Cypress Gardens

[Citrus-view]

All over the local news last week that the gardens may be open again this year.

Polk County are putting money into the pot and in exchange are to get some land and business are seed funding with $11M.

The park will have some theme park rides to attract visitors.

The local conservastion group appear to be a fly in the ointment as they want the part to be restored to the 1930's and no visitors.

Has anyone else heard anything?

[tinkerbell]

Yes, this article came in the Florida Home Owners Update for February 2004:

Cypress Gardens has been saved. In the 11th hour, deals have come together to allow Ken Beuscher, a Georgia theme park owner, to buy 120 acres of the gardens. The sale was contingent on the State Government buying an $11 million conservation easement over the property to provent it from development. Polk County has also voted to increase tourist tax by 1 cent to 5 cents to pay for the purchase of the core 30 acres of the attraction. Buescher now hopes to have the park open by Memorial weekend and will spend $35 million over the next 18 months restoring the gardens and installing rides and rollercoasters. He intends to bring back the water-ski shows and schedule concerts.

[Nostromo]

I am very very pleased, even though this will not happen in time for our Spring 2004 visit. I always thought that CG was a superb relaxing day to spend winding down from all the big park throttle. Been there twice and enjoyed every minute. Welcome back Cypress Gardens!

[esprit]

Isnt it strange how everyone now says how they miss it and it had record takings the week that it closed down and yet it closed because no one ever went. You dont realise you will miss a thing until it has gone. This was almost yet another housing estate. We must ALL now support it and go not only once for the re-opening but other times too.

[Nostromo]

quote:Originally posted by esprit

Isnt it strange how everyone now says how they miss it and it had record takings the week that it closed down and yet it closed because no one ever went. You dont realise you will miss a thing until it has gone. This was almost yet another housing estate. We must ALL now support it and go not only once for the re-opening but other times too.

We went two out of the 4 times that we've been there so far. We would have gone at least once again, but we had to cut short our trip unexpectedly. I think a lot of people did enjoy CG. It was the post 9/11 drop in tourism that affected it like most other places, but perhaps being a 'smaller' attraction, it was unable to make good the financial strain.

[porky]

I will go when it opens this time Julie. As it's only 'just down the road' from my villa I kept saying oh we must go there next trip and the time we finally decided to go it was closed.

Jacqui

[chrisj]

My younger brother got married there and last year we went to visit only to find it closed, would
be great if its open this year

[Ray&Sarah]

We haven't visited CG before, but now it is just down the road from our villa, we will have to give it a go. The kids will probably push to go if they know there are rollercoasters now!

[esprit]

I wonder if there will be. That would be a weird departure for such a quiet park but the new owners are in the theme park business... Perhaps thats the way you have gotta go to compete. Even Seaworld did it.

[tinkerbell]

Well they do state 'rides' but that could mean many things!!!!