Ed Hart comes to the rescue of Kentucky Kingdom, again

Posted | Contributed by Jeff

Ed Hart, who rescued Kentucky Kingdom from bankruptcy more than a decade ago, has been selected to replace Six Flags as operator of the theme park. The Kentucky State Fair Board unanimously approved a proposal to reach a deal with Hart and his KK Redevelopment Co. by late July.

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Kentucky Kingdom

I wonder if the Kentucky State Fair Board will realize they "killed the goose that layed the golden egg" by raising their lease payments to Six Flags. Also will the Kentucky State Fair Board lower the payments that Ed Hart has to make?

Raising lease payments in a recession and raising taxes in a recession just doesn't sound like good judgement to me.

Such a surprise.

So then, this is the same guy who sold the park to Premier back in '97?

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

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Yeah, and it seems like I read somewhere he said he regretted selling the park to Premier. I wish him well, Kentucky Kingdom, even without Chang, was a quaint park with potential (Even if a road runs thru it). If they spruce it up and expand the waterpark, then add a few flats, while doing some refurb on the wooden coasters, it could be a nice park again. Hopefully they'll paint stuff too. Too bad they probably won't get the new trains from Veko for T2.

Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened.

I am very glad to hear this! This park was my hometown park for so long and I hope they can do what needs to be done to make it successful.

Collin Aynes

Six Flags wasn't doing this place any favors being there in the first place, At best they were probably breaking even and thats without any significant investment. Sure they made Blizzard River, A mack Mouse and transfered Anton Shuttle loop. The removed a ton and closed down a ton as well.

The waterpark was just that and SFKKs only local drawing power, Most locals had grown bored with the place anyhow.. Ed Hart and the Kentucky transportation board promoted this place hard in the mid nineties, Actually made significant investments in Chang and Hellevator.

Honestly, I think about the only thing SF inproved about the place is security.

Chuck, Good riddance SF

It would be nice to see this park improve to the point that I would actually want to visit it. It would take a lot more then they have had to offer in the past; that's for sure.

What did SFKK offer that Kings Island and Holiday World didn't? I think that they should try to figure out what it COULD offer that the other nearby park don't, and go from there.

-Travis
www.youtube.com/TSVisits

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