Fayetteville Park Closure
Fun Spot America Closes Fayetteville Park After 36 Years; Florida Locations Remain Open
Anonymous
Key Points
1
ArieForce One, Fun Spot America's flagship Fayetteville coaster, opened in 2023 with a reported price tag of $13 million.
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ArieForce One earned the Golden Ticket Award for Best New Attraction Installation in 2023, underscoring its industry recognition beyond regional acclaim.
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The Orlando park houses White Lightning, Florida's only wooden roller coaster, distinguishing it within the state's theme-park lineup.
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Fun Spot America's three parks collectively cover more than 150 acres across Florida locations, illustrating the chain's substantial footprint beyond Georgia.
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On regular operation days, the Fayetteville park was open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., a schedule that continued up to the planned closure date.
Fun Spot America will permanently close its Fayetteville, Georgia park on August 2, ending a 36-year run for one of the Atlanta area's last independent amusement parks. CEO John Arie Jr. called the decision "extremely difficult" but offered no specific reason for the shutdown, according to Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
The closure is striking because the park opened a $13 million roller coaster — ArieForce One — just three years ago in 2023. The ride won the Golden Ticket Award for Best New Attraction that same year. The company's two Florida parks in Orlando and Kissimmee will stay open.
A $13 Million Bet That Came Too Late
Fun Spot took a huge financial risk in 2023. It installed ArieForce One, a 154-foot steel coaster built by Rocky Mountain Construction, at a park that had spent decades as a small family fun center. The coaster hit 64 mph and drew coaster fans from across the country. Industry watchers quickly ranked it among the best rides in the world, The Street reported.
But the rest of the park struggled to match the coaster's appeal. The surrounding infrastructure still carried the feel of its 1990s roots as Dixieland Fun Park. According to Atlanta Journal-Constitution, analysts suggest the park failed to draw enough visitors to support the investment. One coaster fan on Reddit called the park a "Temu version of Malibu Grand Prix" — high-end ride, dated everything else.
How a Family Fun Center Became a Thrill Destination
The park opened in 1990 as Dixieland Fun Park with just miniature golf and basic rides. By 1992 it added Georgia's only legal 75-foot bungee jump tower. It became Fun Junction USA in 2012 and grew to 22 rides. Then in July 2017, the Florida-based Arie family bought it — their first expansion out of Florida — and renamed it Fun Spot America Atlanta in 2018, Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.
The park also gained pop culture fame as a filming location for the Netflix series Cobra Kai, doubling as the "Golf N' Stuff" center from the original Karate Kid films. Even so, locals sometimes described the park as "eerily empty" on weekends, even after ArieForce One opened.
What Happens to Season Passes — and ArieForce One
Guests with season passes or gift cards can use them at the Fayetteville park through August 2. After that, WFTV confirmed they will be honored at Fun Spot's Orlando and Kissimmee locations. The park is open 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily until closing day. A final Fourth of July fireworks show is planned for 9:30 p.m. on July 4.
The bigger question is what happens to ArieForce One itself. Analyst Robert Niles of Theme Park Insider said U.S. tax laws could make demolition more attractive than relocation, since the company might claim a large tax write-off by scrapping the ride rather than paying to move it. Coaster fans are already booking "final ride" trips for July, desperate to experience what many rank as a global Top 10 coaster before it potentially disappears.
Florida Parks Carry the Family Business Forward
With Fayetteville gone, the Arie family's chain shrinks to two parks. The Orlando location features White Lightning, the only wooden roller coaster in Florida. Together, the Florida parks cover more than 150 acres, WFTV reported. Fun Spot is a rare breed — a family-owned independent chain trying to survive in a market dominated by Six Flags and Universal.
The Fayetteville closure leaves Six Flags Over Georgia as the only major thrill park in the metro Atlanta market. That removes a lower-cost option for local families. Arie said the company is "committed to treating employees with respect and providing support resources" during the transition, though the exact number of jobs lost has not been disclosed.
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