Chicago's Santa's Village Closed, Gone

[rsatz28]

50 Year old Santa's Village gone for good.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/l...610250175oct25,1,5984200.story?coll=chi-news-hed

Santa taking bids on his old village
Closed theme park tries to pay off debt

Even roller-coaster is on auction block as theme park tries to pay off its debt


By Robert Channick
Special to the Tribune

October 25, 2006

The gates to Santa's Village will swing open one last time Wednesday for an auction that will let fans of the closed East Dundee amusement park bid on everything from cotton candy machines to the Typhoon Roller Coaster.

"We're very hopeful that it will get us at least to ground zero" in paying off some debts, said Phillip Wenz, acting administrator for the park.

After a bumpy financial ride that forced the park to close this summer, the operator was evicted in August. A Kane County judge ordered the company, North Pole Corp., to pay $171,000 in overdue rent, prompting the liquidation.

On Tuesday, dozens of bidders arrived to register for the auction and tour the park. Among them was Randy Saluk, owner of Tinkertown Family Fun Park in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

Saluk had his eye on the Typhoon, provided he could nab it for under $250,000.

"We drove 1,500 miles and thought [the place] would be in better shape," he said. "A lot of the stuff is run-down. It needs a lot of work."

Amusement park and carnival operators were expected to bid on dozens of attractions, but for a $10 admission anyone could acquire some very large pieces of local history.

Items to be auctioned include a locomotive engine, a 56-horse carousel, two Zamboni ice machines and 10 not-so-gently used bumper cars.

The biggest ticket item, the 63-foot Typhoon, was purchased for more than $1 million in 1998, according to Wenz.

"It's going to be an experience that none of us really wanted to happen," said Wenz, who spent two decades as the park's Santa before its demise thrust him into a caretaker's role.

One of three Santa's Villages built by California developer Glenn Holland, the East Dundee park was the last one standing.

A Chicago developer, Sterling Bay Cos., owns the 40-acre property at Illinois Highways 25 and 72. The company has discussed potential redevelopment plans with East Dundee officials.

The auction, which begins at 10:30 a.m., will be run by Norton Auctioneers of Michigan, which specializes in amusement parks. "We've done them all over the country," said David Norton, president and chief auctioneer of the 40-year-old company.

Norton has presided over the last ride for several local amusement parks, including Dispensa's Kiddie Kingdom in Oakbrook Terrace, which closed in 1984, and Chicago's famed Riverview Park, which ended its 63-year run in 1967.

Norton employees have been organizing the items that will be put up for bid, including logo-bearing coffee mugs and the 12-foot Santa that guards the front entrance.

High bidders will have two days to remove the smaller items and up to two weeks for the larger ones. Responsibility for transporting the rides falls entirely on the new owners, which could prove challenging.

It will take a crane and about a dozen 40-foot trailers to relocate the Typhoon, something Wenz warns the impulse buyer to keep in mind.

"There's part of me that is in denial with it," said Wenz, who plans to stay on until the assets are dispersed.

"It will be a difficult day to get through Wednesday because I'll see another Chicago icon being dismantled."

[Mr70]

Don't bid on the Large Santa statue.
My cousin threw up on his left boot after Shiela Marzak punched him in the stomach for buying Jamie Shelton a Snowcone in 1973.
Those were the days..

[Belair62]

Kind of a shame...it was a neat place for kids. Tho I admit I haven't been there in years.

[Xplantdad]

Damn...I remember going there as a kid, too!

[PeteLeathersac]

[ QUOTE ]
Don't bid on the Large Santa statue.
My cousin threw up on his left boot after Shiela Marzak punched him in the stomach for buying Jamie Shelton a Snowcone in 1973.
Those were the days..

[/ QUOTE ]


Too much...I'm still laughing! .

If you guys get missing Santa's world too bad, the old Santa's Village here in Bracebridge Ontario Canada is still happening! . It's in the heart of Ontario's famous Muskoka cottage country so a great summer fun place to go! . Also it's where the real Santa is anyway...not just some old guy in a red suit like you've all been fooled with for years! .

~ Pete

[Kim_Howie]

Yea that's where the carrousel has Muskies instead of horses.

[SS454]

I was there today but not to buy anything just to get back some gas cylinders back that the company I work for leased to them. I talked to Wenz today he said more of a junk sale than anything. The park has been closed from last summer not much up keep going on over the last year . Very sad day over there lots of people just there to take pictures of what was left.

[jeff morocco]

i grew up about a mile from there in carpentersville. a very good friend of mine drowned in the pond one night after tipping over one of the paddle boats. it was a cool place back in the day, but i can say i will not miss it !