Park's Delayed Opening

Friday, March 4, 2005

It may be a little longer before you hear screaming coming out of Park City.

“We’re working very aggressively on Wild West World,” said Tom Etheredge, who organized the project. He says breaking ground on the amusement park in May won’t happen.

“The design is taking longer than we anticipated and also there’s some financing issues that are taking longer,” he said.

Etheredge says the hold-up is with trying to get the right financing deal to build and insure the thrill rides people are drawn to.

“They’re going to be thrill,” Etheredge said. “They’re the kind that make you throw up along the way.”

Those rides and the rest, including hotels, restaurants and an RV Park will cost about $17 million, more than half of which Etheredge says is already in place. So, he’s hoping to break ground before the end of the year.

Meanwhile, competition is coming. The joy of Joyland could return by the end of the summer.

KAKE News has confirmed an out-of-state amusement park owner made an offer on the park this week. The current owners will get it next week. A broker of the deal says if it goes through, the new owners would refurbish and improve the park, making it better than ever. It follows a recent history of accidents and financial problems, which finally forced it to shut down.

There are reports that All-Star Sports in Wichita will open a park on North Webb Road to include rides, a pavilion and expanded arcade. That’s set for Memorial Day weekend.

If everything goes as expected, this will be one thrilling area for Kansas.