Negative-G - Old Chicago Shopping Center Á Amusement Park - Old Towne Mall

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Old Chicago Shopping Center & Amusement Park, Bolingbrook Illinois

With a rapidly growing suburban area and no major amusement park in the market since Riverview Park closed in 1967 the Chicago area was decided on to take the concept of "recreational retail" that was prototyped at Old Towne Mall to the next level. The city of Bolingbrook was chosen due to easy access to Highway 53 and Interstate 55 and approval was given for the project in June of 1973.

Here is Robert Brindle presenting the plans for what was to become Old Chicago. It is interesting that in the initial proposal there were plans for a convention center, hotel, and golf course which would have made Old Chicago even more of a mixed use destination development.

Here is one of the conceptual designs created to help sell the concept of Old Chicago to Bolingbrook as well as investors. This artwork is very close to what the Fairgrounds turned out looking like. At the top of the photo is the arched entryway to Old Chicago. Guests would have to walk through the mall to the rear of the building to get to the dual circular ramps at the bottom of the photo that would take guests down into the Fairgrounds. The rides shown in the Fairgrounds are pretty accurate with the exception of the "Matterhorn" type mountain in the middle of the park and the artist couldn't quite grasp the layout of the Chicago Loop as the ride has no lift hill and the loops look a bit more like vertical loops.

In July of 1973 ground was broken for Old Chicago. On July 7, 1973 the Chicago Tribune ran this article announcing what was to come. From the artists rendering of the Fairgrounds it looks like the main attraction was a giant Chance Rides Toboggan coaster built up into Old Chicago's dome.

An interesting point in the article notes that there will be a "sedate million-dollar attraction featuring a representation of the changing seasons around the world" that would become the "Four Seasons" dark ride. In my research I have found very little on this very memorable ride.

This article from the Los Angeles Times from April 7, 1974 set Old Chicago's completion date as February 1975 and stated that the mall was designed by architect Branko Lepan. This artists rendition has a Ferris Wheel as the centerpiece of the park with the coasters lining the Fairgrounds outside wall.