Ocean-Side Amusement Parks May Be Thing of the Past

Families heading to the beach for a vacation often set aside at least one day to visit an ocean-side amusement park. For more than 100 years, Americans have embraced such places, enjoying their carnival atmosphere, thrilling roller coasters, high-flying Ferris wheels, sticky cotton candy, and mesmerizing merry-go-rounds.

While so-called "theme parks" have captured the fascination of ride fans and contributed to the demise of traditional amusement parks inland, beachfront amusement parks have managed to survive. Their very locations along the shore have guaranteed that patrons will stroll through their gates and keep them in the black.

But that may be changing soon.

Several factors are driving owners of beachfront parks to reassess their futures. It's no secret that the value of beach property has escalated dramatically in the last five years, and, according to industry sources, revenues at amusement parks nationwide have gone down. The coming wave of retiring baby boomers looking for their own piece of the beach is expected to send land prices even higher. In addition, some beach town community leaders are actually supporting removal of ocean-side parks; they reason that new development could transition their downtown areas from a seasonal, three-month economy into a vibrant 12-month business center.

The popular seaside town of Myrtle Beach, S.C. is currently grappling with such issues. Nicknamed "The Grand Strand" for its spectacular 60-mile stretch of pristine Atlantic Ocean beach, it entertains roughly 14 million visitors each year. Located just below the North Carolina border, the town has two popular amusement parks, The Myrtle Beach Pavilion and Family Kingdom. Both parks are right in the heart of Myrtle Beach and front the town's renowned Ocean Boulevard.

Family Kingdom, which boasts the biggest Ferris wheel in South Carolina, has been a fixture in Myrtle Beach since the 1960s.