Paddy’s Bluff Retreat sold, closed One of the area's most popular recreational sites has been sold and closed.
Paddy's Bluff Retreat near Dycusburg was sold last week, according to John Travis, who started the ATV park five years ago and turned it into the county's largest commercial recreational enterprise.
Grogan and Hatcher Properties, LLC of Arlington, Ky., has purchased the property. Travis said he doesn't know what the new owner plans to do with it, but he is quite certain that it will no longer be operated as an ATV park.
According to the Kentucky Secretary of State's Web site, Grogan and Hatcher, LLC is a Kentucky limited liability corporation owned by Bobby L. Grogan and Mark Hatcher. The two are partners in a farming enterprise and are affiliated with several other Kentucky companies individually. Grogan is president of Grogan's Sausage in Arlington.
Crittenden County Judge-Executive Fred Brown said Paddy's Bluff had become a western Kentucky landmark which was known far and wide.
"It was an attraction that brought in a great deal of tourism and benefited our local economy," Brown said. "I think a similar type enterprise would be very viable here. We have plenty of undeveloped property where someone could start up something like it elsewhere."
Brown said the county and the local economic development corporation would be willing to work with anyone interested in developing a new ATV park in the county.
Travis said some entrepreneurs have already contacted him about starting up an off-road vehicle park in a nearby county. They were consulting with Travis on the feasibility, he said.
"It was a very good business and we appreciate everyone who supported us and came to the park," said Travis, who opened the 650-acre facility in April of 2003.
"I thought it would be a weekend job, but it turned into be a whole lot more than that," he said.
The park hosted three- and four-day events during most holiday weekends, drawing hundreds of ATV riders and Jeep enthusiasts. It had also become host to a national off-road buggy event.
"Our biggest weekend was Memorial Day last year when we had about 1,800 people," said Travis.
In addition to off-road trails, the park offered overnight camping. Travis said several camper trailers are still located inside the complex. Owners need to contact him within the next 20 days to make arrangements to move them. He can be reached at 836-4297.
Paddy's Bluff had always been a local landmark. There is a legend surrounding the bluff overlooking the Cumberland River. It was there that an early Irish pioneer named Paddy rode a team of mules off the bluff into the river, one legend says. It was also a site used during the filming of “How the West was Won.”
Travis bought the property several years ago from the former Westvaco Corp., and a private landowner. About 200 acres was known as the Eugene Duvall farm with the balance previously belonging to the timber and paper company.
Travis, who also operates a private timber company, had been logging portions of the property while operating the ATV park, too.
"I really hated to let it go, but I had already signed the option back before we opened Paddy's Bluff," Travis said. "The people who had that contract exercised their option to buy it last week." Baseball, skatepark work rolling along On Monday, as a distant hammering signalled the finishing touches to the roof of new dugouts at the future home of the Marion Bobcats, the occasional clamor of an air wrench indicated the beginning of an oasis for local skateboarders – Marion Skatepark.
Pallets of unassembled ramps and rails that will be give birth to noseslides and laser flips were strewn around an 80- x 100-foot concrete slab where terms like love, ace and deuce were once used to keep score of tennis matches. A crew from American Ramp Company, or ARC, in Joplin, Mo., has spent most of this week erecting the parts into about 10 props to be used by skaters at the new facility.
By all indications, the long-awaited skatepark at Marion-Crittenden County Park should be completed by nightfall today (Thursday) and ready for skaters after school on Friday.
“They’ll all be out there,” said Maetta Witherspoon, mother of a local skateboarder and volunteer who has helped teens organize numerous efforts to help pay for the park. “They can’t believe it’s finally here.”
For the last few years, skateboarders and their parents have worked to generate more than $10,000 through efforts like picking up trash, bagging groceries, grill-outs and even publishing a cookbook. About $3,000 of that added to the equal $25,000 contributions from the county and City of Marion paid for the equipment assembled this week.
“We’re real proud of what’s going on out here,” said park board chairman Paul Belt, maneuvering pallets of skate equipment with a forklift Monday.
City officials, too, are happy to have a home for skateboarders, who have encountered difficulties in finding acceptable areas to perfect their art. Marion Police Chief Ray O’Neal hopes the new skatepark will cut down on complaints his department gets about congregating skateboarders.
“I really feel like it will, with this,” O’Neal said, adding that there is now no reason for boarders to be in the downtown business district or in the streets.
“...We’re going to give the new skate park ample opportunity to make a difference before looking at a ban on streets (and) sidewalks,” City Administrator Mark Bryant said.
Witherspoon said she and most other skateboarding parents understand and expect tougher enforcement now. She’s just happy her child has a safe place to enjoy himself.
“They have been wonderful – the city, county and park (board) – all working together,” Witherspoon said.
Diamond dreams coming true A couple of hundred yards from the skatepark lies Gordon B. Guess Field, home to Crittenden County’s High School baseball team, as well as the Marion Bobcats when opening day arrives June 4.
On Monday, Chad Thomas, his brother Zac and the rest of the T&T Concrete crew were finishing the roof of the new dugouts at the field. Chad is one of the 20 investors backing the semi-pro summer collegiate league baseball team and both he and Zac played on the same field in high school.
“I wish we’d had these when I played,” Zac said of the dugouts, which are deep enough to shield players from the sun and large enough to comfortably fit the entire 22-man Bobcats roster.
The dugouts, recently completed 250-seat grandstand and the Bobcats are largely the advent of the man for whom the field is named. The former banker and avid baseball fan has taken an interest in the field for years, awaiting the day he might be able to bring big-time summer baseball to Marion. By making an investment into Marion Baseball Club LLC and acquiring 19 other equal investors from around Crittenden County, Guess has a team for an entire population to enjoy.
“It’s our team,” he said. “It’s Marion’s team. It says a lot for this community.”
Another of the investors, Kory Wheeler, believes the team will help put Marion on the map.
“I’m proud to say that it’s our team,” the sports fan and park board member said. “It’s good for the people of the community.”
And Kory, along with her husband Bill, who together own two Marion restaurants, could be the added beneficiaries of an economic boost when players and fans spend their money to eat in town.
“But that’s not the point,” said Kory, who has grown close to Guess since moving to Marion six years ago.
Attorney Alan Stout views his stake in the Bobcats as a donation to hopefully bring some of the magic he experienced as a youth player at old Grady Field to a new generation.
“I think we have a unique opportunity here for something that is a good fit for Marion,” Stout said. “I hope the community embraces the Bobcats.”
Backers credit Guess’ lead by example in making the effort happen.
“The investment and volunteer support is a testimony to his commitment of time and energy put into this project,” said Stout.
“For anybody who puts that much into something for the community,” added Wheeler, “you have to back it.”
Bobcat backers The following Marion individuals or entities have invested an initial $1,000 into the Marion Bobcats franchise with a pledge of another $1,000 at a later date.
John Belt
Gerald Collins
Terry Ford
Gordon Guess
Zac Greenwell
Gareth Hardin
Thom Hawthorne Jr.
Charlie Hunt
Cletus Hunt
Gary James
Jim Johnson
Rebecca Johnson
Joe McDaniel
Darrick Myers
Barry Nasseri
Perry Newcom
Roger Simpson
Alan Stout
Chad Thomas
Bill and Kory Wheeler