Opening a brand-new theme park is severe enterprise. Simply ask Common Orlando Resort, which opened Epic Universe this yr and reportedly spent billions of {dollars} to do it. Most makes an attempt at model new theme parks from corporations that aren’t already profitable within the business find yourself just like the America’s Heartland theme park undertaking, which promised rather a lot and is now mired in lawsuits.
Hold On, Nateland Is Actual?
Which is why it blows me away that we would actually see a model new theme park undertaking from, of all individuals, slapstick comedian Nate Bargatze. Earlier this yr, he advised Esquire about his want to construct a park in his dwelling metropolis of Nashville, and now Felix Verdigets, the CEO of Nateland, Bargatze’s firm, advised THR that there have been actual conversations with each traders and potential websites for not merely one, however probably a number of Nateland theme parks along with the flagship park in Nashville that’s already in growth. Verdigets stated…
We’ve been in early discussions with some rich households and a few governors of a few different states to do a Nateland-themed one thing, virtually like a mini park.
Nate Bargatze has turn into one of the vital profitable stand-ups working in the present day, however he clearly has his eyes on greater issues past internet hosting the Emmys this weekend. 2026 will see a Nateland Cruise happen, which would be the first of the Nateland Experiences. The theme parks will observe that.
I’ll be sincere, I’m not that up on the profession of Nate Bargatze, so I didn’t give this that a lot consideration when he first floated the thought, partly as a result of I assumed it was simply that, an concept. A number of celebrities speak about concepts that by no means occur, and many theme park ideas which might be deliberate by no means occur. I assumed this may simply get added to the pile.
But it surely appears he’s fairly severe about the entire thing. He needs to construct a theme park, with a dimension on par with Disneyland, in Nashville. Bargatze even has ideas on the place it’s going to go: the previous website of the Opryland USA theme park, although doing that may require flattening the shopping center that changed the park.
Bargatze’s Theme Park Concept Is So Loopy It Simply Would possibly Work
Bargatze additionally has his eye on Hollywood along with his personal studio and manufacturing firm. It appears that evidently, a minimum of initially, the Nateland theme park(s) could have simply normal rides, but when the flicks the studio produces are profitable, they may turn into the IP for future points of interest
I definitely didn’t have “arise comic builds theme park” on my bingo card, however I’ll give something an opportunity. All people thought Walt Disney was loopy when he opened Disneyland, and that turned out fairly effectively for him. Perhaps Nate Bargatze has that very same mix of creativity and madness that Walt had, which is able to make one thing like this profitable.