Park News
www.parkworld-online.com
Bluegrass Boardwalk Kochs come to the rescue in Kentucky
The former Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom in Louisville, Kentucky, is moving closer to reopening following a deal between Bluegrass Boardwalk Inc and the Kentucky State Fair Board. Bluegrass Boardwalk is a partnership of four members of the Koch family from Santa Claus, Indiana, where they operate the successful Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari theme park/waterpark. The Fair Board has granted the Kochs lease approval on the 57-acre, amusement park and waterpark in Louisville. The family must now secure
$15-$20 million of financing, including incentives from Kentucky’s tourism cabinet, if they are to reopen the park for May 2013. “We can’t wait to get started,” said Dan Koch last month. “We’ve got a lot of work to do to get the park reopened in just 15 months, but we’ll get it done. We’d like to thank the Fair Board for putting their faith in us and the community at large for their tremendous cheers of support.” Dan Koch is Holiday World president and forms Bluegrass Boardwalk together with his sister Natalie
Doing it by the book in California
In 1960 plans were announced for Bible Storyland, a $15-million theme park in
Cucamonga, California, which its creators hoped would rival Disneyland. Judged to be
blasphemous by local clergy, the project was abandoned.
Bible Storyland may be gone, but it’s not forgotten. The park is the focus of a new documentary film, and it’s a hoot. It tracks art dealer Harvey Jordan, who acquired over 50 original concept drawings for the park prepared by Bruce Bushman, a former Disney artist. Complete with dream sequences, animation and even a curse, the film plumbs the depths of Bible Storyland and its affects on the compulsive Jordan, his marriage and his family.
The 60-acre theme park would have featured
Bible-themed rides and attractions. The project was conceived by showman Nat Winecoff who had previously helped sell Disney’s park to investors. Backers of Bible Storyland included yo-yo promoter Donald Duncan and actor Jack Haley, who played the Tin Man in The Wizard of Oz.
As envisioned, the park would have been heart- shaped, “symbolic of God’s love for humanity.” Divided into six areas, including Babylon and the Garden of Eden, each would have had rides, bazaars, restaurants and dioramas. Awaiting park- goers would have been such enticing experiences as chariot racing in Rome, a ferry ride across the River Styx or a “Ride To Heaven.” There were even plans to sell “lion burgers,” reversing the old biblical tale of Christians being fed to the lions.
Bible Storyland The Movie is available now on DVD from
biblestorylandmovie.com
Koch, their cousin Kathy Kamp, and her husband, Michael Kamp, who is Holiday World’s general Manager. Dan, Natalie and Kathy are grandchildren of Holiday World’s founder, Louis J Koch, who opened the Indiana park in 1946. “We’re bringing our business model of exceptional safety, cleanliness, friendliness and value for families,” says Natalie Koch. “That means free soft drinks, free sunscreen and free use of innertubes.”
Winter work at Drayton Manor
The British company Severn-Lamb proved it’s capable of doing more than just building people movers when it completed a number of jobs this winter at local amusement park Drayton Manor. This included refurbishment of the gondolas on one of the park’s oldest rides, the Chairlift (pictured). The Buffalo coaster also came in for some attention, while a new engine and stern drive were fitted to the Drayton Queen Mississippi riverboat, which Severn-Lamb supplied new to the park back in the 1980s. Other work included a full refurbishment of the park’s Drayton Queen train and maintenance of the back-up systems on various rides and attractions, including the G-Force coaster and Thomas Land’s trains. “There has always been a very good relationship between Drayton Manor and Severn- Lamb, which goes back to the early 1970s when the company supplied our first Rio Grande train,” notes park operations manager David Bromilow. “This kind of service is part of our preventative maintenance programme, and is particularly important in these days of longer seasons and operating periods. We feel extremely confident in what Severn-Lamb does, it is really like having our own off-site maintenance team.”
*Park World was sorry to hear of the passing of Michael Severn Lamb on February 7 and sends condolences to the family and all Severn Lamb employees past and present. Obituary next issue.
New on Morey’s Piers
This attractive boat ride is one of three new attractions opening in 2012 at Morey’s Piers in Wildwood, New Jersey. Named Riptide, the Chance Morgan ride will open on Mariner’s Landing Pier, replacing the Sea Dragon. Meanwhile on Morey’s Surfside Pier, a Zamperla Happy Swing called Happy Feet will debut together with a 16-seat Kang ‘A’ Bounce.
14 MARCH 2012
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40