The Realm Town

Last updated

The Realm Town
Location382 South Evermore Lane, Pleasant Grove, Utah, United States
Coordinates 40°21′32″N111°45′58″W / 40.359°N 111.766°W / 40.359; -111.766
StatusUnder construction
Opens
  • September 29, 2018 (2018-09-29) (Evermore Park) [1]
  • TBA (The Realm Town)
ClosedApril 8, 2024 (2024-04-08) (Evermore Park) [2]
Owner
  • Ken Bretschneider (Evermore Park)
  • Travis Fox
  • Michelle Fox (The Realm Town)
Theme Medieval / fantasy
Operating seasonYear-round, with various breaks

The Realm Town is an upcoming fantasy adventure theme park in Pleasant Grove, Utah. It first opened to the public as Evermore Park on September 29, 2018, under the direction of Ken Bretschneider. [1] The park allowed guests who visited to interact with trained actors who portrayed fantasy characters. [1] [3] The only traditional ride was "The Evermore Express", a small train that travelled around the park. [4] [5] Evermore had been compared by critics to the fictional Westworld, renaissance fairs, and Choose Your Own Adventure books. [6] [7]

Contents

On April 8, 2024, the property's landlord declared the park closed. [2] [8] On August 5, 2024, Travis and Michelle Fox took over the property. [9] On September 20, 2024, the new tenants revealed that the park will be renamed to "The Realm Town". [10] [11]

History

Evermore Park

Promotional logo for Evermore Park Tan Evermore-1920w.png
Promotional logo for Evermore Park

Evermore Park was created by Ken Bretschneider, the founder of DigiCert. According to Bretschneider, the idea for Evermore partially arose from his tradition of elaborately decorating his home in Lindon, Utah for Halloween each year. [12] The concept for Evermore Park was debuted at Salt Lake ComicCon in 2014, with the park announced to be opened the next year. [13] Josh Shipley left Walt Disney Imagineering to become CCO of Evermore in 2017. [14] The park had its grand opening on September 29, 2018.

The park experienced financial difficulties, with some buildings and areas of the park remaining unfinished throughout the park's life. [15] [16] By June 2020, several lawsuits had been filed against Evermore by contractors who had not been paid in full for the construction of the park's buildings. [17] One of the attraction ideas Bretschneider and visual effects artist Curtis Hickman had envisioned for the project, which would combine virtual reality with a physical environment, was spun off from Evermore into a separate business known as The Void, which also faced difficulty due to the COVID-19 pandemic. [18] [19] [20]

In 2021, many of the park's actors were laid off, and the land and buildings of the park were sold to Brandon Fugal, the chairman of Colliers International-Utah, a part of Colliers International, reportedly allowing the park to break even. [21] [22] On April 8, 2024, Fugal announced that the park's previous tenants had defaulted and been evicted from the property, and that a "new enterprise" would be making improvements to the park. [8]

The Realm Town

On August 5, 2024, Travis and Michelle Fox took over the property. [9] On September 20, 2024, they revealed that the park will be renamed to "The Realm Town". [10] [11] By September 29, 2024, author Brandon Sanderson bought land next to the park, with the intention to build a bookstore, as part of a project called "Dragonsteel Plaza". [23] [24]

Features

Evermore did not have traditional rides. Instead, most of the guest experience revolved around interactions with actors in the park's fantasy setting, where guests were encouraged to roleplay for themselves and take part in the park's storyline. Visitors in the park were referred to as "World Walkers", and were permitted to come in costume. [5] Guests were able to join one of the park's guilds by completing tasks given to them by characters. [25]

The park also offered archery, axe throwing, and a themed train experience. [16] Vander's Keep, a themed building attached to the park, was a restaurant and bar, and later an events venue. [26]

The park was seasonal and only open on weekends. The first seasonal experience was called Lore, a Halloween-themed storyline during the fall. During the day, there was the Magical World of Lore, a family-friendly Halloween experience; at night, the park became the Cursed World of Lore, a haunted attraction. [16] The second seasonal experience was Aurora, a winter world loosely inspired by the works of Charles Dickens. The final seasonal experience was Mythos, lasting from spring into summer. [27] [28]

Taylor Swift litigation

Evermore entangled itself in legal proceedings with American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift. [29] [30] In February 2021, Evermore Park filed a lawsuit against Swift over the name of her 2020 album Evermore , alleging trademark infringement. [31] Later that month, TAS Rights Management countersued the park on behalf of Swift, claiming that the park was playing Swift's songs "Love Story", "You Belong with Me", and "Bad Blood" without proper licensing. [32] In March, both parties agreed to drop their lawsuits. [33]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pleasant Grove, Utah</span> City in Utah, United States

Pleasant Grove, originally named Battle Creek, is a city in Utah County, Utah, United States, known as "Utah's City of Trees". It is part of the Provo–Orem Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 37,726 at the 2020 Census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lagoon (amusement park)</span> Amusement park in Farmington, Utah, U.S.

Lagoon is a family owned amusement park in Farmington, Utah, located about 18 miles north of Salt Lake City. Lagoon is divided into five main areas: The Midway, containing the majority of the rides; Pioneer Village, which has several exhibits displaying pioneer buildings and artifacts; Lagoon-A-Beach, a water park; Kiddie Land, an area with several rides for small children; and X-Venture Zone, featuring more extreme rides that are upcharged. Lagoon also offers an RV park, a campground, and a walking trail outside the park that stays open all year. Every autumn, the park offers Halloween-themed shows and attractions, collectively known as Frightmares.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tokyo Disneyland</span> Theme park in Chiba, Japan

Tokyo Disneyland is a 115-acre (47 ha) theme park at the Tokyo Disney Resort in Urayasu, Chiba Prefecture, Japan, near Tokyo. Its main gate is directly adjacent to both Maihama Station and Tokyo Disneyland Station. It was the first Disney park to be built outside the United States and it opened on April 15, 1983. The park was constructed by WED Enterprises in the same style as Disneyland in California and Magic Kingdom in Florida. It is owned by The Oriental Land Company, which licenses intellectual property from The Walt Disney Company. Tokyo Disneyland and its companion park, Tokyo DisneySea, are the only Disney parks in the world not owned or operated by The Walt Disney Company in any capacity.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Universal Islands of Adventure</span> Theme park in the United States

Universal Islands of Adventure, originally called Universal Studios Islands of Adventure and later Universal's Islands of Adventure, is a theme park located in Orlando, Florida. It opened on May 28, 1999, along with CityWalk, as part of an expansion that converted Universal Studios Florida into the Universal Orlando Resort. The resort's slogan Vacation Like You Mean It was introduced in 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Universal Studios Japan</span> Universal Studios theme park in Osaka, Japan

Universal Studios Japan (ユニバーサル・スタジオ・ジャパン) is a theme park located in Osaka, Japan. Opened on March 31, 2001, it is one of six Universal Studios theme parks worldwide and was the first to open outside the United States. The park is owned and operated by USJ LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of NBCUniversal. The park is similar in layout to Universal Studios Florida and contains selected attractions from both Universal Orlando and Universal Studios Hollywood, in addition to a small number of unique attractions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Taylor Swift</span> American singer-songwriter (born 1989)

Taylor Alison Swift is an American singer-songwriter. Known for her biographical songwriting, artistic reinventions, and cultural impact, Swift is a leading figure in popular music and the subject of widespread public interest.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Taylor Swift albums discography</span>

The American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift has released 11 original studio albums, 4 re-recorded albums, 5 extended plays (EPs), and 4 live albums. She has sold 114 million album-equivalent units worldwide, 51 million of which are certified in the United States. In terms of pure sales, she has tallied 46.6 million albums in the United States and 7 million albums in the United Kingdom. On the US Billboard 200, as of August 2024, she has accumulated 14 number-one albums—seven of which sold one million first-week copies, and 84 weeks at number one—more than any other solo act.

Evermore is a 2020 studio album released by American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Universal Creative</span> Engineering, architecture and design division of Universal Parks & Resorts

Universal Creative is the division of Universal Destinations & Experiences responsible for designing, developing, engineering, and producing themed attractions, rides, and, resorts. Headquartered in Orlando, Florida, the company operates at Universal Parks & Resorts locations around the world in the United States, Singapore, Japan, and China.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tokyo DisneySea</span> Theme park in Chiba, Japan

Tokyo DisneySea is a theme park at the Tokyo Disney Resort located in Urayasu, Chiba Prefecture, Japan, just next to Tokyo. It opened on 4 September 2001, at a cost of 335 billion yen. The Oriental Land Company owns the park, and licenses intellectual property from The Walt Disney Company. In 2023, Tokyo DisneySea hosted 12.4 million visitors, making it the seventh-most visited theme park in the world and the third-most visited in Japan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Void (virtual reality)</span> Virtual reality entertainment attraction franchise

The Void was a franchise of virtual reality entertainment attractions. Co-founded by Ken Bretschneider, James Jensen, and Curtis Hickman as a re-focusing of a plan to build an attraction at Evermore Park in Pleasant Grove, Utah, and described by some as being a virtual reality "theme park", these facilities feature virtual reality experiences leveraging a combination of head-mounted displays with positional tracking, haptic feedback and special effects systems to allow patrons to freely explore and interact with virtual settings within the confines of specially-designed environments. The Void's locations closed permanently in March 2020.

"August" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift from her eighth studio album, Folklore (2020). Swift and Jack Antonoff wrote the song, and the two produced it with Joe Alwyn.

<i>Evermore</i> 2020 studio album by Taylor Swift

Evermore is the ninth studio album by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift. It was a surprise album released on December 11, 2020, via Republic Records, less than five months after her previous studio album Folklore. Evermore was a spontaneous product of Swift's extended collaboration with her Folklore collaborator Aaron Dessner, mainly recorded at his Long Pond Studio in the Hudson Valley.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Willow (song)</span> 2020 single by Taylor Swift

"Willow" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift from her ninth studio album, Evermore (2020). It was released on December 11, 2020, by Republic Records as the lead single from the album. "Willow" is a chamber folk love song making use of several metaphors to convey the singer's romantic state of mind, such as portraying her life as a willow tree, over picked guitars, glockenspiel, flute, strings, and percussion.

"No Body, No Crime" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift, featuring the American band Haim, from her ninth studio album, Evermore (2020). She wrote the track as a result of her fixation with crime documentaries and podcasts, and co-produced it with Aaron Dessner. A tune featuring styles of country, country rock, and Americana, "No Body, No Crime" is a murder ballad about the murder of a woman named Este, narrated by her friend who avenges her. Republic Records in partnership with MCA Nashville sent the song to US country radio on January 11, 2021, as a single from Evermore.

"Champagne Problems" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift from her ninth studio album, Evermore (2020). She wrote the song with Joe Alwyn, who is credited under the pseudonym William Bowery, and produced it with Aaron Dessner. "Champagne Problems" is a lo-fi tune driven by a rhythmic composition of piano and guitar riff.

"Coney Island" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift featuring the American band the National. Swift, Joe Alwyn, and the brothers Aaron and Bryce Dessner wrote the song for Swift's ninth studio album, Evermore (2020). The track was produced by the Dessner brothers, and Matt Berninger contributed guest vocals. An alternative rock and indie folk track, "Coney Island" has lyrics depicting a separated couple's memories in Coney Island. Swift and Berninger respectively sings about their character's perspective reflecting on their past relationship.

"Long Story Short" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift from her ninth studio album, Evermore (2020). She wrote the song with its producer, Aaron Dessner. "Long Story Short" is an upbeat song that consists of dynamic programmed and live drums, synths, strings, and guitars; music critics characterize the genre as synth-pop, electropop, folk-pop, and indie rock. The lyrics see Swift reminiscing about a dark part of her past and her contentment with a current state of mind.

"'Tis the Damn Season" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift from her ninth studio album, Evermore (2020). She wrote the song with Aaron Dessner, who produced it using an instrumental track he had written prior. "'Tis the Damn Season" is a folk song instrumented by a finger-picked electric guitar and programmed drums. Narrated from the perspective of a female character named Dorothea, the lyrics detail her returning to her hometown during the holiday season and engaging in a quickly-faded rekindled relationship.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Tuttle, Brittani (September 10, 2018). "Evermore Park to host experience park's grand opening on Sept. 29". Attractions Magazine. Retrieved November 6, 2022.
  2. 1 2 Jayswal, Palak (April 9, 2024). "Utah's fantasy-themed Evermore Park has closed permanently" . The Salt Lake Tribune . Archived from the original on April 10, 2024. Retrieved April 9, 2024.
  3. ↑ Erickson, Courtnie (August 26, 2022). "Evermore Park In Utah Is The Stuff Of Childhood Dreams". Only in Your State . Retrieved November 6, 2022.
  4. ↑ "Evermore Park Mythos | Explore Utah Valley". Utah Valley. Retrieved November 6, 2022.
  5. 1 2 "Evermore Park FAQ". Evermore.com. Retrieved November 6, 2022.
  6. ↑ MacDonald, Brady (September 24, 2019). "Is Evermore the future of immersive theme park experiences?". Blooloop. Archived from the original on September 26, 2019. Retrieved December 1, 2024.
  7. ↑ Martens, Todd (November 9, 2018). "Westworld, Ho! Inside Evermore, where the future of theme parks is not about rides but play". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved December 1, 2024.
  8. 1 2 Wixom, Cassidy (April 10, 2024). "Utah immersive fantasy park Evermore shutting down; property owner promises a 'new attraction'". Deseret News . Retrieved May 26, 2024.
  9. 1 2 Johnson, Emma Everett (August 6, 2024). "Evermore's new owners to reveal hints about opening with interactive clues, cash prizes". KSL.com . Retrieved August 7, 2024.
  10. 1 2 Baggerly, Kayla (September 20, 2024). "Name revealed for new fantasy-themed venue at former Evermore Park property". Yahoo! Entertainment . Retrieved November 30, 2024.
  11. 1 2 Baggerly, Kayla (September 20, 2024). "Name revealed for new fantasy-themed venue at former Evermore Park property". ABC4 . Retrieved November 30, 2024.
  12. ↑ Anstey, Tom (October 16, 2018). "Interview - Ken Bretschneider and Josh Shipley". Attractions Management. Retrieved November 27, 2022.
  13. ↑ McFall, Michael (September 5, 2014). "The ambitious dream of Evermore Park on its way to reality in Utah". The Salt Lake Tribune . Retrieved November 27, 2022.
  14. ↑ Merlin, Lalla (June 12, 2018). "Evermore - how Utah's new smart park is imagineered for fantasy gaming". Blooloop. Retrieved November 27, 2022.
  15. ↑ Horwitz, Abel (September 25, 2019). "Evermore: A World Unto Itself". Medium . Retrieved November 6, 2022.
  16. 1 2 3 "Evermore Park in Pleasant Grove is Ever So Remarkable". Front Row Reviewers Utah. Archived from the original on November 6, 2022. Retrieved November 6, 2022.
  17. ↑ Foreman, Kelsie (August 21, 2020). "Evermore faces financial ruin after failing to pay contractors". Utah Business. Retrieved November 6, 2022.
  18. ↑ Haddock, Sharon (August 11, 2015). "Evermore Adventure Park concept evolves into 'The Void'". Deseret News . Retrieved May 9, 2016.
  19. ↑ Hall, Charlie (May 5, 2016). "Welcome to The Void". Polygon . Vox Media . Retrieved May 9, 2016.
  20. ↑ Hollister, Sean (November 17, 2020). "The VR arcade that Disney crowned is teetering on the brink of extinction". The Verge . Retrieved November 27, 2022.
  21. ↑ Burt, Spencer (January 17, 2021). "Evermore Park cancels winter production, dozens of employees laid off". KSTU . Retrieved November 27, 2022.
  22. ↑ Alsever, Jennifer (May 16, 2022). "Evermore is not dead yet". Utah Business. Retrieved November 6, 2022.
  23. ↑ Jayswal, Palak (September 29, 2024). "A famous Utah author bought land in Pleasant Grove. Here's what he has planned for it". The Salt Lake Tribune . Retrieved November 30, 2024.
  24. ↑ Keith, Caitlin (September 30, 2024). "Brandon Sanderson announces 'Dragonsteel Plaza' and reads from upcoming book at FanX". Deseret News . Retrieved November 30, 2024.
  25. ↑ Ockey, Natalie (January 3, 2021). "Evermore Park | Pleasant Grove". Utah's Adventure Family. Retrieved November 27, 2022.
  26. ↑ "Vander's Keep". VandersKeep.com. Retrieved November 27, 2022.
  27. ↑ "Evermore Park Mythos | Fantasy Renaissance Faire". Evermore.com. Retrieved May 26, 2024.
  28. ↑ Davis, Genie (May 30, 2019). "Evermore: Utah's New Fantasy Theme Park Adds Summer Event". Amusement Park Warehouse. Retrieved May 26, 2024.
  29. ↑ Stutz, Colin (February 3, 2021). "Taylor Swift Sued by Utah Theme Park Over 'Evermore' Album Title". Billboard . Archived from the original on May 3, 2022. Retrieved December 1, 2024.
  30. ↑ Bloom, Madison (February 4, 2021). "Taylor Swift Sued By Utah Theme Park Evermore Over Trademark". Pitchfork . Archived from the original on May 22, 2022. Retrieved May 22, 2022.
  31. ↑ Peterson, Kolbie (February 2, 2021). "Utah fantasy theme park Evermore sues Taylor Swift over alleged trademark infringement". The Salt Lake Tribune . Archived from the original on February 3, 2021. Retrieved May 26, 2024.
  32. ↑ Blistein, Jon (February 24, 2021). "Taylor Swift's Rights Management Company Countersues Evermore Theme Park". Rolling Stone . Retrieved May 26, 2024.
  33. ↑ Willman, Chris (March 25, 2021). "Taylor Swift and Evermore Park Drop Lawsuits Against One Another, With No Money Exchanged". Variety . Retrieved May 26, 2024.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.