INDIANA - The owners of a new indoor theme park are hoping to help Hoosiers "escape" the troubled economy.

The park - called "Xscape" - is the first of its kind in Indiana and the largest in the Midwest. The 75,000 square foot park at Lafayette Square Mall opened to the public Friday.

"We have bumper cars and go-karts, laser tag, we have 40-seat virtual theater, we have mini-golf," said Allison Clark with Xscape.

On the weekends, $8.49 gets people over 12 in the door for an all-you-can-eat pizza and pasta buffet, including potato, soup, salad and dessert bars. Children under 12 cost $4.99 and kids two and under are free. Each dining room has a different theme: "Toonville" for children, the Sports Bar for adults, and a Drive-in Movie Theater for all families.

After that, visitors pay to play games or use the rides. The cheapest game is a quarter, while the most expensive - like the go-karts - are about four dollars.

"I think the ride's a little bit expensive, so it's not something I'd come to every week probably, but to do occasionally, it would be a good outing to do," said first-time visitor Laura Klous who brought her two children to escape the cold temperatures.

"It's not any higher than any other place I don't think. I think it's a fair price, because it's got your buffet included and everything," said Marsha Horton.

Developers did a nationwide feasibility study and took all the most popular attractions, rides, and latest video games from other theme parks then hired an expert to design the concept.

"He's the designer behind Universal Studios, Epcot, and Six Flags. He has the concept, and he knows how it works, and that in itself speaks volumes," said Amanda Royalty, Xscape spokesperson. "When people walk in, people that have seen hundreds of these places, say, 'Wow!' This is, something special."

Xscape's creators think tough economic times won't hurt business at all.

"I think it's actually on our side," said Clark.

With this tough economy, people are looking to escape reality. But reality is all around for some visitors.

"A lot of the stores here I noticed where I used to shop at are closed or either they're going out of business. I was surprised," said Shelly Paschall.

Even with anchor stores like Sears closing, the folks that run Xscape say their service is just what this mall needs to bring it back.

"I feel like this will help bring shoppers back to the mall," said Clark.

The general manager of the mall, Phil Thornton, says Xscape will be a key component in the revitalization of the west side and hopes to attract tourists.

"We feel this will be a regional draw for the Indianapolis area, probably outside a 50 to 75 mile radius. We are really focusing on a family friendly environment to bring the shoppers back to Lafayette Square Mall. Families need a place to go. Churches, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, any youth organization, are always looking for a venue to take the young people to. This is the perfect place," Thornton said.

Shoppers who used to shop at Lafayette Square Mall more often, say with Xscape as a reason to visit, they'll start shopping here more again.

Birthday parties are already on the books for January. Owners also hope to bring in adult functions like holiday parties, sorority outings, or business meetings. Private rooms and equipment for audio visual presentations are available.

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ILLINOIS - With the holiday season winding down, Santa and a few jolly investors are fine-tuning plans to re-create Santa's Village as a modern amusement park on the grounds of a family resort near Utica, Ill.

The news is bittersweet in East Dundee, where a Santa's Village was built in 1959 and helped put the town on the map for generations of Chicago-area residents.

East Dundee Village Administrator Frank Koehler said his New Year's resolution is to find a purpose for the vacant 38 acres at Illinois Highways 25 and 72 where the amusement park once thrived. Snowed under by debt and declining attendance, the park closed in 2005, and the rides and other equipment were sold at auction in 2006.

"We will have the memories and be forever known as the home of Santa's Village, which is not a bad thing," Koehler said.

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CALIFORNIA - Holiday revelers were dressed in — swimsuits.

"I can't believe I'm doing this," said Ryan McPhetridge, 11, of Tulare as he made his way into the frigid waters of the launch pool with his 9-year-old sister, Reanne. Moments later, after a go-ahead from spotter J.T. Ellis, one of two adults perched in lookouts at the top, the siblings were off, letting out primal screams as they splashed down the slide.

The pair was among the 80 or more people, ages 6 to 66, who had braved the elements Thursday morning to ring in the new year with what organizers called a Polar Bear Slide. Starting at 11 a.m. and running to 3 p.m., for $1 admission, celebrants were able to slide until their heart's content, or at least until their bodies couldn't take it any more.

Trevor Croft, 16, of Visalia thought he'd reached that point about 1 p.m.

"I'm going to die," Croft said, smiling through his chattering teeth and the bright yellow and orange Mexican wrestling mask that he said he wore for attention. As for warmth, Croft said, "it doesn't help at all."

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MISSOURI - Chillicothe City Council approved an ordinance Monday night authorizing the City of Chillicothe to enter into a lease/purchase transaction, the proceeds of which will be used to pay the costs of purchasing the Fast Lanes Family Entertainment Center for the purchase price of $2.2 million from Grand River Entertainment.

The ordinance states in part that the City Council approved the sale of the 2008A Certificates to Citizens Bank & Trust for the purchase price of $990,000, with an interest rate of 4.00 percent per annum, calculated on the basis of a 360-day year, consisting of 12 30-day months, subject to the conditions set forth in the Declaration of Trust and $1,210,000 for the 2008B Certificates, with an interest rate of 5.00 percent per annum, calculated on the basis of a 360-day year, consisting of 12 30-day months, subject to the conditions set forth in the Declaration of Trust. Delivery of the Certificates shall be made to the purchaser as soon as practicable after the approval of this ordinance, upon payment therefor in accordance with the terms of sale.

In order to purchase the Fast Lanes the city must enter into a lease/purchase agreement with Citizens Bank & Trust Co., pursuant to which the city, as the lessee, will sublease the property from Citizens Bank.

Attorney Robert Cowherd stated that, according to the agreement, the city’s portion of the agreement was $990,000, 45 percent of the project’s total.

The City of Chillicothe, the Chillicothe Industrial Development Corporation and Chillicothe Development, Inc., entered into a cooperative agreement in which the two companies will make payments to the city, and in turn, the city will then make payments to Citizens Bank & Trust for the purchase of Fast Lanes Family Entertainment Center. The companies will also receive an allocable portion of the proceeds from any future sale of the property, according to the ordinance.

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SOUTH CAROLINA - After a failed bid to find a buyer for the shuttered Hard Rock Park, the owners of the Myrtle Beach theme park on Friday asked a federal bankruptcy judge for permission to liquidate their assets so creditors can be paid.

Attorneys for Hard Rock Myrtle Beach Holdings LLC have asked a Delaware bankruptcy judge to allow them to convert the company's Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing to Chapter 7, which would allow the company to sell its assets through a trustee and use the funds to pay the park's creditors.

The company that operated the $400 million, 55-acre amusement park filed for Chapter 11 protection in September and had originally planned to reorganize and reopen for the 2009 season.

Last month, the company put the park up for auction, but no bidder who could pay at least $35 million emerged, and attorneys said the company was forced to take the next step.

A hearing was scheduled for Tuesday.

The park, the biggest single investment ever in South Carolina tourism, opened in April after seven years of planning. The company licensed the brand name from Hard Rock International, owner of the popular restaurant chain, and the park's roller coasters were based on songs like Led Zeppelin's "Whole Lotta Love" and the Eagles' "Life in the Fast Lane."

Economic experts have said the owners couldn't have picked a worse time to start because of a drop in tourism based on rising gas prices and the credit crisis.

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GERMANY - Call it an amusement park for manly men, or a grown-up version of plowing toy trucks through mud puddles -- because you probably can't pronounce its real name: Männerspielplatz, literally "men's playground."

Männerspielplatz, located in central Germany, is an amusement park that lets its customers indulge in the stereotypically masculine activities that average Joes don't get to participate in, like operating heavy construction equipment, racing dirtbikes or destroying stuff with jackhammers. The park has 18 "stations," each offering a different set of vehicles and activities. A day's admission is 219 Euros, about $280 US...

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CALIFORNIA - These days, the park seems deserted if you’re viewing it while driving by on the freeway.  Sadly, this is confirmed if you actually enter the park.  Recently, I went on a weekday during Christmas vacation.   Scandia is offering a Christmas season discount of $9.99 for the unlimited ride pass (usually $24) until Christmas Eve.  As we parked, we knew we were entering a ghost town since there were only about 10 cars in the lot.  This is usually good news for me since, ironically, I hate lines and crowds.  The fact that it was one of the very few rainy days that we ever get here in SoCal didn’t help lighten the depressing atmosphere.

**patrons beware** unlike most mainstream amusement parks, Scandia’s rides close during and after rain.

Luckily, we’d made it just in time to ride the Scandia Screamer, the park’s signature roller coast.  The Screamer is steel coaster that is definitely larger, faster, and more complex than anything you’d find at a local carnival. Its steep drops make it fun and thrilling enough to make it worth a visit.  For those with small children, there are 8 rides without a height requirement including a carousel, train, and a low airplane.

Most of the attraction’s business seems to derive from its extensive arcade.  Once you enter, more than a few local kids mill around the 100+ video and arcade games like natives.  Scandia’s arcade can probably be compared in size and range of games to those of the Dave & Buster’s chains.

Last, but definitely not least, Scandia Ontario has 16 batting cages and 2 miniature golf courses, one for young children and one for players aged 10 and up.

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NEW YORK - A local developer unveiled revised plans for a family-oriented sports and entertainment complex before the Orangetown Town Board yesterday, presenting a drastically changed proposal for the project.

STEJ, the developer, purchased 17 acres of town-owned land, once part of Rockland Psychiatric Center's campus, three years ago for roughly $1.7 million. The company initially set out on ambitious plans for a multimillion-dollar sports complex with two ice rinks, a roller-skating track, a climbing wall and indoor soccer fields.

While the size of the facility will stay the same, the main attractions of the building were almost completely altered, with new but still ambitious plans for an indoor aquatic center and a bowling center and lounge, in addition to one ice rink. For an added touch to the modern-looking structure, an artistic rendition shown at the presentation included a series of water slides jutting out of a section of the building.

The developer also plans to add in teen and senior centers, provide space for basketball leagues and have fast-food restaurants.

"Now that the project has been reinvigorated, we wanted to get them before (the Town Board) before the end of the year," Town Supervisor Thom Kleiner said about STEJ.

Donald Brenner, an attorney for the developer, said the project had to be changed significantly after the town built its own soccer fields, making nearby privately owned fields unfeasible. Also, after a public pool was rejected in a town referendum, the company thought to add the aquatic center.

Looking to address what some local critics called a cheap price for the land, Brenner started the presentation by listing the amount of money already spent by the developer - about $8.2 million.

"We've made a significant investment to date and we're serious about putting this thing together," said Liam McDevitt, the project's development manager.

McDevitt said the total project cost is still being worked out, and the project should start construction in 2010, with an opening date about 18 months later. He said annual taxes for the building should be more than $200,000.

"If it works as planned, it will contribute significant tax dollars to reduce everyone's tax burden," Kleiner said.

Gerald Merola, an entertainment consultant hired by the developer in 2005, said the point of the revised project was to make the facility usable for as many residents in a 7-mile radius as possible, providing something for any age group and focusing on family activities.

As he described the aquatic center, which would be open year-round and include a "lazy river," obstacle course, water aerobics, team competitions, and even surfing and rafting, one woman in the audience was heard murmuring, "That looks like fun."

Public comment was mostly positive for the revised plans, though many - including Town Board members - expressed concerns over if the building could sustain itself.

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NEW JERSEY - John Oliver always wanted sherbet at his favorite ice cream stand, but sometimes they would be out of it. So he vows that when he and his wife Meredith reopen Jimmy's ice cream stand, sherbet will always be available. The Olivers, who live on Bellis Road, recently bought the property.

To the consternation of those who want sweet, cooling concoctions on warm evenings, to the despair of youngsters for whom Jimmy's represented a treat following a hard-fought softball or soccer game, and to teens seeking companionship and hot fudge, James "Jimmy" Fox closed the stand Sept. 30, 2007 and put it up for sale. Neither shake nor sundae has passed through its serving windows during the summer of 2008.

But all those who have driven past the closed stand and felt a pang of nostalgia can take heart: The Jimmy's of old -- albeit spruced up and containing new equipment -- will reopen sometime around the beginning of April.

"It'll have the same name," said Mrs. Oliver, whose favorite Jimmy's offering is a twist cone with sprinkles. "We'll keep it the way it was. ... It might be more easygoing, more relaxed. Possibly it'll stay open later at night. Maybe we'll have more tables outside."

The recession shouldn't have much of an effect, she said. "Everybody wants an ice cream and a nice place to go. ... Kids have no place to go." Many of the parents who are aware of the Olivers' plans have been asking them to reserve jobs for their children. "Everybody wants a job at Jimmy's. As things are now, we'll have about 300 kids working about one hour each during the summer," she quipped.

The Olivers also bought the old miniature golf course adjacent to the stand from the Bruning family of Holland Township. The Olivers haven't yet decided what to do with that property. They might use it for additional parking, said Mrs. Oliver, or perhaps one day set up miniature golf again.

According to county records, the ice cream stand property cost $340,000 and the mini-golf lot cost $60,000.

The Olivers have been married for 18 years. Meredith was raised in Bucks County and graduated from Palisades High School in 1982. John, president of G.J. Oliver Inc. of Alpha, a family-run steel fabricating business, is a member of the Delaware Valley High School Class of 1981. A lifelong Holland resident, "he moved from Ellis (Road) to Bellis in 45 years," said his wife. They have three children: John, 17, a student at Bethlehem (Pa.) Catholic High School; Rachel, 14, who attends Del Val; and Jillian, 12, a student at the township school.

Jimmy Fox's parents, J. Raub and Elizabeth Fox, opened the ice cream stand on their farm in 1958. Mr. Fox operated the stand for many years after his parents retired. In 1992 he leased it to an employee, Peggy Lippincott, who ran the business until it closed.

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NEVADA - How many times have you heard a resident say, "There's nothing to do in Pahrump?" Well, Steve Bourque was one of those residents, but he decided to do something about it. With a love of miniature golf and experience as both a food and business consultant, he decided to open a golf course, minus the food (except catering is available). The grand opening of Sandbaggers was held Nov. 22.

Located at 441 S. Frontage Road, Sandbaggers hosts both day and night golf experiences.

Bourque chose an indoor miniature golf course because he doesn't like the wind or the heat and feels his patrons may agree. He is hoping to attract kids ages 15 and under as well as senior citizens. He is also going to encourage the creation of league golf by seniors, RV park competitions, and as he put it "soccer moms type" leagues.

However, miniature golf is not the only thing. Sandbaggers offers large and small meeting rooms, and a party area; location depends on number of people in the group. There is no place for a coffee shop and since he is leasing he can't change the area.

Bourque said, "I want to give people a place to go and have fun. Sandbaggers is a place where moms can have birthday or other parties for kids; a place to expose kids to the world of golf. I've seen young people move from miniature golf to college expertise." Since putting is the hardest part of golf, a miniature golf course can provide a practice area.

He does expect a negative impact on his business due to economic times but feels that with his prices, it will still provide a place for people to go and forget their problems. Costs are $7.50 for adults, $5.50 for kids, $6.50 for seniors and military, and special packages are available for large groups. Packages are The Dog Leg, minimum of eight guests, $9.95 per person; The Birdie, minimum of eight guests, $11.95 per person; The Eagle, minimum of eight guests, $14.95 per person; and The Hole in One, minimum of 20 guests, $16.95 per person.

The differentiation in price is due to the special items included in each package such as a party room for two hours, a round of miniature golf for each person, pizza, setup and cleanup, invitations, arcade games, penthouse area available, coupons for soda or juice or merchandise (these items depend on the package purchased), and more.

"I want to give Pahrump what they want, not what I have to sell," said Bourque. Current attendance consists of one-third over 40, one-third under 15, and one-third teens. Sandbaggers is open Monday-Thursday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday, 1-6 p.m. It will also be open on Thanksgiving from 2-5 p.m. with free pie provided for players.

In addition to golf and arcade games, Sandbaggers also offers meeting rooms for both small and large groups. The small room will hold up to 20 people, and the big one up to 100. A special party area will hold up to 20 people as well.

A drawing will be held Dec. 21, for both a boy's and girl's bicycle. No purchase is necessary and you don't need to be present to win, but you must pick up the bike within 24 hours or a raffle will be held the following day.

Bourque said "I want to thank everyone for opening their arms to me. I hope to see you soon. Come and try us out."

For further details or information call Bourque at 775-727-7171.

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MONTANA - Riley Cooke is ramping up the carnival rides at his Amusement Park Drive-In east of Laurel with yet another novel idea - adopt a ride.

Boosting the amusement park side of the popular drive-in has been part of the plan for Riley and his wife, Vickie, since they opened in 2004. Cooke is also interested in talking to businesses wanting to co-sponsor the amusement park by buying naming rights.

“We want to make it affordable for families. You can ride all the rides for one price, and we're trying to keep it half what you pay at the fair. So many people can't afford to get to Disneyland. We hope to keep the price for the rides $1 or $2 and the wristband in the neighborhood of $12.”

Cooke said he was born to be in the entertainment business. His dad, Oscar Cooke, founded Oscar's Dreamland, and he traveled with a carnival for 18 years before settling in Bridger to raise his family, which includes two daughters.

The drive-in already offered some rides, including the big slide and a small Ferris wheel. By May, there will be seven kiddie rides, including the Outlaw Car ride, Sky Fighter and Wet Boats.

The rides for older kids and adults will include the existing 100-foot slide, in addition to a swing ride Cooke acquired from Italy, a Scrambler-type ride, a Tilt-a-Whirl, and two roller coasters. One of the roller coasters will go around the drive-in screens, perhaps the only ride to do that in the U.S. The other roller coaster boasts a 30-foot drop. The amusement park will also have an old-fashioned 18-hole miniature golf course. Several of the rides came from an amusement park in New Mexico and others were hauled up from Wyoming.

“It's time for people to feel good again,” Riley said. “This will give them reason to.”

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NEW YORK - While LifePlex has tennis courts, an indoor pool, indoor track, a Pilates studio, four aerobic studios and three fitness centers, its biggest attraction for kids is a 10,000-square-foot fitness and wellness center, which features rock climbing, a zip line, virtual-reality exercises, Dance Dance Revolution, a basketball/volleyball court and an interactive sports wall. "They are really centered on keeping kids fit, and rotating them through different things to make it fun, exciting and interesting," Israel said. "As a family in Rockland County, I feel so lucky to have it in our backyard."

The kids' center is about 15 months old, and operating partner Steve Rauch said it fills a real need nowadays.

"You can't just make your own playdate or run around the neighborhood. Everything's structured," Rauch said. "They don't come home from school, throw the bag on the counter, grab two Chips Ahoy and a glass of milk and then go out in the neighborhood and your mother has to come looking for you four hours later, like I grew up. Now everything's planned. These kids are used to being moved from here to there. When we designed, we left a lot of open space."

Rauch also introduced some technology into the fitness room, but the main emphasis is still on old-fashioned activities such as climbing.

"I understand there's an overlap, but technology should be technology and fitness should be fitness," Rauch said. "It's not the 1950s. But kids still like to run, grab, sweat, create themselves, make things, do things, use their own two hands."

There is also a ball pit, climbing station and video-game bikes for children 6 and under.

LifePlex, part of the Sport-O-Rama complex on College Road in Monsey, has always focused on youth fitness. They have tennis lessons for kids as young as 3, "Mommy and me" swim lessons for kids as young as 6 months, and kids night out, which just celebrated its 11th anniversary and allows parents to drop their kids off for the night.

"It's a nice program for the kids," said Suffern resident Christina Michie, whose son and daughter have both participated in the event. "They get a chance to socialize as well as do physical activities."

That service has been extended for holidays such as Martin Luther King Day, when parents have to work but school is out.

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