Cursed ‘ghost town in sky' could soon reopen after rotting away with 1,050m-high rollercoaster & abandoned empty saloons
A CURSED "ghost town in sky" could soon reopen after rotting away for 15 years.
The rundown attraction includes a death-defying 1,050m-high rollercoaster and abandoned empty saloons.
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Ghost Town Village, formerly known as "Ghost Town in the Sky", is an abandoned Wild West-themed amusement park in Maggie Valley, North Carolina, United States.
It sits atop Buck Mountain, with a top elevation of 4,650 ft.
The land to build the park was purchased from a local land owner named Uncle Dan Carpenter in 1960.
Folklore says that R.B. Coburn had overheard a story of Uncle Dan Carpenter losing his sheep in a large cavern on top of Buck Mountain.
R.B. approached Carpenter so he could show him the caverns and his dreams grew for a western tourist town.
Over two hundred locals help construct the 40 replica buildings that comprised the Western Town, located at the Mountain's peak.
nails.
The park opened on May 1, 1961, and quickly became one of Western North Carolina 's most popular tourist attractions.
The park hosted several stars of TV Westerns, such as Laramie and Wagon Train.
Hourly staged gun fights on the main street were a huge draw for visitors.
It used the mountainous terrain it sat on to its advantage and guests would plunge out of the station and directly into a vertical loop before setting off for twists and turns along the mountainside.
However, as the years went by, the park faced challenges under new management and a lack of real maintenance.
Frequently broken roller coasters and rides started to deter visitors, leading to a decline in attendance.
Use these tips on your next theme park trip
Next time you visit a theme park, you may want to use our top tips to make the most of your adrenaline-inducing day out.
Go to the back of the theme park first. Rides at the front will have the longest queues as soon as it opens.
Go on water rides in the middle of the day in the summer - this will cool you off when the sun is at its hottest.
Download the park's app to track which rides have the shortest queues.
Visit on your birthday, as some parks give out "birthday badges" that can get you freebies.
If it rains, contact the park. Depending on how much it rained, you may get a free ticket to return.
Infrastructure issues like water, power, and sewage problems also plagued the park's owners.
And employees began to complain about not receiving their salaries.
These issues sadly led to the park's closure at the end of the 2009 season.
However, the park may see a revival, according to the National Amusement Park Historical Association.
Regional travel guide Blue Ridge Mountain Life noted that some refer to Ghost Town Village as a "cursed amusement park."
The gloomy title refers to the many failed attempts to reopen the park over the years.
But the NAPHA made a Facebook post on May 9, stating that a potential buyer from Florida expressed interest in buying the defunct amusement park.
The same post said that current owner Jill McClure aims to sell it for entertainment purposes rather than to a buyer who will use it for housing.
The buyer envisions "a venue featuring country music, rodeos, and festivals, aiming to keep the park family-friendly."
Meanwhile, one of Europe's biggest theme parks has opened a new Wild West themed holiday village with wagon huts and cowboy bars.
And this top European theme park is getting a brand new ride as well.
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