Ghost Town developers make major hire
This rendering shows a rejuvenated Ghost Town.
Storyland Studios photo.
Developers associated with the rejuvenation of Maggie Valley’s Ghost Town in the Sky are moving forward with plans to resurrect the iconic mountaintop attraction and have enlisted some high-level talent to help redesign and prepare the park for reopening.
“Our team is thrilled to be a part of bringing this special park back to life,” said Matt Ferguson. Ferguson is the chief innovation officer at Storyland Studios.
Storyland’s involvement in the Ghost Town project was first reported exclusively by The Smoky Mountain News back in March , but an Oct. 26 press release from Storyland revealed that the relationship is now official.
“We selected Storyland because of their experience on so many theme parks around the world. They have a team that can help us get our brand story right, redesign the park and help us bring it to life and make it successful,” said Ghost Town Managing Member Frankie Wood.
Storyland Studios was co-founded and is currently run by veteran Disney Imagineers and creative professionals with a long, successful history in the themed entertainment industry. The firm specializes in theme park master planning, strategy and feasibility studies, concept design, architecture and integrated marketing.
Previous work by Storyland includes attractions such as LEGOLAND® Water Park, Universal Orlando’s Hogwarts Express and the new FAO Schwarz.
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Wood and Ferguson have maintained throughout the past year that detailed 3-D renderings of the existing structures on the town’s main street will be utilized to ensure that rehabilitation of the buildings is as faithful to the originals as possible.
The buildings will, however, have one major upgrade the park currently doesn’t have — compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, making the park more accessible.
Preliminary plans call for on-property lodging, including a mountain lodge, boutique hotel and spa, as well as cabins and cottages.
For more information on Storyland Studios, visit storylandstudios.com.
