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Theme Park Supplier's News of the Week #12 Bolliger Mabillard, MAURER Rides, ETF Ride Systems, Lo-...
Theme Park Supplier's News of the Week #12
World Waterpark Association Success for WWA's 33th Symposium and Trade Show
World Waterpark Association
Hong Kong Disneyland to introdoce Iron Man Experience First major Marvel attraction planned in 2016
Hong Kong Disneyland to introdoce Iron Man Experience
Theme Park Supplier's News of the Week #11 Zamperla, Simworx, Electrosonic, Vortex
Theme Park Supplier's News of the Week #11
Theme Park Industry News Roundup #6 Liseber, Universal Parks and Resorts, IAAPA, Herschend ...
Theme Park Industry News Roundup #6
Premier Rides wins €8 million contract with Plopsa Gr... New launch coaster to open at Holiday Park in 2014
Premier Rides wins €8 million contract with Plopsa Gr...
Theme Park Industry News Roundup #5 Tokyo Disney Resort, Merlin, European Star Awards
Theme Park Industry News Roundup #5
Record anniversary edition for Euro Attractions Show More than 8,500 attendees on a record exhibit floor
Record anniversary edition for Euro Attractions Show
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Latest Industry News

CORPORATEPublished on January 28, 2014 NewsParcs to take an extended break
EVENTPublished on November 10, 2013 IAAPA Attractions Expo 2013 debuts next week in Orlando
CORPORATEPublished on November 10, 2013 Difficult season for Compagnie des Alpes' amusement parks
NEWPublished on October 21, 2013 Theme Park Supplier's News of the Week #12
NEWPublished on October 13, 2013 Theme Park Supplier's News of the Week #11
NEWPublished on October 13, 2013 Theme Park Industry News Roundup – Issue #6
581 articles published » See all articles

Welcome!

NewsParcs is an online trade publication dedicated to theme park industry professionals worldwide.

Since 1998, we work in direct contact with manufacturers, suppliers, consultants, owners and operators to publish only reliable and relevant information.

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EAS 2013 NewsParcs will do a full coverage of the IAAPA Attractions Expo 2013 in Orlando to have a look at the latest trends and developments of the global theme park industry.

Follow us on Twitter (@NewsParcs) from November 19 to 22 with the hashtag #IAAPA

Businessman Ed Hart takes the reins of Kentucky

Kingdom after 4 years of closure

Update : 10/07/13 - 18h58 Published by François Mayné the 9 July 2013, New.
Kentucky Kingdom amusement park along with the Hurricane Bay water park, located in Louisville, Kentucky in the United States, both will reopen their doors in May 2014. It's the end of an administrative saga which will have lasted nearly four years, since the withdrawal in 2009 of their previous operator Six Flags while it was, at that time, in a financial restructuring.

Kentucky Kingdom to reopen in May 2014.The Kentucky State Fair, owner of the 24 hectares/59 acres of land and of Kentucky Kingdom's facilities, has chosen a new handler in the person of the local businessman Ed Hart, a well-known figure on the spot since he was the operator of the park between 1989 and 1997. Together with several partners grouped in the company Kentucky Kingdom LLLP, Ed Hart signed with the Kentucky State Fair a lease-management agreement for a period of 70 years.

Kentucky Kingdom had been the subject of several unsuccessful attempts of take- back, Ed Hart himself being a candidate in 2011 before throwing in the towel. In early 2012, the Koch family (owners of Holiday World & Splashin' Safari in the neighboring state of Indiana) unveiled its intention to resume the management of the park under the name of Bluegrass Boardwalk, before giving up after several months of negotiations, the administrative hurdles being considered too numerous. The main reason of the withdrawal was disagreements over tax cuts and financial aid deemed essential by the candidate operator to ensure the continued existence of the activity on site, while the US economy was still recovering from the financial crisis.

After the withdrawal of the Koch family, the Kentucky State Fair Board decided to make another call for candidates to which Kentucky Kingdom LLLC would ultimately be the only one to submit a proposal. After further negotiations, the lease was finally granted in late January 2013. This time, the new operator obtains guaranteed a successful take- back by getting tax cuts of about $10 million over a period of 10 years and financial assistance.

Kentucky Kingdom LLLP's partners brought together a budget of $43.5 million ($28.5 million in capital and $15 million bank loan) to finance the renovation of existing facilities and the introduction of new rides to revive the park by 2014. At a press conference held in late June, they gave the first details on their business plan that includes to double the size of Hurricane Bay water park with the addition of three water slides complexes, a 1,115-sqm/12,000-sqft wave pool and an adventure river. A new roller coaster has also been announced as the main addition for the reopening.

Left: group photo of the team that has been assembled of the assessment period. Right: Ed Hart during the press conference held at the end of June.

Major attractions still standing at Kentucky Kingdom will be rehabilitated in depth, including the wooden roller coaster Thunder Run (Dinn Corporation, 1990), the River Rapids raft ride (Intamin), the Shoot the Chute Mile High Falls (Hopkins Rides), the electromagnetic waterslide Deluge (ProSlide), the Ferris wheel (Vekoma Rides) and the motion theater Thrill Park Theater. The rehabilitations will continue in 2015 with a makeover of the Inverted Coaster T2 (a SLC model of Vekoma Rides) and in 2016 with the CCI's dueling wooden roller coaster Twisted Twins that should get a full retracking.

Ed Hart confirms its ambition to develop Kentucky Kingdom in the long term, with the main objective to become once again Kentucky's first paying tourist attraction. "We will continue to introduce new attractions each season. In fact, per our lease with the state, we have an obligation to invest as much as $2.5 million each year for as many as 70 years. That would equal an investment of more than $200 million, including our initial outlay of $43.5 million,” he said. The new operator expects to welcome nearly 800,000 visitors in 2014 and 1 million in 2015 before climbing gradually to reach the 1.4 million admissions by 2030. Some 60 full-time staff and about 800 seasonal job will be hired.

While the financing has been secured, an essential requirement for the agreement with the Kentucky State Fair, the renovation work has begun. The opening is scheduled for May 24, 2014, ie the day after the 27th birthday of the Kentucky Kingdom's original grand opening in 1987.

All Articles(613 articles found)

NewsParcs to take an extended break read more

These past three years have been intense for NewsParcs. Our magazine, which has been dedicated to the global theme parks industry since 1998, underwent major changes to become one of the most appreciated magazines among many...

CORPORATE | NewsParcs - Published on January 28, 2014
IAAPA Attractions Expo 2013 debuts next week in Orlando read more

World theme park capital Orlando is about to welcome the global attractions industry for the 2013 edition of IAAPA Attractions Expo, the annual...

EVENT | IAAPA Attractions Expo - Published on November 10, 2013
Difficult season for Compagnie des Alpes' amusement parks read more

The Compagnie des Alpes leisure parks recorded disappointing financial results during fiscal year 2012/2013 which ended on September 30. The...

CORPORATE | Compagnie des Alpes - Published on November 10, 2013
Theme Park Supplier's News of the Week #12 read more

Our Theme Park Supplier's News of the Week is a round-up of the latest news relative to companies supplying the theme park industry around the world.  This weekly report covers topics such as corporate announcements, financial ...

NEW | Roundup of News - Published on October 21, 2013
Success for the 33th symposium and trade show of the World Waterpark Association read more

The World Waterpark Association (WWA), the global leading water-leisure trade association, has made a positive assessment of its 33th annual...

EVENT | World Waterpark Association - Published on October 21, 2013
Disney to introduce first major Marvel attraction at Hong Kong Disneyland in 2016 read more

When The Walt Disney Company acquired Marvel Entertainment in 2009, its intention was to strengthen its position as a leading global provider...

NEW | Hong Kong Disneyland Resort - Published on October 13, 2013
Theme Park Supplier's News of the Week #11 read more

The NewsParcs' Theme Park Supplier's News of the Week is a round-up of the latest news relative to companies supplying the theme park industry around the world.  This weekly report covers topics such as corporate announcements, ...

NEW | Roundup of News - Published on October 13, 2013
Theme Park Industry News Roundup – Issue #6 read more

Our Industry Roundup is a summary of the latest major news related to the theme park industry worldwide. We report news specifically on operators, owners, trade associations and related organizations, including trends, attendance...

NEW | Roundup of News - Published on October 13, 2013
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