originally posted on 3/12/2021 4:38:12 PM
POSTED MARCH 12
Kentucky Kingdom Gets New Owner
Photo: Tim Baldwin. View full-sized image.
It is truly a revolving door with Kentucky Kingdom (Louisville). After a failed start in the late 1980s with the original owners, Ed Hart stepped in and brought significant growth to the park. So much so that Six Flags snagged it up in the company’s rabid quest to become the largest theme park company in the world, at the time led by the late Gary Story. When that effort collapsed, Six Flags had already removed some rides from the park, and it eventually shut its gates. Holiday World briefly looked at acquiring the property, but Kentucky Kingdom didn’t reopen until Ed Hart resurrected the park again in 2014. Under his direction once again, the park added crowd-pleasing rides such as Lightning Run, Storm Chaser and Kentucky Flyer.
A new chapter surfaces in 2021. Herschend Entertainment — the operators of Silver Dollar City (Branson, Missouri), Dollywood (Pigeon Forge, Tennessee) and Wild Adventures (Valdosta, Georgia) —has recently taken control of the park. Other than the change of ownership, not much further information has been brought to light, such as any direction of the new owners or any additional attractions to be added.
Canada’s Wonderland Plays Game Night
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Canada’s Wonderland (Vaughn, Ontario) is celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2021. To help generate excitement, the park is offering virtual/online trivia nights to its fans. The games started on February 25 and will continue eight nights through April 15. It is free to play, but fans will need to sign up on the park’s website in order to receive the Zoom link. Games take about an hour and have various questions in four categories: park history, pop culture, movies and television.
Gilroy Gardens Could Look Different in the Future
Photo: S. Madonna Horcher. View full-sized image.
Those who have visited Gilroy Gardens in California know it as a gorgeously landscaped family park with the world-famous circus trees. Spread among the colorful flora is a mix of family and children’s rides, which cater to the park’s target audience. There are no real big thrillers to be found there. That could all soon change.
Maybe.
Imagine That!, a Las Vegas-based company, has submitted a proposal to transform the entire area around Gilroy Gardens into a much bigger recreation destination. Hiking and biking trails would utilize the California topography. Ziplines and ropes courses would provide more offerings, as would a surf park. As for the theme park itself, Imagine That! representatives feel the park has underperformed as it is now. To make it more competitive with nearby regional parks such as California’s Great America (Santa Clara) and Six Flags Discovery Kingdom (Vallejo), the proposal suggests additions of the latest rides by investing in the “mid-nine figures.”
Changing the character of a park is sure to bring some level of controversy, but huge investments can easily capture attention. ACE will stay tuned to this wait-and-see game.
Epic Universe Resumes Construction
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A big change brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic was the postponement of many major attractions. In the case of Universal Orlando, it was the delay of an entire park! Work on the planned Epic Universe was halted last July.
With more optimistic news in 2021, Universal Studios has officially announced the return of construction of the resort’s fourth park.
“The restart of construction of Epic Universe is a terrific moment for our employees and for our theme park business in Florida,” said Brian L. Roberts, chairman and CEO of Comcast Corporation. “It is our single-largest investment in the state and represents our enthusiasm for the spectacular park and the economic opportunities it will generate.”
More staff will have to be brought on for the process to really ramp up to full speed.
Epic Universe will feature a new theme park, an entertainment center, hotels, shops, restaurants and more. It will be located on a 750-acre site that nearly doubles Universal’s total available acreage in Central Florida. It will be located a few miles from Universal Orlando’s current theme parks in southwest Orange County — specifically, south of Sand Lake Road and east of Universal Boulevard.
“Our vision for Epic Universe is historic,” said Tom Williams, chairman and CEO for Universal Parks & Resorts, at the time the project was announced. “It will build on everything we have done and become the most immersive and innovative theme park we have ever created.”
Riddle Me This — Is Mind Bender Getting a New Name?
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Since 1978, Mind Bender at Six Flags Over Georgia (Austell) has been a huge fan favorite and solidified the park’s placement of being “on the map” following Great American Scream Machine (1973). It was designated as an ACE Roller Coaster Landmark in 2008.
There’s a new twist in 2021.
Much refurbishment to sections of track have taken place in recent months. The ride’s debut will not take place with Six Flags’ opening weekend but will come later this spring. As part of the reimagined Gotham City area, The Riddler’s Mindbender will be its new name. The coaster will feature a fresh, sleek look and new roller coaster trains. All indications are that the new trains will be similar to those on The New Revolution at Six Flags Magic Mountain (Valencia, California).
In quirky coaster trivia, Georgia’s Mind Bender was the only variation of the moniker that wrote it as two words (much like Six Flags Over Texas’ Shock Wave). It appears that simple distinction will no longer be the case with its new name.
The 100th birthday of Franz Mack Honored at Europa-Park
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Franz Mack, one of the co-founders of Europa-Park (along with his son Roland), would have turned 100 on March 7. Franz Mack was inducted into the IAAPA Hall of Fame in 2005. While not known as prominently as Walt Disney, Mack’s contributions to the amusement industry made him a notable figure. His style of professionalism, attention to detail and hospitality caused him to be held in high regard by others. He passed away in 2010 at the age of 89.
To acknowledge the occasion, the Mack family — in its typical fashion of elegance and reverence — has commissioned a work of art by famed European artist Ottmar Hörl in honor of the family patriarch. Made up of 100 figures on the subject of Europe, the installation will be placed near a bronze statue of Mack near the park’s gardens. The commissioned piece will be simply titled “Europe.”
— Tim Baldwin, ACE News Editor
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