<< Back 12/25/02 Entrepreneurs discuss acquiring Ghost Town SMN The owners of the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad are discussing the purchase of the Ghost Town theme park in Maggie Valley. GSMRR spokesperson Kim Lyons has released a statement that confirms that Allen and Carol Harper of Miami, Fla, owners of the railroad, are in discussions with R.B. Coburn, who owns Ghost Town. “There have reportedly been a number of interested parties looking at the Ghost Town property for real-estate development. If an acquisition is made by Mr. Harper, it is his intent to keep the theme park in operation,” read the railroad press release. Coburn announced in September that the theme park was officially on the market for $8 million. Coburn confirmed at that time that he had been interested in selling the park for years. Ghost Town opened in 1961 and has been a popular Maggie Valley attraction since. This summer it suffered a number of setbacks including a recurring problem with the operation of the chairlift that shuttles patrons to the mountaintop theme park.