Jump to content
Head Coach Openings 2024 ×
  • Current Donation Goals

    • Raised $2,716 of $3,600 target

Indiana Beach amusement park closing, rides being dismantled after nearly 100 years


Muda69

Recommended Posts

https://www.jconline.com/story/news/2020/02/18/indiana-beach-amusement-park-closing-rides-being-dismantled-after-nearly-100-years/4799522002/

Quote

MONTICELLO – The Twin Lakes region in Monticello was shocked Tuesday when the California-based owner of Indiana Beach told community leaders the amusement park, open for nearly 100 years, would close.

“We didn’t see this coming at all,” Randy Mitchell, White County economic development director, said Tuesday afternoon.

That morning, Mitchell had met with White County commissioners and council members, to relay word that things were going well for the amusement park tucked along Lake Shafer, about 30 miles north of Lafayette. That was based on reports Mitchell said he received from Gary Fawks, the local manager of Indiana Beach.

On Tuesday afternoon, Mitchell said he met with Gregg Borman, senior vice president of operations for Apex, who told him that the company was closing Indiana Beach and three other amusement parks it owns across the country because of financial reasons.

Officials with Apex did not immediately respond to messages. Phones listed for Indiana Beach were not being answered Tuesday afternoon.

Mitchell said Borman indicated that Indiana Beach – long known for its slogan and jingle, “There’s more than corn in Indiana” – was marginally profitable. But Mitchell said he was told that Apex wasn’t in a position to continue to make capital improvements to the rides.

“This really is tough news around here,” Mitchell said.

As of Tuesday afternoon, Indiana Beach’s Facebook page was still promoting a job fair, scheduled for Feb. 29, to fill positions for this summer. Customers had been buying season passes as recently as Christmas.

....

Mitchell said he was told Apex would disassemble the rides this spring and take them to the company’s other nine parks in California and two parks in Florida.

Mitchell said that under Apex, Indiana Beach seemed to be doing well enough, after some rough years under Morgan.

“That was every indication we had,” Mitchell said.

...

What a sad day.  Indiana Beach was an Indiana institution, and I have fond memories of summer days spent there.

 

  • Disdain 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wonder if the shocking issues they had last year led to some of this.....  Didn't want to upgrade with their own capital. 

https://www.wlfi.com/content/news/IDHS-inspects-Indiana-Beach-Ride-512182761.html

I would imagine the settlement of the death of the 12 year old last summer or soon to be settlement played a large role in this...

https://www.wlfi.com/content/news/Family-suing-owners-of-Indiana-Beach-after-12-year-old-sons-death-526761131.html

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

33 minutes ago, Coach Nowlin said:

Wonder if the shocking issues they had last year led to some of this.....  Didn't want to upgrade with their own capital. 

https://www.wlfi.com/content/news/IDHS-inspects-Indiana-Beach-Ride-512182761.html

I would imagine the settlement of the death of the 12 year old last summer or soon to be settlement played a large role in this...

https://www.wlfi.com/content/news/Family-suing-owners-of-Indiana-Beach-after-12-year-old-sons-death-526761131.html

 

 

The autopsy could find no cause of death, no trauma was recorded, and this somehow becomes the park operator's fault?

Oddly enough I've only been to Indiana Beach one time, as a 8-9 year old kid, and the only memory I have of the place is my dad having a heart attack there. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 hours ago, Impartial_Observer said:

Oddly enough I've only been to Indiana Beach one time, as a 8-9 year old kid, and the only memory I have of the place is my dad having a heart attack there. 

How much of a settlement did he get?

  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

13 hours ago, Impartial_Observer said:

Didn’t go to the doctor until we came home, to his dying day dad swore the doctors were crazy, he never had a heart attack. 

Hopefully you were able to spend some time with your dad after his HA.  My father knew he had issues, even had nitro pills prescribed (we found out later according to his doctor) but didn't listen to him.  An exploding aorta in his sleep took care of him.  RIP - 32 years ago.

  • Sad 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

41 minutes ago, swordfish said:

Hopefully you were able to spend some time with your dad after his HA.  My father knew he had issues, even had nitro pills prescribed (we found out later according to his doctor) but didn't listen to him.  An exploding aorta in his sleep took care of him.  RIP - 32 years ago.

The heart attack at Indiana Beach was 73-74, he just died last March, so yea, lots of time, but never enough right?

  • Like 3
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Impartial_Observer said:

The heart attack at Indiana Beach was 73-74, he just died last March, so yea, lots of time, but never enough right?

Good for you buddy!!  Be thankful for time well spent, I'm sure.  I just wish my dad could have met my kids, he was a super grandpa to my brother and sister's kids.  Mine would have loved him.

  • Like 1
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

18 minutes ago, swordfish said:

Good for you buddy!!  Be thankful for time well spent, I'm sure.  I just wish my dad could have met my kids, he was a super grandpa to my brother and sister's kids.  Mine would have loved him.

Nearing the one year anniversary, I've got some other things going on right now that would have involved him, and it's really kind of hitting me. I've been thinking a lot about him, sure could use his guidance. With my mom, it really hit me that first Mother's Day. I feel like I'm very fortunate, both of my parents opted to quit dialysis, I had the opportunity to tell them both goodbye, and thank them for being my parents. When all was said and done, I don't know if it makes it any easier, but I was certainly at peace with it. 

  • Like 2
  • Sad 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

×
×
  • Create New...