A slew of new G.I. Joe amusement park teasers went up on Tuesday along Hwy. 98, including two sandbagged fox-holes, a 1971 Army transport truck and a cross and piano display.
“This is just a sign,” said property owner and park developer Maxwell Joseph “Joe” Bruner. “Somebody tore our signs down twice. This is just showing that we are getting ready to open a theme park.”
The proposed G.I. Joe theme park will sit directly west of Big Kahuna’s Amusement and Water Park and offer a new venue of military-themed rides.
“This will be themed towards our veterans,” said Bruner. “The theme is around our forces and their tremendous sacrifice for this country; its part of an ‘Apocalypse Now’ type theme.”
Bruner, who originally built Big Kahuna’s in 1985, told The Log that he has recently re-acquired the water park and with the added parcel of land proposed for G.I. Joes he is now sole owner of 36 acres of land along Hwy. 98.
“When I first started this project in 1985, there was nothing here,” he said. “Big Kahuna’s pushed people to stay in Destin an extra day and we are hoping with this to push it another day.”
The new park will showcase history of the American Forces throughout the past 100 years.
“We will have World War I uniforms to Desert Storm and the new high tech and Special Forces aspects as well,” said Bruner. “There will be water attractions intermingled with roller coasters… it’s going to be spectacular.”
In addition to the G.I. Joe’s theme park, Bruner is developing an outdoor camping and outfitters business on 200 acres of land in Holt under the name, Black Water Joe’s River Adventures.
“We have 900 feet on the river and will have canoes and kayaks, cabins and primitive camp grounds,” Bruner said.
Currently development plans for the Destin project have not been submitted to the city for the theme park, but the new teasers are in the process of being approved.
“There is no development order on the property but the group is working with the city on getting a sign permit in place,” said Public Information Manager Doug Rainer.
Bruner said that he hopes to open the park by the summer to boost the local economy.
“We are expecting to employ 200 people in the summer and we feel like it’s going to be a good thing economically,” he said.
To read past stories about this project, CLICK HERE and HERE.