lilsam1993

Here's a radio interview with Ed Hart yesterday. He gives a little bit more detail about whats going on. What's Ironic is that the day Ed and his crew move into the park, is the 4 year anniversary of Six Flags walking out on Kentucky Kingdom. http://wfpl.org/post/ed-hart-kentucky-kingdom-lease-inauguration-2013-mcconnell-food-stamp-challenge

In 1998, Kentucky Kingdom's attendance was 1.3 million. If Ed had never given the place to Priemer Park, I believe that Kentucky Kingdom would possibly be making 2 to 2.5 million guest annually. Kings Island makes 3 million a year. At the end of Ed Hart involvement with this park in 1998, Kings Island was starting to get competitive with Kentucky Kingdom. That's when the Action Zone was added in 1999, and later on Son of Beast in the year 2000. Holiday World maybe competition with Kentucky Kingdom, but I just cant see it happening with them. These are two different parks.

The reason why this deal is going to happen is because it isn't like the last 3 attempts. 1st attempt= Ed Hart had the funding to get started, however neither party (him or fairboard) could come up with a lease agreement after months of trying. So the fairboard ended talks with him 2nd attempt=Koch family had funding but backed out as soon as they received tourism tax credits. 3rd attempt= Ed Hart wanted the state to back a loan. Governor wasn't for it. 4th attempt= Ed Hart puts up the money. Fairboard and Ed come up with a lease to run the park. Governor is for the deal. All we await for is tourism tax credits. Ed Hart has spent years building this park so it's very personal to him. I just can't see him pulling the plug. He has NEVER pulled the plug on Kentucky Kingdom.

In a radio interview today, Hart mentioned that he plans on adding MAJOR NEW RIDES annually. Even though the lease agreement says he has to spend over 1 million in new improvements annually, Ed Hart said don't expect that at all. He's going to spend MORE than that in fact. This isn't sounding good for the Koch family.

Do any of you think that this is BAD for Holiday World when it comes to the Indianapolis and Louisville market?

Have you seen the legal infighting with the Koch Family. I wouldn't be surprised if that had something to do with them bailing. Couldn't agree more!

We're mins away... http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20130124/NEWS01/301240028/Kentucky-Kingdom-developers-target-Spring-2014-reopening

Ed Hart is opening just about everything. He's going to reopen Twisted Twins. Greezed Lighting is long gone though. It may be gone in 3 to 4 weeks.

Governor wants fairboard to approve the lease tomorrow. There's also now speculation that Ed Hart already has the financing in place! http://www.wdrb.com/story/20661908/gov-beshear-endorses-proposed-deal-to-reopen-kentucky-kingdom

According to todays news, It looks like Kentucky Kingdom WILL be saved. *FINGERS CROSSED!!!*

Chang''s replacement will go in the sport of the Thrill Karts (Go Carts).

Did he have any problems with Magic Springs? Also, Ed Hart's investment group includes very wealthy BIG TIME people. One of the investors was willing to put up 20 million (I believe that's the correct amount) before the first deal with the fairboard had came to a failed with Mr. Hart.

That meeting occurred last Wednesday, not today.

The state is now in the process of evaluating Hart proposal. http://www.whas11.com/news/local/State-officials-Committee-to-evaluate-Harts-Kentucky-Kingdon-proposal-175686071.html

In reality, the Koch family didn't wont anything to do with Kentucky Kingdom...JS

This saga will never end. I have a question for anyone who knows or has some of an idea, what rides and attractions are in good enough shape (if any) to fix and reopen. The rides aren't even in bad shape. Inside the park, Kentucky Kingdom looks as if it has closed yesterday for the winter season believe it or not. Obviously though, the woodies and mile high falls will need some heavy work.

Well...when Six Flags took over GL they over expanded. Many rides put into the park was for other Six Flags parks. Kentucky Kingdom had several attractions in GL that was meant for KK

This place killed Kentucy Kingdom IMO

I wish opening the park could be as easy as opening The Beach in Cincinnati. The new owner have a lease and can buy the property if they would like

Why did the Kentucky State Fair Board end talks with Ed Hart anyways? It just don't makes any since

Kentucky Kingdom isn't small, it's basically your average size amusement park ( while the whole park is open). They also have more land to expand. Decent rides could have been put into the park, However as you said KK was outdated. It has been that way since Six Flags manage the park. When Ed Hart left the park in 1998, no NEW flats had been added. The amusement side is more popular than the water park, Six Flags just didn't invest in that side of the park.

I'm rather confident that there is not enough time for Bluegrass Boardwalk to contract B&M then have B&M design and already manufacturer a ride in a matter of a couple months. I don't think they have even officially declared they ARE reopening it. Yes, they have the lease but I believe they are still going through the process to secure financing. They ARE looking into getting a steel coaster and I believe Dan has even said they are willing to spend as much as $20 million for it.....but B&M might not be "family friendly" enough for them...although Wild Eagle does only have a 50" height requirement. I don't see a steel coaster ever going into HW. I could see BB getting one however. The Koch family did say BB will have a family friendly atmosphere. I'm not sure if that mean family rides in general.

. Kentucky Kingdom was one of the most profit park in the Six Flags chain. But when you take attractions out and stop investing into the park to attract people attendance will decline, which happend to kentucky kingdom. Now six flags didn't have to invest every year in kentucky kingdom but they needed to invest in the park when ever they would take a ride out of the park, or closed a section of the park like twisted twins.

If the Koch family tries to atempt to take out T2 (which I highly doubt) it would cause controversy here in the Louisville area. Everyone here wants the park to reopen but we all want a new coaster to replace chang. Were still agravated by the fact that chang is gone and were sick of these waterpark exspansions as well.

Greezed Lighting does have problems. I worked at the park its last summer and Greezed Lighting had the most downtime in it's rides history at Kentucky Kingdom. However, the ride is one of the few remaining in the world and it's also in the best condition than other shuttles around the world. I'm Sure starting in April Twisted Twins will be the first ride to start being refurbished. Can any of you imagine the flags that will go on top of Thunder Run as well as Twisted Twins just like Holiday World Coasters? It's still hard to believe this is happening.