Cypress Gardens

Coordinates: 27°58′43″N 81°39′32″W / 27.97851°N 81.65875°W / 27.97851; -81.65875

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Cypress Gardens
Location	Winter Haven, Florida, United States
Website	cypressgardens.com
Owner	Landsouth Holdings
Opened	1936
Closed	2009
Previous names	Cypress Gardens Adventure Park
Operating season	Year-round
Rides	41 total 5 roller coasters 2 water rides

Cypress Gardens was an American theme park near Winter Haven, Florida from 1936 to 2009.

History

Cypress Gardens opened on January 2, 1936 as a botanical garden planted by Dick and Julie Pope. Over the years, it became one of the biggest attractions in Florida, known for its water ski shows, lush gardens, and Southern Belle models.

It became known as the "Water Ski Capital of the World" because many of the sport's landmark firsts and the over 50 world records broken there. Numerous movies were filmed at the park, including portions of This is Cinerama, the first feature filmed in the wide-screen format, and a string of Esther Williams films and TV specials in the 1950s and 1960s. With their addition of a custom photography boat named Miss Cover Girl in the early 1960s, the park became a popular site for the filming of television commercials.

Competition for guests increased after Walt Disney World Resort opened nearby in 1971. In the early 1980s, the Popes retired and transferred the park to their son, Dick Pope Jr.

In the 1980s, book publisher Harcourt, Brace, Jovanovich purchased the park along with SeaWorld, Circus World (later rebuilt as Boardwalk & Baseball) and Stars Hall of Fame, but sold most of the businesses to Anheuser-Busch in 1989. Busch continued to operate Cypress Gardens until April 1, 1995, when a group of the park's managers led by Bill Reynolds bought the property.

Under President and CEO Reynolds, the park operated until April 13, 2003, when it closed after a prolonged tourism decline following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. 529 people were put out of work with three days notice. Immediately the Friends of Cypress Gardens, founded and led by Burma Davis Posey, was incorporated. They enlisted members in all 50 states and 27 countries. Within three-and-a-half months, the grass-roots effort raised USD 13,500,000 and saved the park.

On February 22, 2004, Adventure Parks Group, owned by Kent Buescher, purchased the property and renamed it Cypress Gardens Adventure Park. The purchase of the amusement park portion of the Cypress Gardens property was part of a larger conservation transaction. In that transaction, the entire 150-acre (61 ha) site was purchased from its previous owner, First Gardens, L.C., by The Trust for Public Land, a national conservation organization [1]. TPL then sold a conservation easement over the entire property to the state of Florida, while Polk County purchased the 30-acre (12 ha) gardens portion of the property, less the development rights conveyed in the state easement. Adventure Parks Group purchased the balance of the property, also subject to the conservation easement.

Buescher's plan to reopen the park in September 2004 was delayed by damages created by hurricanes Charley, Frances, and Jeanne. Cypress Gardens Adventure Park finally opened in November 2004. One of its new attractions, the Triple Hurricane roller coaster, was named for the tumultuous storm season. The adjacent Splash Island water park opened in 2005, along with the Galaxy Spin roller coaster.

In September 2006, Adventure Parks Group filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection at the Florida site following approximately $30 million in damages sustained by the 2004 hurricanes.

Land South Adventures, a subsidiary of Mulberry, Florida-based Land South Holdings, purchased Cypress Gardens at a bankruptcy auction on October 16, 2007 for $16.9 million, leaving Buescher as interim manager until Baker Leisure Group of Orlando, Florida took over park operations in January 2008.^[1]

Many celebrities and dignitaries have skied and visited at the park, including Elvis Presley, Jordan's former King Hussein and his son and successor, King Abdullah II. It was also the site of a Johnny Carson special.

On Monday, November 10, 2008, Land South Holdings announced the temporary closure of the park, which was shut down November 17 of that year. It reopened on March 28, 2009 with an expanded water park, named Splash Island. The rides and animals, however, were gone. The reopening prices were reduced. Cypress Gardens and Splash Island now have separate ticketing, though seasonal passes are available. Parking is now free.^[2]

Based on a visual confirmation in September 2009, all of the roller coasters except for Fiesta Express were still at Cypress Gardens, but were not operating. Upon inquiring about the future of these rides with an employee working there that same day, the remaining roller coasters and rides left at the park were to be sold.

On September 23, 2009, Owner Land South Holdings LLC announed that the park was closing immediately saying that all avenues to keep the park open had been explored but was unable to find a way to "keep the park running in its traditional form." ^[3]

Attractions

Roller coasters

The Triple Hurricane, the park's first wooden roller coaster.

Thrill rides

Gallery

Gardens	Gardens	Gardens	Gardens
Gardens - Mum Fest	Gardens - Mum Fest	Ski Show	Paradise Sky Wheel
Triple Hurricane Roller Coaster	Boardwalk Carousel	Tortoise	Green iguana
Bill Reynolds and Southern Belle	Kent Buescher of Adventure Parks Group, owner from 2004-2006	Splash Island Water Park VooDoo Plunge March 2009	Splash Island Water Park Tonga Tubes March 2009
Splash Island Water Park Polynesian Adventure March 2009

References

See also

• List of botanical gardens in the United States
• Waterpark

External links

• Official site
• Photos of Cypress Gardens Hundreds of photos and a thriving message board.
• Cypress Gardens Amusement Rides for Sale - Feb 2009