“Hard Rock Park” Myrtle Beach / USA: Is This the End?

“This is the end,” bellowed the legendary Jim Morrison of The Doors in one of the band’s most brilliant songs of the day. The latest news from Myrtle Beach does not bode well: As reported, just a few weeks back there was talk of undertaking some radical reorganisation measures during the winter months before “taking off” again in the spring of 2009. Now however, it was announced that a springtime restart would only be realistic with a new owner. In other words: the park has to be sold in order to be saved! When asked by Myrtle Beach Online on the 1st of November, park spokesman Jim Olecki could neither confirm nor deny that sales negotiations are underway. The 400-million dollar expensive park only just opened this past spring. Yet in September the park had already filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. At the moment, only 75 of the original 2,000 employees have a salaried position. Apart from an apparent range of homemade mistakes management had made, the financial and economic crisis that has been looming over the US since September has probably also played a significant factor in this case. (eap)