The Failed Fantasy of Atlanta’s Sid and Marty Krofft Theme Park

Fixing Atlanta’s Gulch

In the 19^th century, parts of Atlanta’s railroad system clustered up in a specific area. By the 20th century, the shift of car and pedestrian traffic caused the railroad tracks to increasingly become a public safety issue. The city of Atlanta in the early 1900s addressed the issue by constructing elevated bridges and pathways over the tracks.

The tracks were mostly removed over the following decades, leaving behind vacant lots. This area was known as The Gulch and was in desperate need of redevelopment after the mid-century.

The city itself by the early ‘70s was labeled as the murder capital of the U.S., and developers wanted to revive Atlanta’s reputation. The goal was to improve undeveloped areas and add indoor amenities; this could attract businesspeople for conventions and families from surrounding areas for leisure.

“We have an attraction that will bring Atlantans back downtown.”
Maurice Alpert, The Atlanta Constitution, 1976

Developers Alpert and Cousins of International City Corp. had a solution: the Omni megacomplex. This 5.5-acre multi-use megastructure in the heart of downtown Atlanta would have it all: a hotel, a sports arena, restaurants, retail locations, office space, and entertainment venues.

“We are witnessing today a most important step in the continued renaissance of our inner city.”
Atlanta Mayor Maynard Jackson, The Atlanta Journal, 1976

The Kroffts Take Center Stage in Atlanta

The Krofft brothers were in talks to open an amusement center at the Omni, but not inside the complex. Originally, the Krofft world would be built on two floors atop a nearby parking deck; plans changed, however, during development.

On Christmas Eve, 1973, the Kroffts were invited to move their park inside the Omni complex. The building’s international trade pavilion, which would be a major tenant, moved to another address, so the Omni suddenly had a large vacancy to fill: a multi-floor space in the complex’s 14-story atrium.

The newly available indoor space could be an improvement for the Kroffts, instead of their current spot on the parking deck. The area was spacious and climate-controlled for all-day, year-round enjoyment—Georgia’s seasonal weather would not be a worry. However, building a first-of-its-kind, larger-than-planned entertainment park across multiple floors inside a megacomplex would be challenging.

At first, the Kroffts were not thrilled by the multi-level venue but quickly realized the possibilities.

“If we can make it work up and down, we can go anywhere with it.”
Marty Krofft, Atlanta Magazine, 1974

The venue was settled. Sid and Marty Krofft were finally opening their own theme park, and the Omni in Atlanta would get the honor, as announced in 1974. The Kroffts partnered with the Omni’s developers after a year of negotiations, making the upcoming theme park a 50-50 venture. Krofft Productions, Inc. and International City Corp. joined for the project as Krofft International Corp. The Kroffts handled the park’s design, entertainment, and management while International City Corp. brought the financing.

The attraction was originally planned as a kiddie park, costing around $10 million. However, being entirely kid-focused left some potential on the table. The investors anticipated the attraction could be a strong source of income for the property, with possibilities of filming Krofft TV productions on location.

With that confidence, the Kroffts and their development partners agreed to upgrade the upcoming kiddie attraction as a more sophisticated family entertainment park.

The whole project was partly an attempt to revitalize Atlanta and partly a creation of fantasy grander than anything the brothers had ever dreamed of. Sid and Marty’s team had their hands full engineering brand-new rides, fabricating detailed character costumes, and producing a theme park stuffed with entertainment.

“We wound up being the Tiffany’s of entertainment parks.”
Marty Krofft, The Atlanta Constitution, 1976

This fantasy had a hard reality: It was risky. The Kroffts and developers admitted as much, but the brothers had a track record of putting on a good show. Marty Krofft predicted the park could pay for itself in as little as two years, while the investors believed it might take up to a decade. The risk was worth its ballooning $14 million price tag.

“We’re betting our whole company on this.”
Marty Krofft, The Atlanta Constitution, 1974