Wild Adventures owner offers vision for Cypress Gardens

Posted | Contributed by Jeff

Wild Adventures Georgia theme park owner Kent Buescher spoke Wednesday of turning Cypress Gardens into an amusement park for kids with rides and summer concerts combined with the flowers and the ski shows that made the gardens famous. Buescher is one of several suitors for the park, which closed April 13 for financial reasons. On Wednesday, he offered a confident vision of the park's future.

Related parks

Wild Adventures

Kent must know something I don't. Boardwalk and Baseball didn't survive and it was closer to Orlando than Cypress Gardens is. I just don't know if a $30 million dollar initial investment is going to get any kind of return give the location of Winter Haven.

wahoo, Kent has done *really well* with the concerts he's brought to WA....he seems to have a really good feel for marketing/demographics, as the acts booked reflect the people in the area at WA....a little *country* for MY tastes, but I am FAR from average, ask anyone!

The exception that proves the rule: the most recent concert at WA....Doobie Brothers.

I hope he gets the park, cause I think he could make it work if anyone can...esp. if he HIRES me...;) My main *concern* is the drive time from the major population centers.

Yeah gator, I don't doubt his sincerity or personal ability. But, WA is pretty easy to access off of 75 if memory serves. Cypress Gardens isn't easy to access from anywhere. It is even a bit of a drive from SR 27, the only "major" road nearby.

If Cypress Gardens couldn't make a go of it after all these years, I am not sure anyone can. I will be pulling for him though and I will certainly drive out of my way to see how it goes.

Holiday World, Silverwood and Silver Dollar City are all off the beaten path and do well. A park offers attractions and a good value people will make an effort to visit even if it is not right off an interstate.

Jim Wolgamuth

And might I ask, or remind you, how far off the beaten path is Knoebel's Grove?!

If you have objection to that, you must admit that Knoebel's is one of the hardest parks to find in America.

*** This post was edited by Vertigo 5/29/2003 7:11:36 PM ***

Did anyone notice the last line of the article?? "With 55 rides, icluding 9 rollercoasters it has more rides than any single park in the nation" What world is he living in??? lolol

Whatever world it is, it must be a nice one for him!

------------------
Evil Shinanigans...

I hope they put in a Boss sized Shivering Timbers type woodie. FL needs a #1 ride.

I have worked for Wild Adventures and I have seen some major changes just in the short 2 years I have worked there, so there is no doubt in my mind that Kent will do an excellent job with Cypress Gardens.

You must be logged in to post