The Save Kentucky Kingdom facebook group has sent out a message on facebook.

"A lot of folks are asking us for an update and the latest news. Here is
what we know: The Kentucky Kingdom Redevelopment Corporation has been
working non-stop both in the park and with those involved in the
financing. They are currently assessing the exact needs and costs of
renovating current buildings and attractions and adding new ones. Much
progress has been made in the last few months and there is much work
left to do before the Summer of 2014.

When and if there is a major announcement, we will be sure to share it with you. In the
meantime, don't worry that the park hasn't been in the news. The major
political hurdles have been cleared so the media doesn't have a story to
report.

Thank you to everyone for your support. Keep the
excitement and anticipation going. It will be a wonderful day when the
park is open to the public again."

In today's world, the media is far more reactive than proactive. To blame the media for the absence of Kentucky Kingdom news is borderline ludicrous. A reinvigorated park needs all the good publicity it can generate. And all Hart & Co. would need do is send out a press release. They really need to do that.

Oddly, this is about the period of time the Kochs got really quiet. Then, they got a two and a half month extension of the assessment/walk away period. Sixteen days into that extension, Bluegrass Boardwalk was no more. Ironically, that press release came the day after major tax incentives were approved.

Mr. Hart really needs to be out making news...good news for Louisville, Kentucky and the Kingdom.

Well...We finally have new news!!!

http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20130325/NEWS01/303250084/Kentucky-Kingdom-rehab-will-cost-more-than-first-thought

But also by this time they had the tv stations doing stories, interviewing the koch's etc. Good luck to reopening this place, and it seems to me six flags just left everyting rotting away:

To KY KINGDOMS success between holiday world and beech bend park plus Kings Island to the north:

Six Flags has had exactly nothing to do with the property since early 2010. If you want to blame someone for the deterioration since the park was last open, look no further than Ye Olde Fair Board.

As for Kentucky Kingdom competing against Holiday World, Kings Island, Beech Bend, etc., remember those parks not only don't get substantial tax incentives, they PAY real property taxes to their respective states, counties, etc.

"Our team has been on property for almost two months. Yes, there is more deterioration than when we were last on the site almost two years ago,” Hart said of Kentucky Kingdom, which last operated in 2009.

What did Hart expect, the park would be in better condition than last he saw it?

More news in April or May?!:

http://m.wave3.com/autojuice?targetUrl=http%3a%2f%2fwww.wave3.com%2fstory%2f21807026%2freopening-kentucky-kingdom-could-cost-more-than-explected

Make of this what you will. April 27 is the 90 day assessment period deadline. The Kochs had gotten their similar period extended:

http://m.wave3.com/autojuice?targetUrl=http%3a%2f%2fwww.wave3.com%2fstory%2f21821649%2fdeadline-looming-to-approve-kentucky-kingdom-lease

No one shows up at public hearing. 3 to 4 more weeks?

http://www.wdrb.com/story/21829079/public

Tax incentive approval date projected for April 10 (it was the day after this approval the Kochs dropped out):

http://m.wlky.com/national-news/No-one-shows-up-to-public-hearing-on-Kentucky-Kingdom/-/17432580/19517268/-/6hfw3j/-/index.html

What I make out of the above:

April 27th is the end of the 90 day assessment period.

The approval of the sale could take 3 to 4 more weeks, especially since Hart stated it will cost more to re-open and will require a bigger thought to whether or not the sale is worth the effort.

April 10th is when the tax incentive will be approved or disapproved.

I understand that many compare Hart's current situation to the Koch's.....but Hart isn't the Koch's. Hart from what we are aware wasn't going through family turmoil with the loss of a loved one and legally finding control of their own park. In short, it seems that Hart's plate is filled with a smaller portion of aspects compared to the Koch's.

I wish Hart success and Kentucky Kingdom. I'd like to visit some day!

When you consider that Frankfort is a bit of a hike from both Louisville (about an hour) and Lexington (45 minutes), is it any surprise that nobody showed up for the hearing?

More:

http://m.wave3.com/autojuice?targetUrl=http%3a%2f%2fwww.wave3.com%2fstory%2f21830280%2fup-to-10-million-available-in-tax-incentives-to-reopen-kentucky-kingdom

...crickets....

This is some way to build enthusiasm for the exciting, awe inspiring, grand re-opening of a stunning park.

Total silence.

For weeks at a time.

This is not the mark of a highly confident team progressing rapidly toward a sure fire thing.

Quite frankly, this is all very, very odd.

Unless someone expects to go back to the Commonwealth and say the proposed lease cannot be done, here are the reasons why, and we need far more favorable terms or we, the ONLY interested party, are going to have to walk away.

And the State, as a Government, is in a rather perilous position. Do they give up more taxpayer money or do they end up looking like the party that could have saved Kentucky Kingdom, but didn't? If they do agree to more favorable terms, and the park still does not succeed, that will also not bode well.

A perilous time.

I'm glad I'm not advising the Fair Board or the Governor. At least Hart can always blame the banks should he decide to bail.

And the quiet...continues.

nothing on website either, that is any big news: http://www.kentuckykingdom.com/site/about-the-park/park-rides/

Final Approval of Tourism Tax Incentives Expected Wednesday. CJ Says Hart Has Until Mid-May To decide Whether To Proceed, Hart Says Once Financing Arrangements In Place, Intent is to Proceed:

http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20130408/NEWS01/304080093/Agency-consider-approval-Wednesday-state-incentives-Kentucky-Kingdom

Been here once before. Time to see if Hart is ready to put his money where his mouth is!

You mean his investors money if he has any. The park was made successful once before, lets see if history repeats.

Approved as expected:

http://m.bizjournals.com/louisville/news/2013/04/10/tourism-authority-approves-kentucky.html?r=full

Hart says end of June to wrap up financing, agreements:

http://www.wdrb.com/story/21933835/10-million-in-tax-credits-approved-for-kentucky-kingdom

Guys, I'm conflicted.

Does it make me a bad person if deep down inside I hope that Kentucky Kingdom does not reopen?

Because if KK reopens, I feel like it could hurt Holiday World due to competition and possibly hurt future expansion via less revenue. And I don't like that one bit.

I'm not conflicted... I flat out do not want KK to reopen.

As a Louisville, Kentucky resident, I don't want my taxes to be used to re-open a park that has proven over and over to be nothing but a hands-off babysitter for uncontrollable west-enders on the busline. It was, and will be, a park heavily attended by troublemakers.

We've heard how it will be bigger, better & wetter from Ed-no-so-smart-Hart. But he's not said one thing about how much "safer" it will be. Why? Because he's not focused on that. At least when HW was involved, they were inent on improving the reputation and ensuring safety. Hart hasn't even acknowledged there was a safety issue to begin with.

The whole thing is a joke - the reason local people avoided KK was that it held a bad perception. Seriously - in latter years there were at least 3 cases of rape/molestation that took place inside the park!!! Mark my words - if re-opened, it will hold that same reputation within 1 season. It's ridiculous to see this as anything but the 3rd time at the rodeo. Fool us once - shame on us... fool us twice...

Astroworld had the same issue - and Houston bulldozed it. They were smart...

Shaggy

Financing is fully set for Kentucky Kingdom to reopen

http://www.wave3.com/story/21945539/changes-made-to-budget-to-get-kentucky-kingdom-open-on-time

Hmmm. Bank apparently wouldn't lend the full amount. Hart & Co. are having to put up more of their own money. This article is back to the April 27 deadline to finalize the lease.

Good and bad in my book of amusement park FUN, with the latter of the SIX. Good in that there would be less people going to Kings Island, and less buzz around Soak City (Which that is just my inner watergoer speaking). Bad in that the Ark Encounter park will now have more competition and would really have to step up more than without the KK. I really hope for the best for both of the parks, although I wouldn't want to be the taxed on that proposal. Having many of my fellow friends being fans of the KK, I wonder how they are acting on such exciting news, I haven't been to the Kingdom, it sounds a bit out of shape, but I am sure when open I may visit one day.

How would less people at KI ever be a good thing?

How would less people at KI ever be a good thing?

I hate going to Kings Island during the summer weekdays and expecting low crowds, then seeing the opposite. But, honestly, I agree with you. I love seeing the park crowded. That way I know it's successful.

How would less people at KI ever be a good thing?

Less lines make me happier by less time spent waiting in lines, making me be able to ride everything in one day. As well you don't get bumped around in any of the wavepools (Preferably the Great Barrier Reef wavepool, which I don't know the new name), and less wait for waiting for a tube in the lazy miami, which that can be a nightmare. It is good to me when there is less people at the park.

There's no one in line at Americana or Geauga Lake.

Enjoy.

Astroworld closed because of issues with the parking and that the land value was high. Most closed amusement parks sit and rot, Astroworld is sold off, sold for scrap and all traces removed. The land has also been sold, Geauga Lake is half rotting, half demoed with a wavepool turned landfill. How much of the land has sold? As far as troublemakers hanging out at amusement parks, all places that attract teenagers have that problem. That is a mattet of security and publicity, more always happens than makes the papers.

The Geauga Lake land is highly valuable, as well. Lakeside properties go for a lot these days, so why hasn't it sold?

Location, location and location are the three most important factors in the valuation of real estate.

Maybe I am over-reacting. How much do you guys believe that KK re-opening would hurt Holiday World?