Hard Rock Park, opened in April 2008 in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, USA, was the world’s first theme park dedicated to rock’n’roll music. Despite the heavy investment and the unique experience it offered rock music fans, the park failed miserably just 5 months after opening. It left a bittersweet story.
Hard Rock Park featured six themed areas and some of the most innovative attractions of its time. Among them, the Led Zeppelin – The Ride roller coaster, which combined speed and the music of the legendary British band, or Nights in White Satin: The Trip, a sensory experience inspired by the famous song by The Moody Blues.
The global economic crisis of 2008, which severely affected tourism and consumer spending, reduced visitor numbers. Competition with giants such as Disney World and Universal Studios proved almost impossible to overcome and in September 2008, just 5 months after opening, Hard Rock Park filed for bankruptcy.
Mattersfact - CC BY-SA 4.0
There was then a change of ownership and in 2009, under the name Freestyle Music Park, it was decided to revitalise the park, which targeted a specific niche audience. The theme was extended to more genres of music, but financial problems persisted. It closed again for good in September of the same year. Of the 30,000 daily visitors expected in peak season, the theme park attracted only a fraction in its first year, some 800,000.
The failure of Hard Rock Park and later the Freestyle Music Park was, in our view, due to a combination of factors. These included the economic downturn, competition with established parks, a lack of effective marketing and an overestimation of demand for such a specialised park.
Ultimately, the park’s attractions and structures, which were sold or auctioned off, ended up in other theme parks or at fairs around the world. Despite its short life, the Hard Rock Park – or the Freestyle Music Park – reminds us of the risks and challenges of niche theme parks, however innovative they may be.
Cover image: Mattersfact – CC BY-SA 4.0
