Another Couple of Marriott Buildings Torn Down

Share your memories of working at Marriott's GREAT AMERICA in Gurnee
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ILuvTheDemon
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Another Couple of Marriott Buildings Torn Down

Post by ILuvTheDemon »

While visiting the park's fan page on Facebook, they showed the County Fair Games Gallery and said that the buildings have been removed for a special reason to be released soon! :( The little buildings featured in a bunch of commercials are gone! http://www.facebook.com/pages/create.ph ... 8984501355 And if you go a few pictures later, they show the CF food court and tell you that it is being reworked and renamed, which I assume means demolition of that Marriott building too! :roll: Anyone know anything about these things?
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WhizzerSFGAm
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Re: Another Couple of Marriott Buildings Torn Down

Post by WhizzerSFGAm »

Neither of those buildings are being removed. All that was removed was the four "island" games sticking out from the main Games Gallery building. Farmer's Market is having cosmetic work done on the right side of the building, and having a large shade structure constructed over the main eating area.
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ILuvTheDemon
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Re: Another Couple of Marriott Buildings Torn Down

Post by ILuvTheDemon »

I know that the little island games were gone, that's what I meant, I just didn't know what to call them. :? Still, they were cute little Marriott buildings that I thought had a lot of character and was something that was in their commercials somewhat often and reminded me of the Marriott era. I'm sad to see them go. I wish I could've gotten a couple pieces of the buildings or something. :( Thanks for filling me in on the food court, I didn't know what they were doing to it besides the shade thing. Knowing SF, I figured they'd tear it down and make something not nice, like superman's super food court or something... :lol: They are renaming it though, I forgot what the caption said. Was the farmer's market the original name for it?
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Re: Another Couple of Marriott Buildings Torn Down

Post by WhizzerSFGAm »

Farmer's Market is the original name. It has now been given the extremely bland name of "County Fair Food Court". As for Games Gallery, although a small part of me doesn't like the building being altered, I do think that area has been way too cluttered since Revolution was put in.
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ILuvTheDemon
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Re: Another Couple of Marriott Buildings Torn Down

Post by ILuvTheDemon »

[quote="WhizzerSFGAm"]It has now been given the extremely bland name of "County Fair Food Court".quote]

I agree, that is pretty bland, but at least it still retains something pertaining to it's location...
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Re: Another Couple of Marriott Buildings Torn Down

Post by Demonlover13 »

Maybe newer guests were confused with it's title
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Re: Another Couple of Marriott Buildings Torn Down

Post by RLAiello »

Demonlover13 wrote:Maybe newer guests were confused with it's title
Wow, I can't believe those game buildings are gone. I spent a lot of time in those things collecting money from those games when I worked in the park. I can still hear those rings clinking on the bottles as people played "Center Ring." And being pelted with quarters in the quarter toss game. And getting bopped in the head at the milk jug game. Never did get a hula hoop around my head though. Ahhh, good times, good memories.
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Re: Another Couple of Marriott Buildings Torn Down

Post by sfgam »

It's sad to see the original theming go but the Farmers Market really needed some shading. It was kind of in need off some updating to. Although I do agree that they should have kept the name. I wonder if they will keep the Farmer out front.
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Re: Another Couple of Marriott Buildings Torn Down

Post by ILuvTheDemon »

sfgam wrote:It's sad to see the original theming go but the Farmers Market really needed some shading. It was kind of in need off some updating to. Although I do agree that they should have kept the name. I wonder if they will keep the Farmer out front.
The farmer statue was already removed after the 2008 season. :(
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Re: Another Couple of Marriott Buildings Torn Down

Post by sfgam »

:? no it was there last year.
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Re: Another Couple of Marriott Buildings Torn Down

Post by Demonlover13 »

^I didn't see it
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Re: Another Couple of Marriott Buildings Torn Down

Post by jimmy gimbels »

The Farmer's Market names was changed because today's teen did not understand what the area was for. Some people thought you could purchase vegetables and flowers. So, the "vanilla" name FOOD COURT was added to attract people to the area.
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Re: Another Couple of Marriott Buildings Torn Down

Post by MGA1 »

While I agree that "Food Court" is a more accurate description, I would think that after 33 years' of being known as "Farmers' Market" most guests would know that "Farmers' Market" was a food court. Great America draws the majority of it's guests from the greater Chicago-Milwaukee metro area and other surrounding areas in the midwest. The parents that are coming to Great America today are the same people that came when they were children in the 70s & 80s. I don't think a new name is going to result in more revenue at the "food court." Improving the selection and quality of the food and charging reasonable prices would increase sales. Marriott always charged a little bit more for food/drinks than typical fast food chains, but the food quality was much better and Marriott was fanatical about cleanliness and courteous service especially in the food prep areas.
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Re: Another Couple of Marriott Buildings Torn Down

Post by Demonlover13 »

"Farmer's Market Food Court" could have worked
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Re: Another Couple of Marriott Buildings Torn Down

Post by RLAiello »

MGA1 wrote:While I agree that "Food Court" is a more accurate description, I would think that after 33 years' of being known as "Farmers' Market" most guests would know that "Farmers' Market" was a food court. ...

Thanks, MGA1... I meant to say EXACTLY this in my reply about the Games Gallery buildings, but forgot to say it... lol.

Anyway, I agree 100%. Farmer's Market has always been a food court, and nobody ever was confused by its title before. Are we really that dumbed down to believe that people were CONFUSED by this after all these years? That's the lamest excuse I've ever heard.

I AM glad they at least kept a County Fair theme to the name. For that much, we can all be somewhat grateful.
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