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Park Newswww.parkworld-online.comBluegrass BoardwalkKochs come to the rescue in KentuckyThe former Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom in Louisville,Kentucky, is moving closer to reopening following adeal between Bluegrass Boardwalk Inc and theKentucky State Fair Board. Bluegrass Boardwalk is apartnership of four members of the Koch familyfrom Santa Claus, Indiana, where they operate thesuccessful Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari themepark/waterpark.The Fair Board has granted the Kochs leaseapproval on the 57-acre, amusement park andwaterpark in Louisville. The family must now secure$15-$20 million of financing, including incentivesfrom Kentucky’s tourism cabinet, if they are toreopen the park for May 2013.“We can’t wait to get started,” said Dan Koch lastmonth. “We’ve got a lot of work to do to get thepark reopened in just 15 months, but we’ll get itdone. We’d like to thank the Fair Board for puttingtheir faith in us and the community at large for theirtremendous cheers of support.”Dan Koch is Holiday World president and formsBluegrass Boardwalk together with his sister NatalieDoing it by the book in CaliforniaIn 1960 plans wereannounced for BibleStoryland, a $15-milliontheme park inCucamonga, California,which its creators hopedwould rival Disneyland.Judged to beblasphemous by local clergy, the projectwas abandoned.Bible Storyland may be gone, but it’s notforgotten. The park is the focus of a newdocumentary film, and it’s a hoot. It tracks art dealerHarvey Jordan, who acquired over 50 originalconcept drawings for the park prepared by BruceBushman, a former Disney artist. Complete withdream sequences, animation and even a curse, thefilm plumbs the depths of Bible Storyland and itsaffects on the compulsive Jordan, his marriage andhis family.The 60-acre theme park would have featuredBible-themed rides and attractions. The project wasconceived by showman Nat Winecoff who hadpreviously helped sell Disney’s park to investors.Backers of Bible Storyland included yo-yo promoterDonald Duncan and actor Jack Haley, who playedthe Tin Man in The Wizard of Oz.As envisioned, the park would have been heartshaped,“symbolic of God’s love for humanity.”Divided into six areas, including Babylon and theGarden of Eden, each would have had rides,bazaars, restaurants and dioramas. Awaiting parkgoerswould have been such enticing experiences aschariot racing in Rome, a ferry ride across the RiverStyx or a “Ride To Heaven.” There were even plansto sell “lion burgers,” reversing the old biblical taleof Christians being fed to the lions.Bible Storyland The Movie is available now on DVDfrom biblestorylandmovie.comNew onMorey’s PiersThis attractive boat ride is one of three newattractions opening in 2012 at Morey’s Piers inWildwood, New Jersey. Named Riptide, the ChanceMorgan ride will open on Mariner’s Landing Pier,replacing the Sea Dragon. Meanwhile on Morey’sSurfside Pier, a Zamperla Happy Swing called HappyFeet will debut together with a 16-seat Kang ‘A’Bounce.Koch, their cousinKathy Kamp, andher husband, Michael Kamp, who is HolidayWorld’s general Manager. Dan, Natalie and Kathyare grandchildren of Holiday World’s founder, LouisJ Koch, who opened the Indiana park in 1946.“We’re bringing our business model ofexceptional safety, cleanliness, friendliness andvalue for families,” says Natalie Koch. “That meansfree soft drinks, free sunscreen and free use ofinnertubes.”Winter work atDrayton ManorThe British company Severn-Lamb proved it’scapable of doing more than just building peoplemovers when it completed a number of jobs thiswinter at local amusement park Drayton Manor.This included refurbishment of the gondolason one of the park’s oldest rides, the Chairlift(pictured). The Buffalo coaster also came in forsome attention, while a new engine and sterndrive were fitted to the Drayton QueenMississippi riverboat, which Severn-Lambsupplied new to the park back in the 1980s.Other work included a full refurbishment of thepark’s Drayton Queen train and maintenance ofthe back-up systems on various rides andattractions, including the G-Force coaster andThomas Land’s trains.“There has always been a very goodrelationship between Drayton Manor and Severn-Lamb, which goes back to the early 1970s whenthe company supplied our first Rio Grande train,”notes park operations manager David Bromilow.“This kind of service is part of our preventativemaintenance programme, and is particularlyimportant in these days of longer seasons andoperating periods. We feel extremely confident inwhat Severn-Lamb does, it is really like havingour own off-site maintenance team.”*Park World was sorry to hear of the passing ofMichael Severn Lamb on February 7 and sendscondolences to the family and all Severn Lambemployees past and present. Obituary next issue.14 MARCH 2012