The Akron Beacon Journal from Akron, Ohio • Page 66

4 The Beacon Journal Special Advertising Section Thursday, May 26, 1988 IS I EXCLUSIVELY AT 6IAIIT EAGLE DISCOUNT ON tjf Aurora, Ohio TICKETS REGULARLY 12.95 NOW ONLY 100TH ANNIVERSARY Geauga Lake's olymplc-slzed swimming pool. Pictured above, a crowd of Geauga Lake's rich, colorful history Includes the historic moment, when In 1926, Johnny Weismueller set the world record tor the 220-yard freestyle In rapt spectators watches a swimmer perform In the pool with the legendary Big Dipper In the background. DISCOUNT OH Favorite family place gears up for the 1990's tJ Aurora, Ohio REGULARLY PRICED SEASON PASS NOW fttfOC AT ANY AKRON AREA GIANT EAGLE ONLY 9 Geauga Lake opens its 1988 season with a celebration of its 100th year as a family entertainment center. Geauga Lake's centennial milestone marks a history rich with notable people and events. Among its historic highlights were: Johnny Weissmuller's setting of a new world record for the 220-yard freestyle in Geauga Lake's great outdoor pool in 1926.

William Green, president of the American Federation of Labor, defending "the rights of labor in the machine age" during a speech to 45,000 at a Geauga Lake picnic in 1928. The Cleveland Nationals, forerunners of the Cleveland Indians, stepping up to home plate on Sundays at Geauga Lake when Cleveland Blue Laws prohibited such competitive games within city limits on "church" days. The introduction in 1983, of new-concept "wet" rides with traditional "dry" attractions at one place, for one price an innovative first pioneered by Geauga Lake. Geauga Lake began as a picnic grounds, a gathering place, in the early 1800s. The purchase of additional land in 1887; the first site development of a 75-room luxury hotel called "The Kent House" from 1887 to opening in 1988; and the introduction of Geauga Lake's first, full-fledged "ride" in 1889 marked the beginning of 100 years of family fun at Geauga Lake.

That first ride in 1889, according to' records, was a primitive, steam-powered carrousel that generated as much smoke as it did steam. The cost of the ride was "one perfectly good nickel." Next to be added were a roller rink, photo gallery, billiard hall and bowling alley. Then, in 1925, Geauga Lake entered the big time, adding a long, 65-foot high roller coaster named the Big Dipper, which still operates today. In 1969, a consortium of former Cedar Point executives formed Funtime, and purchased Geauga Lake. With the foresight of knowledgeable executives, Funtime, immediately began to invest money in capital improvements at Geauga Lake.

Since Funtime, assumed ownership and management of Geauga Lake, $30 million have been invested, with approximately $8.5 million of that total accounting for improvements and additions just since 1983.. Geauga Lake's innovative and creative approaches to family fun were firmly established in 1983, when Geauga Lake became the first family entertainment center to combine new-concept "wet" rides with traditional "dry" attractions all at one place, for one price. Its new water complex, known as Boardwalk Shores, was among the first in the nation to feature an enormous Tsunami, or tidal wave pool, when it premiered the 1.8 million gallon "Wave" in 1984. Today, it remains the largest pool of its kind in the entire Midwest region. During its 1988 season, Geauga Lake will premiere its $2.5 million all-wooden roller coaster, the Raging Wolf Bobs.

The coaster is among the most exciting new attractions ever introduced by the entertainment center. In fact, it marks the very first time an attempt has been made to' replicate a coaster of old; the Raging Wolf is a legacy to the once-renowed Bobs coaster which reigned supreme at Chicago's Riverview Park from 1924 to 1967. "The Raging Wolf Bobs is a replica of one of the most famous coasters of the 1920s, a decade known as the golden age of coasters," says Jeffery Lococo, director of marketing for Geauga Lake-Funtime, Inc. "Our idea to resurrect a legend may just spark a new era of coaster designs to come," he predicted. ABSOLUTE MINIMUM PRICING lbrj.