Freestyle Music Park rounds out show lineup, announces themed areas

Freestyle Music Park, the former Hard Rock Park, showcased Tuesday a stunt show with bikes, skateboards and roller blades and an ice skating show set to country rock music as the park's new owners continued to ready the park for its May 23 reopening.

The park also said Tuesday that its themed areas will remain similar as last year, though with different names. The areas include a section devoted to British rock and to country music.

The $400 million park, which debuted in April 2008, filed for bankruptcy in September after a lackluster first season. In February, FPI MB Entertainment purchased the park out of bankruptcy for $25 million and eventually dropped the Hard Rock name.

The park's new owners have said they wanted to make the facility more family oriented. John Stine, the director of sales and marketing for the park, said the shows were developed with families in mind. Last week, the park also showed off a new dance and tumbling kids' show called Flip 5 Live.

The stunt show, called Adrenaline Rush, includes eight performers who ride bikes, skateboards and roller blades over ramps and rails. The performers are divided into two teams who race against each other, and no show has a preplanned winner.

The ice show, called Ice Cold Country, was also performed at Hard Rock Park last season. Some of the show's 10 performers also did the show last year, said Robbie Mackey, the park's senior show director.

"It was very popular last year," he said. "And when you have a popular thing, you want to bring it back so people who enjoyed it last year can come back and enjoy it again this year."

The rebranded themed areas include Myrtle's Beach, which was called Rock 'N' Roll Heaven last year; Kids in America, formerly called Born in the USA; Across the Pond, formerly called British Invasion; and Country USA, formerly called Cool Country. The entrance area is called VIP Plaza; last year it was called All Access Entry Plaza.

The roller coaster formerly named after The Eagles, located in the park's country section, is being renamed to the Iron Horse. Perhaps the largest change is the Myrtle's Beach area, which used be rock 'n' roll themed but will now be a "tongue-in-cheek celebration of all things Polynesian," the park says.

 

Comments

[Steve]

Anyone notice that there was a piece of paper covering #26? Which WAS Moody Blues

[Nick]

"It was very popular last year," he said. "And when you have a popular thing, you want to bring it back so people who enjoyed it last year can come back and enjoy it again this year."

It was popular because it was air-conditioned. Man, how I hated that show.

[htomc42]

It would be a shame if the Moody Blues ride goes away. That was one of the neatest rides I've ever seen.

[Carlton]

Yeah, the Moody Blues ride was waaaaay cool. It would be the perfect place to take riders on a "trip" through the various styles and/or decades of music. Lots of potential, there. I hope they can put it back together soon-it was my favorite ride. They also need to dye (or Bleach) the bears and Winston different colors, change the faces a little and put them back in the park with different names. The kids like "hands-on" characters they can hug and take pictures with.

[Hokie]

apparently they are revamping it to be something scary-spooky... look at the exit shop name for that ride, it is now "Ghouls Goods & Monstars Treats" so no moody blues it looks like but there will be a "haunted" ride probably.