Ozboy Junction Opening Report

By Ozboy

I went to the garden party
and much to my surprise
Mr.Hughes hid in Dillon's
Shoes....

Oh woops, that was Ricky Nelson not Frank Zappa!

But yes, I did go to Ogden's garden party Friday night. The one at the grand opening of the Junction that is.

It was actually quite a successful opening I thought. It was about 8PM when my gal pal and I finished eating at the world class Roosters on world famous 25th street in the heart of the world's first city to have a penny arcade anchor its new mega million dollar mall paid for by tax payers.

There seemed to be a lot of cars on two bit street, but strangely not very many people wandering around outside, in spite of it being a very nice summer evening.

The KokoMo and the other bars seemed to be crowded and noisy and happening. Not being a drinking man I didn't go into them there dens of iniquity, so I can't report on the nefarious goings on therein.

I did however hear second hand reports of the wild doin's and celebratin', in the head, in a joint called Angelo's. The rumors had our very own Little Lord cavorting with his spit swapping buddy Stu, both allegedly in biker drag, with the LL sporting the leather skirt and fish net stockings. They were joyously celebrating the grand opening just around the corner and down the block. The speeches and TV interviews were over and the Little Lord could relax, primp up, gear up, and be himself for a brief moment in his busy empire building life.

Roosters was doing a brisk business in spite of the confused waitresses dressed unattractive in black. They seemed to be pretty clueless at the table waiting craft, but they were friendly and they tried pretty hard. Hell, for a world class joint it does pretty darn good, sorta like some of those high class joints on the upper east side that those rich lawyers frequent while they're visiting their home offices in NYC, when they can get away from their world class condos behind the store fronts on two bit street.

The Rooster menu and food is pretty good and the ambiance ain't bad either. The prices are pretty damn small as well, especially when compared to those hotsy totsy upper east side joints. They got my recommend for good eatin at a decent price!

Anyway, after Roosters we took a two bit street stroll where we ran into Jesse G. with two fun loving gals, one on each arm. They were on their way to a concert behind the city hall. They were on cruise control, having big fun, and heading to listen up on some fine tunes. We politely declined their invitation to join them, which I later regretted.

Any how, at 8PM we drove over to the Junction and pulled right in to the middle of it. Very light vehicle traffic in and around the place. There did not appear to be large crowds of people on the street either, and I actually found a parking place on the street next to the theater. Always a good sign to find a good parking place real soon and close at a happening event.

So we strolled around the place taking it all in from the outside.

The Theater is a pretty far out piece of work. Don't know what it is modeled after or inspired by, but it is a pretty neat looking building. The Rec Center is also interesting from the plaza and front of the Theater.

The Plaza itself is kind of weird. It is not flat but is a contoured and large bricked in area with changes in elevations and altitude of several feet. Compared to some great plaza's I have been to in the US and Europe, I found it a bit strange. Perhaps when the other buildings get built it will then form the complete square, and this strange brick mass might blend in and add to the cool effect the mayor is hoping for. Right now it seems to be part of an unfinished piece, which of course it is.

Perhaps when they build the other buildings, the Earnshaw 6 story affair, and the other Boyer buildings, a big part of what is wonderful about the visuals from the plaza will be gone. That being the beauty of the mountains rising over the Ogden skyline, which is still the show stopper even from the very heart of the new amusement park. Those other building will block a great deal of that view from the plaza.

Even tho there were not lots of people on the street between 8 and 9 PM while we were there, there were a large number of festive people inside the Theater, In front of the Wave rider window, and in the Penny Arcade/bowling alley. Big fun seemed to be in the air, money was changing hands, psychedelic light effects and loud happy noises assaulted the senses. It had the feeling of a pretty successful opening to me.

I didn't go into the gym and sky diving ride and what ever else is behind that weird door in the weird spot that was discussed in the herein comments thread.

The crowd at the theater and in the plaza for the most part were wrist band-less. In spite of not paying the $30 bucks for the almost all inclusive entry fee, there were a fair amount of band-less people who were paying cash for individual movie tickets. The various fast food grease pits in the theater were also doing a brisk cash biz. Larry probably had a pretty fair night all by himself. Hopefully he can continue that on an ongoing basis.

Over at the penny arcade/bowling alley the wrist bands were in much more evidence. A very young crowd, lots of noise, lots of flashing TV screens and pulsating and intense colors flashing all about. Kind of reminded me of an old acid trip I think I recall reading about somewhere back in the blur.

The Costa Vita and Pizza Joint both seemed to have a lot of wrist banded folks waiting in line for their dollop of fried grease and cardboard taco shells. Happy folks in line for happy food! Hey, it don't get no better than that!!

Speaking of Costa Vita, there is something to be said for a first class restaurant that anchors a new world class $50 million dollar tax payer funded city mall, and serves its main entrees, from a cafeteria line, in tin foil containers with cardboard tops. Makes it easy to take the left overs home for sure.

I would take a wild guess and say the whole place had maybe 700 people total in attendance during the one hour I was there. Keep in mind I didn't see in the theaters or parachute ride so I could be off in either direction by a couple of hundred or so. In any event it was not an overly huge crowd with jostling masses. I would also guess that the wrist banded paying customers made up 30 to 40 percent of the total in attendance while I was there.

I looked through the Rec center's big glass front and saw maybe 6 or 7 people climbing on the wall or at least standing around looking at it. With the lighting, it was a bit difficult to see the people inside and on the wall very well.

I know there has been a big to do over this rock climbing sculpture in front, and its relationship to the building, and I know its easy to criticize art, and I truly try to be accepting of all expressions of art, so please bear with me in relating my impression of our very expensive public paid for art. I think the sculpture is way too close to the building. It is dwarfed by the massive glass front and size of the building. It seems to me to lose its effect, identity and strength next to the Rec Center mass. If it were further out in the plaza, even in the middle, it would stand alone as the pretty good piece of sculpture that it is. It would brand the whole setting, not just the one building. So much for this art critic's rant!

Back in the Penny Arcade I was surprised at the large number of video games that had the young, always male, players with menacing looking pistols in their hands, shooting at the bad guys on the screen and being paid off with lots of noise and flashing lights when they brutally killed their make believe foes. The intensity of these young would be warriors is astonishing. Could this possibly be part of a much grander GOP program for the future? Take these young testosterone driven wanna be fighting machines, fire them up with these realistic video combat games and viola! Replacement soldiers for the modern day crusades in the holy land!!

But I digress.

I was intrigued by the closeness and oneness of the bowling alley and the arcade. It is all integrated into pretty much the same space with lots of flashing lights and loud noise. The normal bowling alley noise and ambiance seems to be over powered by the arcade noise, action and intensity. Interesting business model for sure. I can see where it could introduce a whole new young audience into the fun and challenge of bowling.

I tend to agree with a comments thread poster; I find it hard to imagine that this will appeal to the bowling league crowd - at least as we know them today. It could however entice a whole new generation of loud noise and flashing light addicted young people into bowling leagues?

And YES Curmudgeon, I found the Bar! Beer Bar that is. It is off in a corner in a completely sealed off and uninviting room with a rather ominous looking door to get in and out of. It has one way glass looking out onto the corner of the bowling alley. You can see the bowlers but the bowlers can't see you back there partaking in the sin and corruption of your alcohol laced beverages. It didn't look like a bar I would want to hang out in, if I were a drinking man that is. It looked much more like a holding tank at central booking to this observer.

As I stood there in the arcade taking it all in, who should I see but one of the masters hisself, one each Ogden big shot John Patterson. He was bowing with a small group of young people who appeared to be his grandkids or maybe kids. Nice looking group of folks in any event. There in the middle, dressed casual in a nice looking white sweater, was a very happy Patterson with a major league smile from ear to ear.

A while later when we were leaving I walked by Mr. Patterson and he graciously held out his hand and welcomed me. Pretty nice of him considering the grenades I have directed his way the last couple of years! But then again he has always been friendly and gracious to me and most everyone else who throw spears at him. Part of his charm actually. Any way he intro'd himself to my gal pal and talked about how much big fun was all about us. We both agreed and I congratulated him on the very successful opening night, and I meant it.

Now contrasting to the happy face and fun attitude of Patterson, I happened to see Curt Geiger walking into the Theater by himself. He had his ubiquitous blue sport jacket over levi's, and that ever present scowl on his face. Here in the midst of the big opening night of phase one of the Godfreyite idea of Nirvana of the future, Mr. Geiger, Lord Godfrey's bosom buddy and bestest booster, can't seem to crack a smile!. Course I only saw him for maybe two minutes, but still, you'd a thought the big shebang was a dud or something by looking at the guy's sad face. I mean really Mr. Geiger, what was not to have a big smile plastered on for the whole evening?

I didn't see Bobby Jr. or The Producer with the yeller silk shirt. I was hoping to run into both of them so I could offer up my congratulations on their opening night success.

I do share the thoughts of others here who have expressed reservations about the staying power of this whole thing. Opening night is one thing, having legs is a whole other affair.

I think it would have a hell of a lot better chance if the whole mall was built out and coming on line at the same time. But as the old saying goes, you dance with the partner ya got. (or was that you fight with the army you got?) As tax payers of Ogden, this is what we got, so here's hoping it does have legs in the business world.

I was kind of surprised at the Wave Rider. I guess I was expecting something much bigger and grander. You can stand right in front of a large set of windows on the street and look in at the people in the water right close to you. The room the water is in is completely sealed off and has an isolated and cramped feeling, at least looking at it from the street. Not particularly inviting to this baby boomer for sure. (yes, I know I am not the targeted demographic even tho my wallet was targeted to pay for it!)

There is two different lanes that are separated from each other in this wave ride. One rider at a time in each lane. There were about 8 or 10 people, mostly kids, who were in the room with the pools. You enter the water in the front where the water is shooting out from under the floor with great speed and intensity. The water then washes up about a 4 foot rise in the pool and out the back. The whole thing from water entry, up over the rise, and immediately down and out of the room is a very short distance! Maybe 30 feet by 15 feet wide each lane? Not a very big deal in any event. For most riders it was over within 2 to 6 seconds. As soon as they got in the fast stream of water knocked them ass over tea kettle, washed them off their boards and immediately up and over the top and spit out on a platform. From there they walk back down with the little board and get back in line to take another turn. Remember, only one in the water at a time per lane. Fortunately it is over so fast that the line doesn't take very long with a small crowd. I understand it is a by the hour ride, so who knows how many times you can get knocked off your feet head first in to 30 mile an hour water for your $30 entry fee?

A couple of kids seemed to have some surfing rudiments, they could stay on the wave for 10 to 20 seconds. One little girl had it wired on her belly board. She found the groove and rode for 10 or 15 minutes! People in line were getting a little antsy and the attendant finally had to make her get out and get back in line. The 15 or so kids I saw ride it over a 15 minute period all seemed to be having tons of funs.

I wonder what kind of business it will do on Tuesday evenings in November? Good thing the BDO profits are standing behind it, so November really don't matter much after all, does it?

The parking structures have been transformed into much lighter and more airy feeling places with painting, additions and lighting. That alone may help immensely if the place is to succeed.

Lots of cops standing around, all seemed to be enjoying the evening. No apparent crime happening so not much police action with everybody behaving like nice folks do, except maybe in the boxed in little uninviting holding pen in the penny arcade where the beer addicts hang out, and where I didn't go cause I don't drink.

Well, seems like I'm getting a little long winded here about the grand opening of the grand high tech rec center in the grand new world order of Ogden Incorporated.

Twas a grand affair with a pretty respectable sized crowd having lots of fun and laughs spending their jingle amid the lights and action and omnipresent party noise.

For some strange reason I kept having flash backs to another earlier time in my life where I was fortunate enough to experience the Long Beach Pike on maybe a half a dozen visits over a two decade period in the 50's through the 70's. It also was reminiscent of Coney Island, something maybe Mr. Curmudgeon can relate to. I'm talking a very narrow slice of the visual and aural sensations, not to the whole experience of either the Pike or Coney Island. Just a snippet of familiarity with the penny arcade and circus atmosphere.

I still can't figure out why some one would drive past Lagoon to get to the place though.