Hart puzzled:

http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20111003/NEWS01/310040014/1001/Ed-Hart-puzzled-by-end-Kentucky-Kingdom-talks?odyssey=mod%7Cnewswell%7Ctext%7CHome%7Cs

Lawmaker optimistic:

http://www.wfpl.org/2011/10/03/lawmaker-optimistic-about-kentucky-kingdom-reopening/

http://m.wdrb.com/default.aspx?pid=2705&wnfeedurl=http%3a%2f%2fwww.wdrb.com%2fstory%2f15599162%2flawmakers-hopeful-kentucky-kingdom-will-find-new-suitor%3fclienttype%3drssstory

I thought this was funny. This year, Six Flags Great America created a new Halloween area called the Six Saints Cemetery that had gravestones for their previous rides, often making note of parks they were moved to or what replaced them. Here's one of my favorites:

Check out the whole album here. There are some good ones. Whatever happened to Turn of the Century or Shockwave?

Maybe this is when Cedar Fair steps in to somehow operate the park

That would almost certainly have a drastic negative effect on the units. Not to mention the partnership just agreed to sell its only leased park and to quit its only management contract.

I thought this was funny. This year, Six Flags Great America created a new Halloween area called the Six Saints Cemetery that had gravestones for their previous rides, often making note of parks they were moved to or what replaced them. Here's one of my favorites:

Check out the whole album here. There are some good ones. Whatever happened to Turn of the Century or Shockwave?

hahaha... Thanks for posting that. I laughed so hard that I started coughing.

Cited without comment:

http://www.coaster-net.com/news/1611-kentucky-kingdom-delayed-again/

Funny how, thirteen pages ago, some people were excited about "a major new ride for 2011" at Kentucky Kingdom...

Now, 2013... yeah, right.

Drove by the Graveyard this evening. Time to sell the salvageable rides before they are no longer salvageable.

Which begs the question.....Is anything there WORTH saving? I haven't been inside the place since Thunder Run debuted.

See also Hard Rock Park aka Freestyle Music Park. A lot of interesting parallels, as well as not.

http://www.wfpl.org/2011/10/10/new-suitors-sought-to-restart-kentucky-kingdom/

I also notice how all these articles say something along the lines of "Kentucky Kingdom has been shut down since early last year, when its previous operator, Six Flags, declared bankruptcy." There's an untrue implication there that avoids bringing up a bad lease renegotiation and makes no mention of the fair board's supposedly tyrannical ways. It's no surprise, really... They're still trying to sell the place, so accidentally implying that it was Six Flags' bankruptcy that caused the rift leaves them the victim instead of the other way around, as SIX would have us believe.

Six Flags' answer, meanwhile, has always been:

The current lease was simply not sustainable in the current economic environment. The rent was way too high, making it extremely difficult for the park to achieve profitability year in and year out. Six Flags was hopeful that a deal could be reached with the State Fair Board to re-negotiate the lease price to keep the park open but the State Fair Board wouldn't budge. Therefore, we decided to reject the lease and cease operations. All of our other parks are profitable and are located largely on company-owned land, therefore the Kentucky Kingdom situation is not at all applicable.

GYK, who has gotten A's in math class since he adopted his dog. Thank God for that dog, right?!

Note also that Mr. Hart was this last time unable to reach an agreement with the Fair Board acceptable to both parties.

Mr. Hart's company sues to recover Kentucky Kingdom investment:

http://www.bizjournals.com/mobile/louisville/print-edition/2011/11/04/company-sues-state-to-recoup-kentucky.html

Mr. Hart's company sues to recover Kentucky Kingdom investment:

http://www.bizjourna...p-kentucky.html

I could not read the full article for I am not a member of bizjournal, but what I could read does not look like it was Hart's money that was spent, so why is he wanting it for himself?

Actually, according to Mr. Hart and his lawsuit, it was his money, and the Commonwealth promised to pay him back if he was not awarded a lease by September 30, 2011:

http://m.wave3.com/autojuice?targetUrl=http%3a%2f%2fwww.wave3.com%2fstory%2f15964602%2fman-who-invested-in-saving-kentucky-kingdom-files-lawsuit-against-kentucky

A couple of interesting posts from earlier in this thread.

In the meantime, the park is deteriorating, the rides rotting and rusting, and Hart says another year of it being unused will only make matters worse.

"I'm not going commit to pulling the plug right now," he said.

But Hart's temporary agreement at the park ends April 30. He says he's $3 million in and won't put up more of his own money without matching dollars.

With the latest data, it doesn't sound like he ever really put his own money at risk - although saying he'd invested that much of his own money in the park probably was good for PR as he asked the state to finance the project.

Ed Hart has thrived in business by buying, investing and re-selling various properties. His ventures, IMO, are not long lasting and are self serving.

Shaggy

Shaggy seems to have nailed it a long time ago.

It would be nice to see it reopen but i doubt it ever will. I actually had a season pass for 38 bucks there so I could visit other six flags parks

http://m.wdrb.com/default.aspx?pid=2705&wnfeedurl=http%3a%2f%2fwww.wdrb.com%2fstory%2f15960903%2fed-hart-says-hes-owed-14-million-for-kentucky-kingdom-effort%3fclienttype%3drssstory

Mr. Workman continues spinning:

http://m.wave3.com/autojuice?targetUrl=http%3a%2f%2fwww.wave3.com%2fstory%2f16068337%2fkentucky-kingdom-could-have-new-operator-in-the-near-future

That would almost certainly have a drastic negative effect on the units. Not to mention the partnership just agreed to sell its only leased park and to quit its only management contract.

...I have missed a lot. *goes off to read this section of the forums*

So... I thought once Kentucky aproved the money to reopen KK, The Fair Board will run to Ed Hart to operate the park. But I never expected the Kochs to be possible operators for Kentucky Kingdom

http://www.courier-j...ext%7CFRONTPAGE

Asking for information is a far cry from agreeing to operate a park that Mr. Ed Hart has passed on. And getting any state funding for this Louisville project will probably not happen in this election year.

The Kochs need to be very careful. Overexpansion and undercapitalization have killed many a once thriving small business. Look no further than Fun Spot (for a time linked with Camden Park in common ownership) for an example.

For some reason, I can't really see the Kochs operating Kentucky Kingdom. I'd sooner expect them to express interest in purchasing some of the flat rides for Holiday World--maybe the Vekoma Roller Skater for Holidog's Fun Town or a future additional kids' area at most. Or does the fair board still operate some of the rides without Six Flags for the fair?

No ride has operated at kk to the public since nov 1, 2009.

For some reason, I can't really see the Kochs operating Kentucky Kingdom.

Under the leadership of Will, I would agree with you. But with Dan, who knows?

I would rather the Kochs not take over KK. I'm sure they'd do an excellent job with it, but Terpy has already covered a lot of my concerns three posts above htis one. I just don't see it as a sound financial investment for them (or anyone else for that matter).

The News have reported Holiday World has been having intrest in Kentucky Kingdom since the park close in Feb 2010. (When Will Koch was still living)

Think this would be perfect for the KOCH family close enough to watch both parks plus being in louisville maybe finally a christmas event for them?

Who knows possiblites are limitless.

Hope this works and they get it done.

Plus they are great with wood coasters and ky kingdom has them.

Great plan!!!

HOLIDAY KINGDOM

KENTUCKY

Asking for information is a far cry from agreeing to operate a park that Mr. Ed Hart has passed on. And getting any state funding for this Louisville project will probably not happen in this election year.

The Kochs need to be very careful. Overexpansion and undercapitalization have killed many a once thriving small business. Look no further than Fun Spot (for a time linked with Camden Park in common ownership) for an example.

Aw yes but Fun Spot seems to be doing quite well now in Orlando.

http://www.clickorla...2g/-/index.html

My biggest regret of living in Orlando was not ever stepping on property of Universal, but never going to Fun Spot.

. I can just imagine how quickly the Roberts family could "transform" the Orlando Funspot.

Does anyone know the current status of Hart's "Kentucky Kingdom Re-Development Corp.?" Is it kaput, now?