Members of Holiday World's Koch family form company to explore operation of Kentucky Kingdom

Posted | Contributed by Jeff

Members of the ownership group of Holiday World and Splashin’ Safari in Santa Claus, Ind., have formed a new company to attempt to negotiate a lease agreement to operate the closed Kentucky Kingdom amusement park at the Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville. Members of the Koch family said Tuesday that they “continue to explore” efforts to reopen Kentucky Kingdom in 2013. They said four family members have formed Bluegrass Boardwalk Inc.

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Wow!

"I go out at 3 o' clock for a quart of milk and come home to my son treating his body like an amusement park!" - Estelle Costanza

This is exciting news. I hope they are able to get Kentucky Kingdom up and running again.

Collin Aynes

Can I be the first to say I don't like the name?

I'm not entirely comfortable with the risk. I'm not worried about the effects on Holiday World, because clearly they've been able to coexist, but this history of this park is not a great one. Is it the result of incompetence, or something deeper than that?

Jeff - Editor - CoasterBuzz.com - My Blog

I have mixed feelings about this as well.. However I think the high-end reward is very excitting. I think the Koch family would jump ship on the experiment before it starts effecting HW in a negative way. If nothing else watching them transform a former SF park will be very interesting.

If anybody can turn this park into a success, it's the Kochs. Here's what they need to do:

Put some money into sprucing up the place.
Fix everything that needs to be fixed. (This is a biggie.)
Add an attraction to jump start the opening season.
Market the property appropriately.
Don't give away the gate and omit/limit/jack up season pass prices.

Just this laundry list ought to take them 75% of the way to success.

My author website: mgrantroberts.com

Free soda's and a Gravity group mini.

kpjb, you can indeed be the first, but I'll be first to say I like the name..and the logo, for that matter.

The amusement park rises bold and stark..kids are huddled on the beach in a mist

http://support.gktw.org/site/TR/CoastingForKids/General?px=1248054&...fr_id=1372

Don't read too much into the name. It's a working title under which the new company will do business. The name may or may not end up connected to the park project.

--Dave Althoff, Jr., who rather likes the name...

    /X\        _      *** Respect rides. They do not respect you. ***
   /XXX\      /X\     /X\_      _     /X\__      _     _        _____
  /XXXXX\    /XXX\   /XXXX\_   /X\   /XXXXX\    /X\   /X\      /XXXXX
_/XXXXXXX\__/XXXXX\/XXXXXXXX\_/XXX\_/XXXXXXX\__/XXX\_/XXX\_/\_/XXXXXX

They could name it Leafy Lake or Bumbly Beach for all I care, as long as they open it :).

I don't actually mind the company's name. But I thought the same that Dave is saying, this is the company's name. It may or may not be the name of the park.

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

More than likely not. They have to have a registered corporate name in order to continue on with the process that is not affiliated with Holiday World.

Last edited by Dutchman,