Libertyland
Encyclopedia
Libertyland was Memphis, Tennessee
's only amusement park
. 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.
. The city of Memphis decided it was time for an amusement park for the city. It opened in 1976 with several rides, including 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 feet (27.4 m) drop and drew larger crowds to the park.
which operates 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.
later bought it but decided not to move it. It has now been bought by the city of Green Bay, Wisconsin
, which will rebuild it at their city-owned Bay Beach Amusement Park
. The Revolution was bought by DelGrosso's Amusement Park
but has yet to be erected as of April 2010. Other rides were dispersed to other locations around the country. The Rebellion was sold to Ghost Town in the Sky
and reopened in 2007.
In December 2006, Joyland Inc. made a bold move and sent the city a letter of intent stating their intention of reopening the park, more as a new amusement park on the former site. The deal was to be completed on a three-year lease plan. However, upon viewing it in person, Joyland Inc. pulled out of the deal due to extensive damage including infrastructure damage, wiring, and plumbing.
As of January 2010, most of the rides and attractions have been moved, sold, or destroyed and the land is being cleared.
The area is now a parking lot known as Tiger Lane.
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
's only amusement park
Amusement park
thumb|Cinderella Castle in [[Magic Kingdom]], [[Disney World]]Amusement and theme parks are terms for a group of entertainment attractions and rides and other events in a location for the enjoyment of large numbers of people...
. 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.
History
Libertyland opened as an amusement park on the Mid-South Fairgrounds on July 4, 1976. Before then, the fair had operated on the land, including the Zippin Pippin and the Grand CarouselCarousel
A carousel , or merry-go-round, is an amusement ride consisting of a rotating circular platform with seats for riders...
. The city of Memphis decided it was time for an amusement park for the city. It opened in 1976 with several rides, including the pre-existing rides that had operated in that place before. The Zippin Pippin was widely popular as it was Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
'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 feet (27.4 m) drop and drew larger crowds to the park.
Attractions
Libertyland featured around 24 attractions.- Bumper Boats
- Car-Go-Round
- Casey's Cannonball
- Dragon Wagon
- Fun Run
- Grand Carousel
- Kamikaze
- Little Bumper Boats
- Old Hickory Log Flume
- Paratrooper
- Park's Peak
- Pirate Ship
- Rebellion
- Red Baron
- Revolution
- Screamer
- Sea Dragon
- Surf City Water Slide
- Tennessee Tilt
- Thriller
- Turnpike Antique Cars
- Twain's Twister
- Umbrella Ride
- Wipeout
- Zippin Pippin
Financial Troubles
For many years, it was widely known that Libertyland was having financial difficulties, namely it was not turning a profit. New attractions were not being added, and crowds began to diminish. In 2005, it commissioned a firm to redo its image. A new logo was designed, buildings were repainted, but the effort did not bring in enough of a profit, if any.Closure
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 FairMid-South Fair
The Mid-South Fair is a fair that was held for many years held in Memphis, Tennessee, every year in late September and early October. It is now held in neighboring northwest Mississippi. It hosts many shows and attractions, as well as different types of rides and concession stands...
which operates adjacent to the park's site for 10 days in October. Its closure followed that of Adventure River
Adventure River
Adventure River was a water park located in Memphis, Tennessee, on the north side of Interstate 40, near Whitten Road. It opened in 1985 and closed in 1998....
, Memphis' only water park by less than ten years. The City of Memphis had also closed Bud Boogie Beach
Bud Boogie Beach
Bud Boogie Beach was a small Water park located on Mud Island in Memphis, Tennessee. It opened in 1987 and closed in 1997.Bud Boogie Beach included a beach, concession stands, a New Orleans-style restaurant and several games including Water basketball and water volleyball...
in the early 1990s.
Grass-Roots Effort
Within days of the announcement to close the park, a group formed to save it. It, Save Libertyland!, fought against Mid-South Fair to keep it open, citing that it drew in hundreds of jobs for the Memphis area teens and was one of the few places for families to spend time there. Several benefits were held to gain support for the movement. The park brought in a few companies willing to purchase it, mainly Joyland, Inc. (T-Rex Entertainment), which was known for buying financially-troubled amusement parks and turning them around. Though there was a debate over who actually had rights to the rides, since in reality, the city actually owned some of them, Mid-South Fair did not back down and went on with plans to auction the assets off.Auction & Post-Movement
Mid-South Fair brought in an auctioneer group and the auction was held on June 21, 2005. Most of the rides were sold, including the Zippin Pippin, which sold for only $2,500. It was bought by a traveling rock museum who only wanted one of the train's cars. Carolina CrossroadsCarolina Crossroads
Carolina Crossroads is a 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...
later bought it but decided not to move it. It has now been bought by the city of Green Bay, Wisconsin
Green Bay, Wisconsin
Green Bay is a city in and the county seat of Brown County in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, located at the head of Green Bay, a sub-basin of Lake Michigan, at the mouth of the Fox River. It has an elevation of above sea level and is located north of Milwaukee. As of the 2010 United States Census,...
, which will rebuild it at their city-owned Bay Beach Amusement Park
Bay Beach Amusement Park
Bay Beach is a municipal amusement park in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The park is situated near the mouth of the Fox River as it flows into Green Bay, on the east bank. It features rides, concessions, and a roller coaster. The park's history dates to the 1890s, when entrepreneur Mitchell Nejedlo...
. The Revolution was bought by DelGrosso's Amusement Park
DelGrosso's Amusement Park
DelGrosso's Amusement Park is a family-oriented amusement park located in Tipton, Pennsylvania, a northern suburb of Altoona, Pennsylvania. The park was purchased by the DelGrosso family in 1946 and was named "Bland's Park" until 2000...
but has yet to be erected as of April 2010. Other rides were dispersed to other locations around the country. The Rebellion was sold to Ghost Town in the Sky
Ghost Town in the Sky
Ghost Town in the Sky was a Wild West-themed amusement park in Maggie Valley, North Carolina, USA. An unusual aspect of this park is that it is located atop a mountain which can only be accessed by visitors via a chair lift or an inclined funicular railway...
and reopened in 2007.
In December 2006, Joyland Inc. made a bold move and sent the city a letter of intent stating their intention of reopening the park, more as a new amusement park on the former site. The deal was to be completed on a three-year lease plan. However, upon viewing it in person, Joyland Inc. pulled out of the deal due to extensive damage including infrastructure damage, wiring, and plumbing.
Future
The future of the park's former site is uncertain, redevelopment plans for the fairground have been presented, but nothing has been set. The carousel could be moving to Mud Island in the coming years.As of January 2010, most of the rides and attractions have been moved, sold, or destroyed and the land is being cleared.
The area is now a parking lot known as Tiger Lane.