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Playland Park - Flint MI

Address:
City: Flint
State: MI
Zip:
County: Genesee
Number of visits to this page: 12862
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General Information:

Source: Skot Werner

Playland used to be on Pasadena Ave in the north end of flint. We were killing it in the late 70s, opening a new "attraction" every summer for a good handful of years, giant slide, skateboard park, putt-putt golf, all that dorky family fu-time stuff. When the video game craze swept the nation, we were already fronting over 120 games. The race track you maybe thinking of was the 1/2 mile go kart track we built and ran Johnson Karts on. That was insane fun and always caused chaos with people going nuts, unwilling to stop, taking off over the grass areas. That usually lead to fights betweeen the staff and the perpetrators....ah, good times!

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Info Updates:
8/23/2012 - J.B.
If anyone has any pictures or videos of the skatepark om Pasadena, I'd love to see them posted here or on Youtube. I skated here when it first opened and have great memories of the snake run and the bowl, but have no pictures.
1/20/2012 - Craig
I believe I singlehandedly kept Playland South in business in the early 1980's. I dropped a ton of money there every weekend on videogames and pinball. It was a good place because not only did they have every hot videogame, it was safe. And it had a great stereo system.
2/5/2008 - Kris Werner
Playland Park/ Playland Arcade
Opened in 1969, prior to that the facility operated as a miniature golf. Opening its first arcade July 20 1969. The facillity had games, batting cages, mini golf. golf practice facilities, and a giant slide. Playland became Michigan's first video arcade, being the first to purchase and operate "Pong" in the early seventies. In the mid seventies it was one of the top destination facillities in mid Michigan. In 1977 looking for a way to expand Henry Werner removed the golf driving range, shifting gears into the concession go kart business. Praises poured in for the 1/2 mile track designed by an unknown county employee using road commision equipment. The instructions were simple; "drive like a drunk, make a big circle and end up back here". The whole design procedure took less than fifteen minutes. One karting publication called it "the best track on the eastern seaboard". I always scratched my head when I read the word "seaboard". In 1979 playland added the states first skate park and pro shop. The business was very busy as the video game industry took off. In 1980 a second store was opened called Playland South. It is still in operation today on Dort Hwy. in Grand Blanc. In the early 80's the original Playland was sold. in 1986 Playland South changed it's name to Playland Park adding the states first slick track, still operated today. Also added in that renovation, monster minature golf, a new 1/2 mile go kart track, and an ice cream parlor. In 1992 the ice cream parlor was closed and a pizza and birthday party restaurant called Starbucks opened. It still serves great pizza but it goes by the name Bonkers! due to confusion with the coffee company.
In 1996 they added Kiddie go karts for ages 4-7, and Naskart go karts. Two years later the Naskart karts where pulled and that track became a junior track. The business is still in operation today hosting many birthday parties, serving pizza, fun, go karts and minature golf. In 1997 Playland opened it first haunted attraction which has been rated the areas top haunted house for 10 straight years. Developing a theatrical division called WWW.fearfest.net.
7/3/2005 - Skot Werner
Playland used to be on Pasadena Ave in the north end of flint. We were killing it in the late 70s, opening a new "attraction" every summer for a good handful of years, giant slide, skateboard park, putt-putt golf, all that dorky family fu-time stuff. When the video game craze swept the nation, we were already fronting over 120 games. The race track you maybe thinking of was the 1/2 mile go kart track we built and ran Johnson Karts on. That was insane fun and always caused chaos with people going nuts, unwilling to stop, taking off over the grass areas. That usually lead to fights betweeen the staff and the perpetrators....ah, good times!
11/16/2004 - Matt Prieur
If this is the same thing im thinking of, the track is now an arcade with go-kart tracks, and putt-putt golf with the same name, Playland Park. It is on Dort Highway about 1/2 mile North of the Dort Hwy./Saginaw St. interchange heading into Grand Blanc.
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