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General Info
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Columns
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Resources
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Multimedia
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Drive-In Theaters
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Indoor Theaters
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Parks and Fairs
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Auto Racing
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Boat Racing
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Gas, Food and Lodging
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Cities and Towns
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Recreation and Sports
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Roadside Michigan
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Auto World |
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Name: Auto World Street: Broadway and Stever
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City: Flint County: Genesee
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| Open: 1984 |
Closed: 1986 |
Status: Demolished |
| Web Address: N/A |
| Notes: N/A |
| Number of visits to this page since February 23, 2007: 29758 |
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Entry Date: - 4/11/2008 - Losky1 - See the film "Car of Your Dreams" as shown at Auto World in 1985-86.
Reels 1-7. Please goto the link below to view at YouTube.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kw4LisZvFjM
Entry Date: - 4/11/2008 - Joe P - Here is another good link for more information and personal experiences by others who visited Auto World in it heyday.
http://www.toysaregoodfood.com/content/archives/000008.html
Entry Date: - 3/12/2008 - Don Hargraves - I actually worked at Autoworld during the summer of 1985. At first I worked at the outdoor portion of the park (where they had put in some rides and a theater with Warner Brother Cartoon Characters), then spent some time inside what was the IMA Auditorium. That portion had a couple of theme rides, the IMAX theater and a two-story ramp that had little displays of the effect of the Automobile on people''s thoughts, culture and entertainment.
For me, the best parts were the Imax and a ride on the third floor (sorry, I don''t remember its name) that depicted the automobile from the viewpoint of a horse i the early 1900''s. The cars were in various states of disrepair, immobilization or confusion, as were their drivers, and the horse''s haughty commentary made for droll descriptions. Sadly, the last month or so they replaced the tape with a stereotypical rural hick voice, thereby ruining the ride.
Sadly, Autoworld was badly designed as a destination. Stuck in the middle of a bad area of Flint nowhere near expressway access, limited into a space too small for a real park and with too much depending on it, the place was closed up after two years. They tried to make the IMAX theater work, but even that failed and old IMA Auditorium was eventually imploded so that UofM Flint could expand.
I had even gone to the IMA Auditorium a few times in the seventies. Was a nice place to host a show (or a revival).
Entry Date: - 12/27/2007 - Mellissa Montano - I do have very vivid memories of walking in the indoor downtown. We lived in Detroit and visited Auto world twice. I just remembered when I was watching Rodger and me on HBO.
Entry Date: - 7/26/2007 - taz - i remember going to autoworld back in the 80''s as a kid, for a racing kid, it was pretty cool....it was kind of sad watching it fall. would love to see some old pics of the displays.
Entry Date: - 11/29/2006 - Amber - Believe it or not, I remember going to Autoworld, even though I was about 5 years old. And I went more than once. I rode the ferris wheel every single time, even though I hated it. And I actually liked the History of Automotivity, or whatever it was called. But the IMAX was the coolest. What I find real intersting is that I also remember when it was torn down, and I am a student at the University of Michigan Flint, and I take many classes in the White Building, which stands where Autoworld used to be. It floors me that I remember something that my brothers and sisters do not. Looking back on it, it was somewhat lame, but when you are five, you don't care. I had fun.
Entry Date: - 10/30/2006 - WaterWinterWonderland - I visited Auto World not long after it opened, I was excited to see it but was also pretty disappointed when I did. Most of the exhibits seemed to be cheap, many of them just pictures or plaques with a few videos. Not too many actual cars were in the place from what I remember. The area where they re-created downtown Flint was kind of cool as well as the indoor Ferris Wheel. I think they could have executed the idea better and given more time, it could have succeeded. Unfortunately it was closed after a few months of operation.
Entry Date: - 10/13/2006 - Les Marinko - This was the only place I had visited up to that time that I did NOT purchase a souvenir. Everything at Auto World was so expensive. Even with two for one tickets it still cost a lot. It seemed like they were trying to make all of the money spent on the place back the first year. The best part of the experience was the old car commercials.
Entry Date: - 9/8/2006 - Jan - I remember when it was still the IMA. My best friend and I spent many great times there! At the Circus, the home shows and many other events. I moved away from the area and never got a chance to see Auto world. But I sure was disappointed when it was demolished!
Entry Date: - 9/8/2006 - Steven - I remember visiting Autoworld at the age of five. It was not a horrible idea but suffered from the declining area, competition (Cedar Point), and high prices. If all of the park plans had come to fruition including the addition of several roller coasters then it may have recuperated costs. I still remember the giant indoor Ferris Wheel. I would love to see submitted aerial picture of Autoworld while in operation.
Entry Date: - 9/8/2006 - Theater Lover - I have to disagree with you Walt. I have quite a few fond memories of going to Autoworld with my friends and family. Sure, we went to Bob-lo and Cedar Point as well, but there was something uniquely different about Autoworld that just set it apart from most theme parks...that plus it housed one of the FIRST IMAX theaters in this COUNTRY. Looking back now, the enclosed amusement park wasnt a bad idea. Most of your major parks now have at least one enclosed ride. I feel that Autoworld was ahead of it time and had people been patient, maybe they would have realized this as well.
Entry Date: - 8/19/2006 - Walt - That this failed so spectacularly should come as no surprise. This had to be the stupidest idea for a "theme park" Ive ever heard of. I can remember all the hype about Auto World, but I didnt know a single person that wanted to go see what it was all about. And to this day I dont know anyone who went there. It just sounded so lame. You could tell from all the media coverage and stories that it was a flop from day one. No amount of hype could make this place sound like fun or make you want to go visit, hard as they tried. Makes you wonder who thought of this asinine concept in the first place. A real theme park ala Cedar Point would likely have been a huge success.
Entry Date: - 1/6/2003 - Web - In 1984, the $70 million Auto World theme park opened in Flint, Michigan, amid much fanfare and hoopla. Situated on nearly seven acres of land downtown, the park was supposed to draw 900,000 visitors every year and help revive a dying inner city. It had the enthusiastic support of city and state officials and many big-name Flint citizens. Half the $70 million it took to build the facility came from federal, state, and city governments. Sixteen years later, nothing remains of the park. Closed after less than two years of sparse crowds, and then later demolished, the site is now part of the University of Michigans Flint campus.
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| OLD BROCHURE FRONT |
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| OLD BROCHURE INSIDE |
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| AS OLD FLINT IMA BEFORE CONVERSION TO AUTO WORLD |
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| DEMOLITION BLAST |
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| DEMOLITION BLAST |
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| DEMOLITION BLAST |
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| DEMOLITION BLAST |
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| DEMOLITION BLAST |
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| DEMOLITION BLAST |
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