NJ dinosaur theme park sells animatronics to AC resort, hasn't received payment

NJ dinosaur theme park sells animatronics to AC resort, hasn't received payment

Field Station: Dinosaurs, the New Jersey theme park that went viral when they listed their animatronic dinosaurs for sale on Facebook Marketplace, is now asking for the public's help, after they say they haven't gotten paid. FOX 5 NY's Jennifer Williams has more.

LEONIA, N.J. - Field Station: Dinosaurs, the New Jersey theme park that went viral when they listed their animatronic dinosaurs for sale on Facebook Marketplace, is now asking for the public's help, after they say they haven't gotten paid. 

NJ dinosaur theme park closes

The backstory:

In May, Field Station: Dinosaurs announced it was closing after 14 seasons. As the park wound down operations, they tried to sell off their dinosaur models, listing them on Facebook. 

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Before the park ultimately shuttered last month, owner Guy Gsell announced he'd sold all the dinosaurs to one buyer — Showboat Resort Atlantic City.

What we know:

But, Gsell said that days after the resort sent him payment, the checks bounced, and when the buyer told him they'd wire him the money instead, the resort allegedly sent the money to the wrong account number, and Gsell never got the money.

Now, the Showboat is displaying the dinosaurs on the Atlantic City Boardwalk, and Gsell and the Field Station: Dinosaurs team are working to get their animatronics back. The team has started a GoFundMe campaign to help afford lawyers.

What they're saying:

Gsell said the whole situation has been "a whirlwind."

"I can't tell you how happy we were when we reached the agreement with the resort down in Atlantic City, because we loved the idea of keeping the collection together," Gsell said. "We loved the idea of keeping the collection in New Jersey. We saw that they had made a commitment to increased educational programming, and it just seemed like the perfect fit. So when that rug was pulled out from beneath us, it was more heartbreaking than anything else. We're more sad than angry."

What's next:

Gsell said the team hasn't reached out to the authorities yet. He wants to resolve the situation amicably. But, he said they do want to protect themselves in case the payment never comes.

Meanwhile, the Showboat received more than $4 million in state revitalization grants earlier this year, but it's unclear if any of that helped fund their new dinosaur display.