Tagged: Kentucky Kingdom

Mayor Greg Fischer says negotiations to reopen the Kentucky Kingdom amusement park are close to completion, but the parties involved remain silent about a possible lease.

A judge has placed control of Indiana’s Holiday World theme park in the hands of the widow of the park's late president.

A Vanderburgh County circuit judge has ruled that Lori Koch is majority owner of the holding company that operates Holiday World & Splashin' Safari. She's the widow of former park president Will Koch, who died in June 2010.

Dan Koch had served as Holiday World's president following his brother's death, but Lori Koch fired him after the judge's ruling.

The Kentucky Finance and Administration Cabinet has reached out to Louisville businessman Ed Hart's group -- Kentucky Kingdom Redevelopment Company -- to "discuss its proposal for reopening Kentucky Kingdom," according to a press release.

The group, comprised of four local investors, is the only known applicant in the state's request for proposals process.

1987:  Kentucky Kingdom opens with out-of-state investors. The amusement park closed after a single season.

1990: Businessman Ed Hart reopens the amusement park. The size of Kentucky Kingdom is doubled, and new rides such as Thunder Run are added.

1997: Premier Parks purchases Kentucky Kingdom.

1998: The new ownership renames the amusement park Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom.

2009: Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom's parent company closes the park amid bankruptcy proceedings.

A group of four local investors led by businessman Ed Hart says it will invest $50 million without a state guarantee to reopen the Kentucky Kingdom amusement park.