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Even before Old Chicago had opened its doors Robert Brindle was planning on going even bigger for his next act.  This article from the October 27, 1974 Philadelphia Inquirer goes into Brindle's "Village '76" project.  Set to open in 1976 in Mansfield Township, New Jersey Village '76 would be even bigger than Old Chicago ten acres under the big top for an indoor amusement park over Old Chicago's six acres.



According to this September 15th article in the Philadelphia Inquirer Village '76 would cost even more than Old Chicago going from $40 to $100 million.  To put that figure in todays dollars this project would cost over $530 million today.  The park would open with two indoor roller coasters and four dark rides among others.



In this blurb in the May 25th 1975 edition of the Los Angeles Times the project moved along far enough to select a structural engineer for the project.



Also in the September 5th 1975 edition of The Columbia Record Village '76 was looking to purchase actual period buildings for use in either the mall or the amusement park.  Instead of Old Chicago's turn of the century theme Village '76 would be all about colonial America for the projects theme.



According to this bit in the September 28th 1975 Philadelphia Inquirer it seems that the project was delayed by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.  While I was unable to find no further information on the demise of Village '76 my guess is with Old Chicago floundering through the first year funding for an even bigger project dried up.

Still Robert Brindle wasn't through with trying to build another Old Chicago. 



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Paul B. Drabek