Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2007

Hard Rock Park may see a rival arise in Arizona

In less than five years, Hard Rock Park could get a rock 'n' roll rival that says it wants to make Myrtle Beach and Eloy, Ariz., the Orlando and Anaheim of rock 'n' roll theme parks.

A company has formed during the past year with the goal of opening the $800 million, 120-acre Decades Music Theme Park on 300 acres of land in Eloy, which is about halfway between Tuscon and Phoenix, said Jason Rose, a spokesman for Decades.

But Hard Rock, which has touted itself as the world's first rock 'n' roll theme park, isn't interested in sharing the rock 'n' roll stage.

"We're a real park," said Kerry Graves, vice president of sales and marketing for Hard Rock Park. "We're going to be open in less than six months. They haven't even broken ground on the project. It's hard to take them too serious at the moment."

Construction is well under way on the 140-acre, $400 million Hard Rock Park, which will open in April off U.S. 501.

The Decades park in Arizona is "in the conceptual stages," said Heather Murphy, spokeswoman for Eloy's Pinal County.

Despite sketches and images of logos and trademarked names on the company's Web site, decadesusa.com, the park does not have any commitments yet from bands or other music companies, Rose said.

Watching Hard Rock Park rising from the ground encourages the investors in the Eloy park, Rose said. Hard Rock had a few roadblocks in raising its financing, but achieved the $400 million goal thanks to private investors and the bond market.

"The fact that the capital markets had responded in Myrtle Beach and said this idea really has merit" is encouraging, Rose said. "We liken it to the success that Disneyland and Disney World have on their respective coasts. We view Hard Rock Park and Decades as the Anaheim and Orlando of the rock 'n' roll theme park world."

Graves isn't as rosy on the Decades plan and expressed concern that Decades' developers might be looking too closely at what Hard Rock is doing. Graves said that certain artwork and concepts on the Decades Web site are strikingly similar to Hard Rock Park details.

For example, the sketch for the Decades park includes a Mt. Rushmore-like feature with the images of Elvis, Buddy Holly, John Lennon and Jim Morrison. Hard Rock Park has a Mt. Rushmore-like feature, also with the faces of Elvis and John Lennon - in the same place as the concept from Decades.

"They're using our concepts for some of their detail, which is interesting," Graves said. "Isn't imitation the best form of flattery? They must have really been giving us a compliment."

When asked about the similarities, Rose said the drawings were "preliminary designs" and that the park would make a "conscious effort" not to overlap with Hard Rock Park.

There might actually be another Hard Rock Park before Decades rises from the ground. Hard Rock Park itself has been approached by various states and countries looking to be home to the second Hard Rock Park, Graves said, though specific details haven't been worked out.

"Nothing would make me happier than to start building parks all over," Graves said. But first, the Myrtle Beach park needs to prove its viability, he said.

The next step for Decades is working with investors, politicians, bands and others. The Arizona legislature will have to amend a state law that restricts theme parks to certain areas of the state, not including Eloy, Rose said. The park aims to open in 2012.

Until then, Decades will be closely watching the progress of Hard Rock Park.

"We are rooting for the success of Hard Rock Park," Rose said. "We think if it's good for them, it's good for us, it's good for the concept and we wish them great success when they open. We hope they have an extraordinary run."