Cedar Point's Good Time Theatre Removal: The Start of Something Big?

© Google

The Good Time Theatre at Cedar Point will be coming down this winter, the park has announced on their OnPoint Blog.  The building first opened in 1975 as an IMAX theater, and was converted to a venue for Snoopy themed ice skating shows in 2002.

While any announcement about a Cedar Point removal, whether a ride or building, upsets some fans I have to say good riddance on this one!

Here she is.  © Google

The building, seen above, is a hulking, '70s era structure that is by no means easy on the eye.   Washed in stimulating gray and brown, the building also blocks a considerable section of the park from the lake and marina beyond it.

But what makes this really easy news to take is that Cedar Point says the removal is needed for future expansion, and we all love future expansion, no?

A simple take on this would be to assume the theatre will be demolished, and replaced with a new structure - probably containing a variant of the Triotech rides like Guardian and Iron Reef.  Simple, and it makes sense.  However, this could be the start of something different...

After your eyes adjust from the color explosion I made on this image, here's why I made it:  the removal of the Good Time Theatre could be a gateway to a large expansion of Cedar Point.

See, if the theatre (in purple) is removed then the large area in yellow (currently really old employee housing) can become a part of the park.  The current perimeter road (in orange) can be removed, and relocated to along the water (red).  It would be easy to relocate some offices (dark blue) in the process, trashing that outdated structure as well.  A total reimagining of the marina entrance gate (light blue) could take place - and this doesn't even take into consideration the land seen under Raptor's cobra roll.  That's currently home to some antique cars which could be reconfigured, relocated, or simply removed.

Let's get ride of these... © Google

Matt Ouimet, Cedar Fair CEO, hasn't been shy in saying that he doesn't feel employee housing should be located on the peninsula, where land is of such value.  To that end the demise of these old housing units seemed inevitable, anyway.

The result of these grand plans would be a rather large new developable area, one that could hold at least one signature attraction and several smaller ones, along with food and retail.  Cedar Point doesn't necessarily 'do' new themed lands per say, but their recent placemaking initiatives are a big step in that direction.  But no, I'm definitely not trying to bring back that boardwalk rumor.

I will admit that it is all pretty exciting, and since fans of the Point are some of the most speculative out there it should be interesting to watch this story develop.