After ABC successfully invested in DISNEYLAND, the other television networks were eager to get in on this new theme park business. The first to try its luck at a theme park was CBS. Choosing an ocean pier that had been rejected by Walt Disney years earlier, CBS partnered with the Santa Anita Company to build Pacific Ocean Park.
The park was initially successful and CBS was thrilled. However, the reasons why Disney had originally rejected the location became apparent. Getting to the park became a chore due to construction in the area. Hemmed in by the ocean on one side, P.O.P was vulnerable to the slightest traffic snarls. Also, being on the beach attracted a rougher crowd to the park. Soon CBS saw its investment go up in smoke. P.O.P would close for good; what wasn't demolished would end up being reclaimed by the sea.
