CoasterGallery.com -- Freestyle Music Park (formerly Hard Rock Cafe)

Freestyle Music Park
Myrtle Beach, SC

Located on the site of the defunct Fantasy Harbor indoor outlet mall, this park was planned to have a movie theater. However, it opened in April 2008 as Hard Rock Park. The name was licensed at a cost of $2.5 million a year from Hard Rock International, operators of the Hard Rock Cafe restaurants. The park was planning to operate throughout the entire calendar year. But in September 2008, the park closed, employees were laid off, and the park's owners filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The stated reasons for the park's rapid failure were the 'macroeconomic conditions' of the 2008 economic downturn. In January 2009, the company converted to Chapter 7 liquidation, and the park was sold to FPI MB Entertainment for $25 million. After all of the Hard Rock merchandise was destroyed and the rides were renamed, the park opened as Freestyle Music Park in 2009. While the current owners have been sued several times for non-payment, park management has fallen behind on repaying debts racked up by the original owners, and the 2009 attendance was less than expected, park owners claimed in early 2010 that the park is here to stay. A few months later, it was announced that the park would not open for the 2010 season. While a few people have recently expressed interest in reopening the park, it is still dormant at the end of 2011.

Hang Ten (formerly Shake, Rattle & Rollercoaster)