The Realm Town is an upcoming fantasy adventure theme park in Pleasant Grove, Utah. It first opened to the public as Evermore Park on September 29, 2018, under the direction of Ken Bretschneider.[1] The park allowed guests who visited to interact with trained actors who portrayed fantasy characters.[1][3] The only traditional ride was "The Evermore Express", a small train that travelled around the park.[4][5] Evermore had been compared by critics to the fictional Westworld, renaissance fairs, and Choose Your Own Adventure books.[6][7]
| Location | 382 South Evermore Lane, Pleasant Grove, Utah, United States |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 40°21′32″N 111°45′58″W / 40.359°N 111.766°W |
| Status | Under construction |
| Opens |
|
| Closed | April 8, 2024 (Evermore Park)[2] |
| Owner |
|
| Theme | Medieval / fantasy |
| Operating season | Year-round, with various breaks |
On April 8, 2024, the property's landlord declared the park closed.[2][8] On August 5, 2024, Travis and Michelle Fox took over the property.[9] On September 20, 2024, the new tenants revealed that the park will be renamed to "The Realm Town".[10][11]
History
editEvermore Park
edit
Evermore Park was created by Ken Bretschneider, the founder of DigiCert. According to Bretschneider, the idea for Evermore partially arose from his tradition of elaborately decorating his home in Lindon, Utah for Halloween each year.[12] The concept for Evermore Park was debuted at Salt Lake ComicCon in 2014, with the park announced to be opened the next year.[13] Josh Shipley left Walt Disney Imagineering to become CCO of Evermore in 2017.[14] The park had its grand opening on September 29, 2018.
The park experienced financial difficulties, with some buildings and areas of the park remaining unfinished throughout the park's life.[15][16] By June 2020, several lawsuits had been filed against Evermore by contractors who had not been paid in full for the construction of the park's buildings.[17] One of the attraction ideas Bretschneider and visual effects artist Curtis Hickman had envisioned for the project, which would combine virtual reality with a physical environment, was spun off from Evermore into a separate business known as The Void, which also faced difficulty due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[18][19][20]
In 2021, many of the park's actors were laid off, and the land and buildings of the park were sold to Brandon Fugal, the chairman of Colliers International-Utah, a part of Colliers International, reportedly allowing the park to break even.[21][22] On April 8, 2024, Fugal announced that the park's previous tenants had defaulted and been evicted from the property, and that a "new enterprise" would be making improvements to the park.[8]
The Realm Town
editOn August 5, 2024, Travis and Michelle Fox took over the property.[9] On September 20, 2024, they revealed that the park will be renamed to "The Realm Town".[10][11] By September 29, 2024, author Brandon Sanderson bought land next to the park, with the intention to build a bookstore, as part of a project called "Dragonsteel Plaza".[23][24]
Features
editEvermore did not have traditional rides. Instead, most of the guest experience revolved around interactions with actors in the park's fantasy setting, where guests were encouraged to roleplay for themselves and take part in the park's storyline. Visitors in the park were referred to as "World Walkers", and were permitted to come in costume.[5] Guests were able to join one of the park's guilds by completing tasks given to them by characters.[25]
The park also offered archery, axe throwing, and a themed train experience.[16] Vander's Keep, a themed building attached to the park, was a restaurant and bar, and later an events venue.[26]
The park was seasonal and only open on weekends. The first seasonal experience was called Lore, a Halloween-themed storyline during the fall. During the day, there was the Magical World of Lore, a family-friendly Halloween experience; at night, the park became the Cursed World of Lore, a haunted attraction.[16] The second seasonal experience was Aurora, a winter world loosely inspired by the works of Charles Dickens. The final seasonal experience was Mythos, lasting from spring into summer.[27][28]
Taylor Swift litigation
editEvermore entangled itself in legal proceedings with American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift.[29][30] In February 2021, Evermore Park filed a lawsuit against Swift over the name of her 2020 album Evermore, alleging trademark infringement.[31] Later that month, TAS Rights Management countersued the park on behalf of Swift, claiming that the park was playing Swift's songs "Love Story", "You Belong with Me", and "Bad Blood" without proper licensing.[32] In March, both parties agreed to drop their lawsuits.[33]
References
edit- ^ a b c Tuttle, Brittani (September 10, 2018). "Evermore Park to host experience park's grand opening on Sept. 29". Attractions Magazine. Retrieved November 6, 2022.
- ^ a b Jayswal, Palak (April 9, 2024). "Utah's fantasy-themed Evermore Park has closed permanently". The Salt Lake Tribune. Archived from the original on April 10, 2024. Retrieved April 9, 2024.
- ^ Erickson, Courtnie (August 26, 2022). "Evermore Park In Utah Is The Stuff Of Childhood Dreams". Only in Your State. Retrieved November 6, 2022.
- ^ "Evermore Park Mythos | Explore Utah Valley". Utah Valley. Retrieved November 6, 2022.
- ^ a b "Evermore Park FAQ". Evermore.com. Retrieved November 6, 2022.
- ^ MacDonald, Brady (September 24, 2019). "Is Evermore the future of immersive theme park experiences?". Blooloop. Archived from the original on September 26, 2019. Retrieved December 1, 2024.
- ^ Martens, Todd (November 9, 2018). "Westworld, Ho! Inside Evermore, where the future of theme parks is not about rides but play". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved December 1, 2024.
- ^ a b Wixom, Cassidy (April 10, 2024). "Utah immersive fantasy park Evermore shutting down; property owner promises a 'new attraction'". Deseret News. Retrieved May 26, 2024.
- ^ a b Johnson, Emma Everett (August 6, 2024). "Evermore's new owners to reveal hints about opening with interactive clues, cash prizes". KSL.com. Retrieved August 7, 2024.
- ^ a b Baggerly, Kayla (September 20, 2024). "Name revealed for new fantasy-themed venue at former Evermore Park property". Yahoo! Entertainment. Retrieved November 30, 2024.
- ^ a b Baggerly, Kayla (September 20, 2024). "Name revealed for new fantasy-themed venue at former Evermore Park property". ABC4. Retrieved November 30, 2024.
- ^ Anstey, Tom (October 16, 2018). "Interview - Ken Bretschneider and Josh Shipley". Attractions Management. Retrieved November 27, 2022.
- ^ McFall, Michael (September 5, 2014). "The ambitious dream of Evermore Park on its way to reality in Utah". The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved November 27, 2022.
- ^ Merlin, Lalla (June 12, 2018). "Evermore - how Utah's new smart park is imagineered for fantasy gaming". Blooloop. Retrieved November 27, 2022.
- ^ Horwitz, Abel (September 25, 2019). "Evermore: A World Unto Itself". Medium. Retrieved November 6, 2022.
- ^ a b c "Evermore Park in Pleasant Grove is Ever So Remarkable". Front Row Reviewers Utah. Archived from the original on November 6, 2022. Retrieved November 6, 2022.
- ^ Foreman, Kelsie (August 21, 2020). "Evermore faces financial ruin after failing to pay contractors". Utah Business. Retrieved November 6, 2022.
- ^ Haddock, Sharon (August 11, 2015). "Evermore Adventure Park concept evolves into 'The Void'". Deseret News. Retrieved May 9, 2016.
- ^ Hall, Charlie (May 5, 2016). "Welcome to The Void". Polygon. Vox Media. Retrieved May 9, 2016.
- ^ Hollister, Sean (November 17, 2020). "The VR arcade that Disney crowned is teetering on the brink of extinction". The Verge. Retrieved November 27, 2022.
- ^ Burt, Spencer (January 17, 2021). "Evermore Park cancels winter production, dozens of employees laid off". KSTU. Retrieved November 27, 2022.
- ^ Alsever, Jennifer (May 16, 2022). "Evermore is not dead yet". Utah Business. Retrieved November 6, 2022.
- ^ Jayswal, Palak (September 29, 2024). "A famous Utah author bought land in Pleasant Grove. Here's what he has planned for it". The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved November 30, 2024.
- ^ Keith, Caitlin (September 30, 2024). "Brandon Sanderson announces 'Dragonsteel Plaza' and reads from upcoming book at FanX". Deseret News. Retrieved November 30, 2024.
- ^ Ockey, Natalie (January 3, 2021). "Evermore Park | Pleasant Grove". Utah's Adventure Family. Retrieved November 27, 2022.
- ^ "Vander's Keep". VandersKeep.com. Retrieved November 27, 2022.
- ^ "Evermore Park Mythos | Fantasy Renaissance Faire". Evermore.com. Retrieved May 26, 2024.
- ^ Davis, Genie (May 30, 2019). "Evermore: Utah's New Fantasy Theme Park Adds Summer Event". Amusement Park Warehouse. Retrieved May 26, 2024.
- ^ Stutz, Colin (February 3, 2021). "Taylor Swift Sued by Utah Theme Park Over 'Evermore' Album Title". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 3, 2022. Retrieved December 1, 2024.
- ^ Bloom, Madison (February 4, 2021). "Taylor Swift Sued By Utah Theme Park Evermore Over Trademark". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on May 22, 2022. Retrieved May 22, 2022.
- ^ Peterson, Kolbie (February 2, 2021). "Utah fantasy theme park Evermore sues Taylor Swift over alleged trademark infringement". The Salt Lake Tribune. Archived from the original on February 3, 2021. Retrieved May 26, 2024.
- ^ Blistein, Jon (February 24, 2021). "Taylor Swift's Rights Management Company Countersues Evermore Theme Park". Rolling Stone. Retrieved May 26, 2024.
- ^ Willman, Chris (March 25, 2021). "Taylor Swift and Evermore Park Drop Lawsuits Against One Another, With No Money Exchanged". Variety. Retrieved May 26, 2024.