Kentucky Kingdom (SFKK, KK) Discussion Thread

[kidcoaster 2"Excuse me, miss, may I pound my large rooster into your donkey?"]

You had to enter the park first. But than you had to cross the bridge and walk around to the side of the water park so it was a hike.

[Jew"It's not small, but it is very 'average.'"]

Ed Hart is just pissed he's not the one getting to spend other peoples money. I doubt even his amount of money would have gotten the park fully up and running.

[ernierockerWhy do I still have a donkey title???]

You had to enter the park first. But than you had to cross the bridge and walk around to the side of the water park so it was a hike.

Yeah, that would be kind of awkward if they just opened with the water park and you would have to walk through a deserted theme park just to get to it.

[mcjacoBeer Man]

I get the impression that the damage across the whole park was more severe than they originally thought and that they have had to revise their initial plans for the property.

Then the Koch's didn't do their homework. And that's pretty scary when you're putting up millions of dollars.

[Midgetman82Is my pee supposed to be this color?]

Ed Hart is just pissed he's not the one getting to spend other peoples money. I doubt even his amount of money would have gotten the park fully up and running.

This was more of what I was thinking, although I couldn't guess where the money was truly going to go.

You had to enter the park first. But than you had to cross the bridge and walk around to the side of the water park so it was a hike.

Yeah, that would be kind of awkward if they just opened with the water park and you would have to walk through a deserted theme park just to get to it.

There is a small grassy lot behind the spot where Chang stood. I bet they're going to use that. I posted a photo of it a few pages back. Using it means that people can avoid having to pay the price of parking issued by the State Fair Board (IIRC, it was $15) and having to hike your way to the opposite side of the park. The only downside to is that it's sorta limited in the amount of space available.

Edit: Found the photo.

[DBruI will provide you with maximum pleasure.]

The park already announced there will not be free parking because "they won't have control over the parking lot."

[Midgetman82Is my pee supposed to be this color?]

Poor Kochs. They planned for so much, but could only do so little.

[jedimaster1227Open Up Happiness]

Bluegrass Boardwalk has sent us a press announcing their withdrawal from the Kentucky Kingdom revival project.

Following nine months of planning to reopen Louisville’s shuttered amusement park, Bluegrass Boardwalk, Inc. today withdrew from the project.

“We entered into this discussion last October with full expectation of leasing the park,” says Bluegrass Boardwalk CEO Natalie Koch. “However, we have come to the realization that leasing a park rather than owning it would take us too far from the business model my family has followed for more than 60 years.”

Koch says she and her partners were financially prepared to meet the challenge of reopening the abandoned park, however the many layers of governmental regulations and stipulations ultimately caused them to withdraw.

Koch says she and her partners believe reopening the Louisville park is still a worthwhile project and they wish the future operator well.

“It’s been a lifelong dream for my family to operate a second park,” says Koch, whose family owns and operates Holiday World in Santa Claus, Indiana. “It’s hard to walk away from what we believed was a winning partnership for Kentucky and our team. But at the end of the day, the terms of the project did not fit our business model. It was time to withdraw.”

A letter terminating the proposed lease agreement was delivered to the Kentucky State Fair Board this afternoon.

[sobriderCan I park my donkey here?]

Sad but not unexpected. Once you kicked the tires a bit more they had to realize this was bad idea and to get out before the sank them

Two things -

1. I can't say I'm surprised - but happy they came to this conclusion now rather than later.

2. I don't ever see this park re-opening again.

--Robb