New Cedar Point attraction tease and a trip down memory lane: Now You Know Akron podcast

Construction workers are, well, working on something new at Cedar Point.

A large construction wall now stretches well beyond the confines of the old Wicked Twister roller coaster that was removed after last season.

And behind the wall, construction workers can be seen from public vantage points within the park working on something to fill the now empty space.

The prime park real estate stretches along the beach from the Gatekeeper roller coaster past the Giant Wheel to the WindSeeker attraction.

The Wicked Twister roller coaster operated at the park from May 5, 2002, until closing day last season.

In the latest edition of the Now You Know Akron podcast, park spokesman Tony Clark talks about the new offerings this season including the Frontier Festival and new food item but also acknowledges the work going on in the park.

Cedar Point offers adult fare: Cedar Point expands food selection, adds after-hours, exclusive ride access for adults

"You will see when you visit that there is construction activity going on where the Wicked Twister used to be," Clark said in the podcast. "We are constantly improving. We cannot be a multiday resort without making improvements to the park."

Everything the park does, Clark said, is dictated by the guests.

And in recent years, he said, guests have said they want places to "relax" and "chill." This feedback, in part, led to the removal last season of the Antique Cars in the park's Frontier Town to create a new eatery and place to sit at tables under the shade and listen to live music.

That input and keeping the thrill seekers in mind, Clark said, is shaping what will transform the park's prime beachfront space.

"Next year, I can't (say or) they will obviously fire me," he said. "But I will say this — what we are doing is a little something for everyone in that area."

Clark said there's a lot of discussion, careful deliberation and years of planning that go into what the park adds each year.

There's always the roller coaster contingent, he said, along with other personal favorites — including his own, a log flume ride.

"We talk about what we should build, and trust me, there are a lot of opinions," he said.  "We try to appeal to a wide variety of people, and we try to do that with most of the rides and things we build.

"There are those who love to get thrown around on a roller coaster, but most of our guests do not like that, so we try to design rides and attractions that make you want to ride them over and over again and just make you happy."

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Clark said construction will continue through the summer in the area by the beach.

"You will be seeing things throughout the summer," he said. "So make sure you ride the Giant Wheel and get an aerial view."

You can download or subscribe to the Now You Know Akron podcast via Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts or Spotify.

Craig Webb, who continues his campaign for a dark ride at Cedar Point ala the Earthquake attraction, can be reached at cwebb@thebeaconjournal.com.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Construction begins on transformation of Cedar Point's beachfront area