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| Location | Memphis, Tennessee, United States |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 35°07′08″N89°58′55″W / 35.119°N 89.982°W |
| Status | Defunct |
| Opened | July 4, 1976 |
| Closed | October 29, 2005 |
| Area | 25 acres (10 ha) |
Libertyland was an amusement park located in Memphis, Tennessee. Opened on July 4, 1976, it was located at 940 Early Maxwell Blvd. It was structured under the nonprofit 501(c)4 US tax code. It closed due to financial reasons in 2005. In 2022, a youth sports complex was built on the site of the amusement park. [1]
In May 1971, directors of the Mid-South Fair proposed an amusement park at the Fairgrounds to local officials. Their proposal included themed areas to be located north of the park, and a monorail system for parking lot circulation. [2] Their hope was to maximize the use of the land, utilizing existing attractions such as the wooden coaster Pippin, renamed Zippin Pippin with the opening of Libertyland, and the Grand Carousel.
Libertyland opened as an amusement park on the Mid-South Fairgrounds on July 4, 1976. Several rides were added to the pre-existing rides that had operated in that place before. The Zippin Pippin was widely popular as it was Elvis Presley's favorite wooden roller coaster. The Grand Carousel was also a classic and was widely appreciated. The park gradually drew in decent crowds over the years, but never made a great profit. It continued to add attractions, such as a steel coaster called the Revolution, and others. During the late 1990s, it added a Top Spin ride, dubbed "Tidal Wave." It was removed later, and in April 2002, the drop tower Rebellion was added. It featured a 90-foot (27 m) drop and drew larger crowds to the park.
For many years, it was widely known that Libertyland was having financial difficulties, failing to turn a profit. Few new attractions were being added, and crowds began to diminish. In 2005, it commissioned a firm to redo its image. A new logo was designed and buildings were repainted, but the effort did not bring in enough of a profit, if any, to maintain the park as a viable ongoing operation. Although the operating loss was minimal compared to the tax revenue generated in the area around the park by tourists. The city later spent more than the operating loss on a youth jobs creation program to replace the jobs lost by teenagers who worked at the park.
The park operated its last day for a corporate day on October 29, 2005. In early November, a meeting was called before the Mid-South Fair board of committee to close it. The vote was passed and the announcement was made public. Their reasonings included lack of profit, a steady decline of attendance, and they wanted to extend the midway for the annual Mid-South Fair which operated adjacent to the park's site for 10 days in October. Its closure followed that of Adventure River, Memphis' only water park by less than ten years. The City of Memphis had also closed Bud Boogie Beach in the early 1990s.
The decision to close Libertyland led to the formation of Save Libertyland!, a group formed to fight for Mid-South Fair to reopen the park, citing that the park created hundreds of jobs for Memphis-area teens and was an affordable place for families to spend time. [3] Save Libertyland! filed a complaint in court to block Mid-South Fair from auctioning off the rides and equipment, arguing that they were owned by the City of Memphis. The city ended up claiming ownership of the Pippin and the Grand Carousel. [4] The group brought in a few companies willing to operate the park, mainly Joyland, Inc. (T-Rex Group), which was known for buying financially troubled amusement parks and turning them around. However, Mid-South Fair went on with plans to auction the assets off.
Mid-South Fair brought in an auctioneer group and the auction was held on June 21, 2006. Most of the rides were sold, including the Zippin Pippin, which was eventually bought by the city of Green Bay, Wisconsin and rebuilt at their city-owned Bay Beach Amusement Park. The Revolution was bought by DelGrosso's Amusement Park but not reassembled. The Rebellion was sold to Ghost Town in the Sky and reopened in 2007. Other rides were dispersed to sites around the country.
In December 2006, Joyland Inc. sent the city a letter of intent for developing a new amusement park on the Libertyland site. The deal was to be completed on a three-year lease plan, and Joyland hoped to receive the Grand Carousel and Zippin Pippin as well. [5] However, upon viewing the site in-person, Joyland Inc. pulled out of the deal due to extensive damage to infrastructure, including wiring and plumbing. [6]
The Grand Carousel was leased and restored by the Children's Museum of Memphis and began operating in the new pavilion in November 2017. [7] The Revolution was bought by an amusement park in the Philippines and now operates as The Zimerman Corkscrew Coaster. The Zippin Pippin is in Wisconsin and is still operating to this day. People with Tennessee State IDs or drivers licenses can ride the Pippin for free.[ citation needed ]
The northern tip of Libertyland was redeveloped as part of a parking lot and green space for tailgate parties known as Tiger Lane. In 2022, the Memphis Sports and Events Center was built on the site of the amusement park. The 227,000 square feet (21,100 m2) sports complex can host tournaments and other events and includes two adjacent soccer fields. [1]
Cedar Point is a 364-acre (147 ha) amusement park located on a Lake Erie peninsula in Sandusky, Ohio, United States, owned and operated by Six Flags. It opened in 1870 and is considered the second-oldest operating amusement park in the US behind Lake Compounce. Prior to the merger with Six Flags in 2024, Cedar Point served as the "flagship park" of the Cedar Fair amusement park chain and hosted the corporate headquarters. Known as "America's Roller Coast", the park features 17 roller coasters, which ranks third among amusement parks in North America behind sister parks Canada's Wonderland (18) and Six Flags Magic Mountain (20).
Geauga Lake was an amusement park in Bainbridge Township and Aurora, Ohio. It was established in 1887, in what had been a local recreation area adjacent to a lake of the same name. The first amusement ride was added in 1889, and the park's first roller coaster – the Big Dipper – was built in 1925. The park was sold to Funtime, Inc., in 1969 and was expanded over the years with additional rides and amenities. Funtime was acquired by Premier Parks in 1995, and for the 2000 season, they re-branded Geauga Lake as Six Flags Ohio, adding four new roller coasters. The following year, Six Flags bought the adjacent SeaWorld Ohio and combined the two parks under the name Six Flags Worlds of Adventure.
Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters (PTC) is one of the oldest existing roller coaster manufacturing companies in the world. Based in Hatfield, Pennsylvania, it was established in 1904 by Henry B. Auchy and Chester Albright under the name Philadelphia Toboggan Company. The company manufactured carousels, wooden roller coasters, toboggans and later, roller coaster trains.
Bay Beach is a municipal amusement park in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Situated near the mouth of the Fox River, on the east bank as it flows into Green Bay, the park contains rides, concessions, a roller coaster, and a food pavilion. Dances, movies, and other events are held in a pavilion. The park is adjacent to the Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary.
Valleyfair is a 90-acre (36 ha) amusement park in Shakopee, Minnesota, United States. Owned by Six Flags, the park opened in 1976 and features over 75 rides and attractions including eight roller coasters. Valleyfair also has a water park called Soak City which is included with the price of admission. Cedar Point and Valleyfair were the first two parks in the Cedar Fair chain and a combination of the park names – "cedar" and "fair" – were used to name the original company.
Canobie Lake Park is an amusement park in Salem, New Hampshire, located about 31 miles (50 km) north of Boston. It was founded as a trolley park on the shore of Canobie Lake in 1902. Three local families currently run the park, which draws visitors from throughout the New England and Mid-Atlantic regions. Canobie Lake Park's age and history inspired author Stephen King to use rides and elements from the park in his Joyland novel. It is one of only thirteen trolley parks still operating in the United States as of 2021.
Worlds of Fun, is a 235-acre (95 ha) theme park located in Kansas City, Missouri, United States. Owned and operated by Six Flags Entertainment Corporation, it was founded by American businessmen Lamar Hunt and Jack Steadman under the ownership of Hunt's company, Mid-America Enterprises in 1973. Oceans of Fun is a water park that opened in 1982 and is next to the amusement park. Admission to Oceans of Fun is included with the price of admission to Worlds of Fun. Mid-America Enterprises sold both parks to Cedar Fair in 1995 for $40 million.
The Gravity Group is a wooden roller coaster design firm based in Cincinnati, Ohio, United States. The firm was founded in July 2002 out of the engineering team of the famed but now defunct Custom Coasters International. The core group of designers and engineers at The Gravity Group have backgrounds in civil, structural and mechanical engineering. Their experience comes from work on over 40 different wooden roller coasters around the world. The first coaster designed under the Gravity Group opened as Hades at Mount Olympus Theme Park in 2005. The Gravity Group also designed The Voyage at Holiday World in Santa Claus, Indiana, which opened in May 2006 and is the second-longest wooden roller coaster in the world. These first two accomplishments of the team have been received with great success by both the industry and coaster enthusiasts alike.
The National Amusement Park Historical Association (NAPHA) is an international organization dedicated to the preservation and enjoyment of the amusement and theme park industry – past, present and future.
The Zippin Pippin is one of the oldest existing wooden roller coasters in the United States. It was initially constructed in the former East End Park in Memphis, Tennessee, in either 1912, 1915, or 1917 by John A. Miller and Harry C. Baker of National Amusement Devices. The construction material was pine wood. As the park declined in popularity, the coaster was dismantled and relocated adjacent to the horse track in Montgomery Park, later known as the Mid-South Fairgrounds. For a time it was incorporated as an attraction in the now-closed Libertyland amusement park there, until that park closed in 2005. Purchased by the city of Green Bay, Wisconsin, in 2010, it was installed at the Bay Beach Amusement Park, where it is once again in operation.
Joyland Amusement Park was a small family-owned traditional amusement park, located in Lubbock, Texas, United States within Lubbock's Mackenzie Park. It typically operated from March to September of each year, opening six days a week but only during the evening on weeknights.
John A. Miller, born August John Mueller, was an American roller coaster designer and builder, inventor, and businessman. Miller patented over 100 key roller coaster components, and is widely considered the "father of the modern high-speed roller coaster." During his lifetime, he participated in the design of approximately 150 coasters and was a key business partner and mentor to other well-known roller coaster designers, including Harry C. Baker and John C. Allen.
The Myrtle Beach Pavilion was a historic pay-per-ride, no parking fee, 11-acre amusement park that was located in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina at the corner of 9th Avenue North and Ocean Boulevard. It was just a few blocks down from another Myrtle Beach amusement park, the Family Kingdom Amusement Park; both in the "heart" of Myrtle Beach. "The Pavilion" had well over 40 different attractions for kids and thrill-seekers alike, and included the wooden rollercoaster Hurricane: Category 5. Despite all the best efforts made by citizens to save the park, it was lost to redevelopment in 2007. While the park was officially closed and became a vacant lot on 9th Avenue and Ocean Boulevard in 2007, some of the rides and attractions were moved to Broadway at the Beach. Broadway at the Beach and the land at 9th Avenue are both owned by Burroughs & Chapin.
Joyland Amusement Park was an amusement park in Wichita, Kansas, United States. It was in continuous operation from 1949 to 2004, standing vacant for two years before closing permanently in 2006. It was once the largest theme park in central Kansas and featured a wooden roller coaster as well as 15 other rides.
White Swan Park was a small amusement park on the border of Moon and Findlay townships in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania that operated from 1955 to 1989.
Carolina Crossroads is a 1,000-acre (4.0 km2) planned entertainment development near Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina located near the intersection of I-95 and US 158. The development was hoped to bring new jobs to the area which had been affected in recent years as textile mills closed and jobs moved out of the area. Government officials hoped that Carolina Crossroads would lead the area from a manufacturing based economy to one based in tourism. Modeled loosely on the success of Branson, Missouri, the complex was intended to draw performers and tourists to the area. Planners noted location approximately halfway between New York and Florida and its proximity to I-95 and location between Raleigh, North Carolina, Richmond, Virginia, and the Hampton Roads, Virginia areas.
Williams Grove Amusement Park is an abandoned amusement park in Williams Grove, Pennsylvania. The park operated from 1850 until 2005.
Martin & Vleminckx Ltd. is a thrill ride and roller coaster manufacturing and construction company headquartered in Montreal, Québec, Canada with an affiliated office in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, a manufacturing facility in Orlando, Florida, United States, and two subsidiaries, including a warehouse in China.
Steven J. Mulroy is the District Attorney of Shelby County, Tennessee. Previously, he was a University of Memphis law professor who served on the County Commission for Shelby County, Tennessee from District 5 from 2006 to 2014. Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, he spent his high school years living in Gulf Breeze, Florida and studied at Cornell University, followed by William & Mary Law School. A member of the Democratic Party, his 2006 election to the Memphis-area County Commission seat shifted the balance of power from Republican to Democratic for the first time in the county's history.
Zimerman is a steel looping roller coaster currently operating at Gloria's Fantasyland in Dapitan City, Philippines. The ride, manufactured by Arrow Dynamics, first opened as Revolution at Libertyland in Memphis, Tennessee in 1979. After the 2005 season, the ride was relocated to DelGrosso's Amusement Park, where it sat unused until 2013 until it was moved to Gloria's Fantasyland where it was built for the 2014 season. The ride was officially announced on December 30, 2011 as Corkscrew Coaster along with Sling Shot, a drop tower originally located at Gillian's Wonderland Pier that was later renamed to Sky Drop.