For those longing for the days of Geauga Lake, SeaWorld Ohio, or even Six Flags Worlds of Adventure, hoping that a theme park may call the Aurora, Ohio area home again, unfortunately, we have some less than exciting news for you. Cedar Fair has sold the 377-acre property to Industrial Commercial Properties, LLC (ICP). The property will be rebranded as The Geauga Lake District, with elements of design that will pay homage to the history of the site and the former amusement park, which operated from 1887-2007.
The Geauga Lake District promises to be a master planned development that will include retail, restaurants, residential and other commercial uses. A cohesive and curated design will showcase uniform lighting, landscaping, public improvements and streetscape, including the construction of a new Geauga Lake Boulevard, which will connect State Route 43 to Depot Road and will feature a roller coaster design feature in the median.
“We are reigniting this iconic landmark,” said Chris Semarjian, owner of ICP. “The redevelopment of this site will not only create a fully functioning district where people can live, work, dine and recreate, but it will also have a broader impact on economic development and job creation for the region.”
“Many of us that grew up in Northeast Ohio have fond memories of the park, and it was important to our development team, the Trustees and the Mayor that we respect the remarkable history of the property and take great care in creating design elements like the signage, landscaping, lighting, and other public improvements at the site,” said Chris Salata, ICP’s chief operating officer. The first company to be part of The Geauga Lake District will be Menards, a national, family-owned, home improvement store, which will occupy 24 acres, and will open in early 2022. Founded in 1960, Menards boasts over 350 stores across the country in its portfolio.
ICP is actively marketing the site to retailers, restaurants, residential and other commercial users. The Geauga Lake District will highlight the spectacular 50-acre, spring-fed, Geauga Lake and include open green space that will be activated with public improvements. While there will no longer be any roller coasters, save for the one unique design feature, Geauga Lake will offer scenic vistas for all of the development’s residents and visitors.
So while it will probably never be a theme park again, it’s certain that the sale of this land will be good financial news for Cedar Fair, who has owned the land since 2004, following the sale of the property by Six Flags. Learn more about the Rise and Fall of Geauga Lake by Clicking Here!
Anyone know what price it was sold for?