A New Jersey dinosaur park listed dozens of life-size Jurassic giants — including a Tyrannosaurus Rex — on Facebook Marketplace as its on-site attraction gears up for extinction.
Guy Gsell, owner of the Field Station: Dinosaurs, said he’s been flooded with calls from people across the US who hope to own one of the 25 massive animatronic dinosaurs scattered throughout the adventure park in Leonia, NJ.
“We’ve gotten calls from museums and zoos and rich weirdos who just want them for their yard,” Gsell told the Philadelphia Inquirer on Friday.
In May, Gsell announced that he would be shutting down the popular tourist attraction after 14 years, having welcomed over one million guests, when its lease expires at the end of the 2025 season on Nov. 9.
“The finances of the park had become problematic and the lease was up — it was just time,” Gsell told the outlet.
The park has listed dozens of its massive beasts on Facebook Marketplace and is charging around $500 to $3,500 per dinosaur, which are listed in “used” and “fair” condition.
The life-sized 39-foot Tyrannosaurus Rex — advertised as “slightly used, well loved!” — starts at $2,700.
A rubber juvenile Triceratops, who “loves kids” and is 16-feet tall with “limited motion” and sound, was listed for $1,668 on the platform.
The most expensive dinosaur listed is the 75-foot-tall Apatosaurus, listed at $2,860.
“Buyers are responsible for all deinstallation and shipping/transportation costs,” the listing claimed.
Cheaper options included a rubber 6-foot-five Velociraptor with feathers for $700.
The park plans to give purchasing priority to a person or business that’s able to buy all of the dinosaurs as opposed to just one or two.
Buyers won’t be able to pick up their new item until after the park officially shuts its doors.
Manager Lisa Fardella said she had to stop answering calls from interested buyers who wanted a piece of the park one day after she listed the objects because of the huge, unexpected demand.
“It’s been an absolute zoo,” Fardella told PIX11. “Crazy insane. I haven’t slept much, trying to keep up with responding to everybody.”
Gsell claimed that even though the on-site park is closing, the business will still have events for the community.
“Everything that people love about the Field Station’s shows, our entertainment, our educational programming – those will live on after the park closes,” Gsell said told the outlet.
The park offered activities such as live shows, games and fossil digs for 15 years before it decided to close at the end of the season
“From Secaucus to Leonia, it’s been an amazing run and we’re proud of the legacy we’re leaving behind and the impact we’ve had on the lives of our young guests,” Gsell said in May.
Read the full article here
