City will purchase Marriott's". Sacramento Bee, p. A.
  • "Santa Clara drops Great America pact". (February 7, 1985). San Francisco Chronicle, p. 4.
  • Ewell, Miranda. (June 6, 1985). "Santa Clara assumes ownership of Great America". San Jose Mercury News (CA), p. 8B.
  • Kava, Brad. (March 15, 1989). "Great America reopens". San Jose Mercury News, p. 1.
  • Eng, Sherri. (August 1, 1992). "Paramount to buy Great America owner". San Jose Mercury News, p. 1E.


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