Efforts to revive Ghost Town in the Sky left in limbo after tragic death of co-owner
In the more than 60 years since it opened, the Western North Carolina theme park known as Ghost Town in the Sky has seen more than its fair share of hardships, challenges and difficulties. There were long-term ramifications of building a theme park atop a fairly remote mountain as well as financial issues that spread across multiple ownerships to devastating blows from Mother Nature.
But rarely in the defunct park’s six-decade history has it faced a tragedy on par with the devastating news last month. Frankie L. Wood, a South Carolina Developer with a vision of bringing Ghost Town back to life, was killed in a horrible construction accident in his hometown of Myrtle Beach. A jack was kicked out of the excavator he was operating and hit him in the face. Multiple surgeries were unable to save his life. Tragically, he passed in late November.
IN THIS ARTICLE
About Ghost Town in the Sky
In 1961, deep in America’s Wild West craze, R.B. Coburn had the idea to build a tourist attraction in the mountains between Waynesville and Clyde, North Carolina. However, he took the suggestion of Alaska Presley to build atop Buck Mountain overlooking Maggie Valley. At the same time Ghost Town was opening in May of 1961, a somewhat similarly themed park called Rebel Railroad opened in Pigeon Forge. Over the ensuing decades the parks would compete as Rebel Railroad became Goldrush Junction, then Silver Dollar City and finally, in 1986, Dollywood.
The parks’ double-helix history seemed perpetually intertwined for a while. At its peak, Gold Rush Junction drew more than 600,000 people a year. But the first blow came in 1973 when the park was sold to a company known as National Services. The park continued – at least somewhat successfully – for years. However, when Coburn bought it back in 1986 – the same year Dollywood became Dollywood – trouble was on the horizon.
While the competition in Pigeon Forge flourished, Ghost Town began to struggle with the cost of maintenance and infrastructure swelled. It was not easy to get water and sewer and hundreds of thousands of people up the mountain each year. Corners were cut for budget reasons, resulting in smaller crowds and less revenue.
In July 2002, the chairlift that carried visitors up and down the mountain broke, stranding passengers in the heat for more than two hours. Coburn closed the park and put it up for sale. However, the condition of the infrastructure and rides made it a risky effort.
The reopening efforts
After a nearly five-year hiatus, the park reopened in May of 2007 buoyed by a $38 million investment. But the timing was tragic. In the fall of 2007, the housing market crashed and put the United States on the edge of an economic crisis. The 2008 season, which had been so hopeful, suffered greatly. In 2009, the park filed for bankruptcy. The park reopened in May but the rides had not been inspected at the time of opening. The park limped through the 2009 season while various potential ownership groups tried to come up with the necessary funding.
Mother Nature then dealt what was essentially the final blow in February of 2010 when the retaining walls on the Ghost Town property gave way, causing a massive mudslide that led to the evacuation of 40 homes. At this point, the creditors were seeking relief, and the park did not open that season.
The legal battle
The legal battle continued through 2011 until Alaska Presley – who’d suggested the park’s location back in 1960 – purchased Ghost Town for $2.5 million. She planned for a limited reopening in 2013. However, the park had been vandalized and ransacked and the retaining wall still had to be repaired. In addition, the wells that provided water to the property – presumably dug back in 1960 – were deemed not up to par. So, the park had to be hooked up to the city’s water system. That winter Presley regrouped and decided to theme the park as a replica of the Holy Land. And when they didn’t fly, she explored a winter attraction that didn’t take root either.
The park had a limited and brief opening in 2014. That fall it was listed for sale but found no buyers. A planned opening for 2015 was scuttled due to more infrastructure issues both with water pressure and the chairlift. It was again put on the market for sale. Two groups tried to buy the park in 2018 but failed to get the necessary funding.
Pressley died in 2022 at the age of 98, leaving half the ownership of Ghost Town in the Sky LLC to her niece Jill McClure. The LLC managed by Wood retained the other half. Lawsuits ensued. McClure’s lawsuit to dissolve the corporation was dismissed. According to an article in The Mountaineer newspaper, Wood and McClure had buried the hatchet and been exploring options to get water and sewer up the mountain.
Is Ghost Town in the Sky cursed?
If you are a believer in such things, you could certainly make a case. The timing of the economic collapse after a massive investment. The mudslide. These are not things that happen if you’re blessed with positive karma. But if we are being honest with ourselves, Ghost Town was doomed to fail – eventually – on that day in 1959 or 1960 that Presley convinced Coburn to locate it up on Buck Mountain. Government regulations and standards increased. Also, getting water, sewer and people up that mountain became too big of a burden. It was doomed as Pigeon Forge – with its slightly superior location – outgrew Maggie Valley providing thousands more in tourist traffic each month.
It was doomed when Dolly Parton teamed with Herschend Family Entertainment to transform Silver Dollar City into Dollywood, an internationally beloved theme park. Despite its success in the 60 and early 70s, were there any decisions, or any amount of angel investment that could have allowed Ghost Town to keep pace? It’s not a curse. But it was fate, at least from a certain point of view.
The future of Ghost Town in the Sky
Under the best-case scenario, the future of Ghost Town in the Sky is up in the air. But even that assessment is generous. Wood’s will should determine where his half of the ownership of the LLC will go. But McClean said he hadn’t put any money into the LLC and had no investors or prospective buyers. McClean added she has people express interest but no buyers.
The fact of the matter is that we are more than 20 years out of the park operating a successful, full season. The intervening years have not been kind. If it took a $38 million investment to get the park ready to open in 2006, that number would have increased exponentially over the last two decades. The question is if the Ghost Town brand is strong enough to support the investment needed to get the park back up and running sustainably. I don’t see how it could be. Ghost Town was in trouble by the mid-80s. That’s roughly 40 years in decline or outright closure.
Could Ghost Town be opened at a different location?
If someone wanted to invest that much in a Western North Carolina theme park, it seems like they’d put that money in a more accessible location. Could they pay enough to retain the brand, and salvage what they can from the rides and buildings? Would they open Ghost Town somewhere else? I suppose it’s possible but unlikely. The late Mr. Wood was a successful developer with a dream. Maybe given more time he could have made it happen, but I’m skeptical.
I don’t believe that Ghost Town in Maggie Valley will ever be anything more than a destination for climbers with YouTube channels dedicated to exploring America’s decaying spaces ever again. Personally, I think Ghost Town’s last best chance most likely passed with Mr. Wood.
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