Geauga Lake owner responds on land sale, alleged 'landfills'

SANDUSKY -- Its been 13 months since Geauga Lake amusement park closed forever. Owner Cedar Fair Entertainment's spokesman Robin Innes reports "no change in the sale status of the Geauga Lake land " sale in Bainbridge at this time but he did explain why on-site demolition workers are dumping debris into the former wave pool. 

"The wave pool and other pits are being filled in to prevent water-filled hazards. They will not be covered up with dirt," Innes said. "This procedure has been reviewed and approved by the Bainbridge zoning inspector."

The 550-acre amusement park closed on Sept. 21, 2007. On June 17, the remaining rides and some memorabilia were auctioned off and some rides -- like the Illions carousel and the Americana ferris wheel, among others -- were moved to other Cedar Fair parks or previously sold to other parks.

In May, Cedar Fair received three sealed bids for the three Geauga Lake parcels.

One bid, for the an 11-acre parcel, was accepted but Cedar Fair's Chief Executive Officer Dick Kinzel told financial analysts in late August that two of the three bids for the two other parcels that make up the 550-acre park were not high enough to make their sales worthwhile for Cedar Fair.

As winter approaches and most of the land has already been cleared, filling the pits "will be the last major project to complete," Innes said Friday. "There will not be a lot more work being done on the property."

The Itamin Skyscraper and the Big Dipper roller coaster remain intact on the site, while the Raging Wolf Bobs roller coaster is partially dismantled.

The 34-year-old Skyscraper was sold for scrap and will be dismantled and the Wolf Bobs is being sold off in pieces by its owner, Ray Edgehouse Jr., of Cleveland.

The Big Dipper was sold at the June auction to Tom Woosnam, of Akron-based Apex Western Machinery Movers, as he bid $5,000 for it on behalf of a still-unnamed bidder.

It was the only item in the auction that required Cedar Fair's approval for purchase.

"It's a very special ride. We want to make sure it has a proper home," Innes said, the day of the auction.