Previously known as Ideal Beach; Indiana Beach Amusement Resort | |
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Location | 5224 East Indiana Beach Blvd, Monticello, Indiana, United States |
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Coordinates | 40°47′N86°46′W / 40.79°N 86.77°W |
Status | Operating |
Opened | 1926 |
Owner | IB Parks & Entertainment |
Slogan | "There's more than corn in Indiana!" (previously: "Where Families Flock For Fun" & "The riviera of the midwest!") |
Operating season | May through October |
Area | 10 acres (4.0 ha) |
Attractions | |
Total | 43 |
Roller coasters | 7 |
Water rides | 4 |
Website | www |
Indiana Beach is an amusement park located on Lake Shafer in Monticello, Indiana. The resort was developed by the Spackman family, who owned it from 1926 to 2008. The park was then sold to Morgan RV LLC, Apex Parks Group, LLC, and now is owned and operated by IB Parks & Entertainment.
Originally named Ideal Beach, the amusement park began as a small lakeside beach with a bath house and refreshment stand opened by Earl W. Spackman. [1] In 1927, the first thrill attraction opened, and from that point, it began to expand. [2] In the 1930s and 1940s, it was popular for the Ideal Beach Ballroom, featuring well-known bands. [3] In 1961, Indiana Beach added a paddle wheeler boat called the Shafer Queen, which operated for 11 years before being replaced by another paddle wheeler with the same name. [4]
In February 2008, both the amusement park and Indiana Beach campgrounds were sold to Morgan RV LLC. [5] On September 1, 2015, the park was sold to Apex Parks Group. [6] [7]
On February 18, 2020, Indiana Beach suddenly announced that it would permanently close after 94 years of operation, with no plans to reopen. Apex Parks Group cited financial difficulties for the closure and said they had "worked diligently" to find a new buyer for the park but had not been successful. [8] [9] In addition to dozens of seasonal workers, Indiana Beach employed 27 people in administrative and maintenance positions. Those workers were offered six weeks compensation. [9]
In March 2020, Apex Parks Group said that it was in discussions with potential buyers of the park, and that it was possible that the park would be able to reopen that year. Because Indiana Beach generates a large part of the county's tourism revenue, White County officials agreed to offer $3 million from the White County Windfarm Economic Development Fund to the buyer after the sale was complete. [10]
In April 2020, Indiana Beach announced that the park would be reopening that year. The park has been purchased by Chicago businessman Gene Staples, subject to approval of a $3 million loan from White County. [11] The park reopened on June 27, 2020. [12]
Name | Year Opened | Type | Manufacturer/Model | Comments |
---|---|---|---|---|
Cornball Express | 2001 | Wooden roller coaster | Custom Coasters International | Shares the same support as Hooiser Hurricane |
Hoosier Hurricane | 1994 | Wooden roller coaster | Custom Coasters International | Shares the same support as Cornball Express |
Lost Coaster of Superstition Mountain | 2002 | Elevator lift wooden coaster | Custom Coasters International | Built at the site of the former Superstition Mountain Mine Ride |
Steel Hawg | 2008 | El Loco | S&S - Sansei Technologies | A unique coaster with a beyond vertical drop that was once the world's steepest coaster |
Tig'rr Coaster | 1984 | Steel, Jet Star | Schwarzkopf | Oldest operating roller coaster at Indiana Beach and formerly operated at Holiday Beach in Douglas, Georgia [13] |
All American Triple Loop | 2024 | Steel, Triple Loop Coaster | Schwarzkopf | Formerly operated at the German fair circuit; Sunway Lagoon in Subang Jaya, Malaysia; Flamingo Land in North Yorkshire, England; and La Feria Chapultepec Magico in Mexico City, Mexico. |
Cyclone [14] | 2022 | Galaxi | Robles Bouso Atracciones | Located at the site of the park's original Galaxi Roller Coaster and formerly operated with Garcia Attractions' traveling carnival in Mexico. |
Name | Year Opened | Type | Comments |
---|---|---|---|
Action river | 1989 | Lazy River | |
Big Flush Water Coaster | 1998 | Water Coaster | |
Sandy Beach swimming area | 1926 | Swimming area with a recirculating pool | |
Splash bash water spray pad | 1989 | Splash Pad | |
5 tube slides | 1989 | 3 enclosed slides, 2 open slides | Repainted for the 2016 season |
Name | Year Opened | Type | Comments |
---|---|---|---|
Air Crow | 2004 | Larson International Flying Scooters | |
Antique Autos | 1960s | Antique car ride | |
Den of Lost Thieves | 1998 | Sally Corporation Shooting dark ride | |
Dodgem | 1960s | Bumper cars | |
Double Shot | 1998 | S&S Power Double Shot tower ride | |
Falling Star | 1990 | Chance Rides Falling Star | Opened on the boardwalk, near the South Gate. In 2011, it was taken down and moved to the storage lot behind Steel Hawg. For the 2013/2014 season, it was relocated yet again next to the Hoosier Hurricane station. |
Flying Bobs | 2020 | Allan Herschell Company Alpine Bobs | Not to be confused with another Flying Bobs attraction that had previously operated at the park. Formerly located at Coney Island from 1994 to 2019. |
Giant Gondola Wheel | 1989 | Chance Rides Ferris wheel [2] | |
King Chaos | TBD | HUSS Park Attractions Top Spin | Originally operated at Six Flags Great America from 2004 to 2017. It sat in storage for years before being moved to Indiana Beach property in February 2024. The attraction is currently in storage with no known timeline to install it. |
Music Express | 2011 | Mack Rides Music Express | |
Nao de China | TBD | Weber Traumboot | Formerly located at La Feria de Chapultepec until its closure in 2019. |
Paratrooper | 1970s | Frank Hrubetz Paratrooper | |
Rockin' Tug | 2014 | Zamperla Tugboat Spining Ride | |
Rocky's Rapids | 1986 | Arrow Dynamics Log flume | Relocated from the former Pontchartrain Beach, which closed in 1983. |
Scrambler | 1960s | Eli Bridge Company Scrambler | |
Sea Dragon | Chance Rides Pirate ship | ||
Sea Warrior | 2021 | Klaus (SDC) Polyp | Relocated from Lake Winnepesaukah in 2020, had previously been located at Kiddieland Park from 1967 up until its closure. |
Shafer Queen | 1961 | Paddle Wheel Riverboat | The original boat was retired for other usage in 1972 and a newer set was known to have been bought for the 1973 season. |
Skyride | 1960s | Chairlift | |
Spackman Express | Chance Rides C. P. Huntington Miniature Train Ride | Runs along much of the park's length. | |
Tilt-A-Whirl | Sellner Tilt-A-Whirl | ||
Water Swings | 1992 | Chance Rides Yo-Yo |
Lodging at Indiana Beach includes hotel, motel and cabin accommodations with varying prices, sleeping capacities and amenities. [16] There are also campground facilities named Indiana Beach/Monticello KOA containing approximately 1,000 camp sites. [17] [18]
In 2011, former and current employees staged a protest due to working and safety conditions at the park, claiming that "Rides are continuously closed, or many times forced to be open using rigged components because the company will not or cannot pay for the parts that will allow maintenance to fix them properly." [19] [20] An inspector from the state's division of Homeland Security investigated as a result of the protest and found no major safety violations. [21]
It was reported in December 2012 that Morgan RV LLC had sold 11 of its properties to Sun Communities Operating Limited Partnership LLC of Michigan for $135 million. [22] Among the listed properties was Ideal Private Resorts LLC, whose website includes Indiana Beach Amusement Park and Indiana Beach Accommodations as destinations. [23] Calls by news media to Morgan RV LLC requesting comment, including confirmation or denial that all or part of Indiana Beach was included in the sale, went unanswered. [24]
In January 2013, local news affiliates reported Morgan RV LLC was delinquent paying property and innkeeper taxes totaling approximately $347,000 to White County, where Indiana Beach is located. [25] [26] [27] [28] [29] The CEO of then-owner Morgan RV, Robert Moser, and Indiana Beach's general manager, Bob Gallagher, stated that the park would open for the 2014 season despite misgivings stated by Monticello residents and business owners. [5]
On June 27, 2019, a twelve-year-old boy died after suffering a medical emergency on a roller coaster at the park; it was determined it was not caused by Indiana Beach or the ride. [30] [31]
Monticello is a city in and the county seat of White County, Indiana, United States. The population was 5,508 at the 2020 census. Monticello is known as a tourist destination in north-central Indiana and is home to the Indiana Beach amusement park on Lake Shafer, and Lake Freeman.
Cedar Point is a 364-acre (147 ha) amusement park located on a Lake Erie peninsula in Sandusky, Ohio, United States, owned and operated by Six Flags. It opened in 1870 and is considered the second-oldest operating amusement park in the US behind Lake Compounce. Prior to the merger with Six Flags in 2024, Cedar Point served as the "flagship park" of the Cedar Fair amusement park chain and hosted the corporate headquarters. Known as "America's Roller Coast", the park features 17 roller coasters, which ranks third among amusement parks in North America behind sister parks Canada's Wonderland (18) and Six Flags Magic Mountain (20).
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Storm Chaser is a steel roller coaster located at Kentucky Kingdom in Louisville, Kentucky, United States. Designed by Alan Schilke and manufactured by Rocky Mountain Construction (RMC) at an estimated cost of $10 million, the ride opened to the public on April 30, 2016. It features three inversions, a 78-degree drop, and a maximum speed of 52 mph (84 km/h) utilizing RMC's patented I-Box track technology.
Colossos - Kampf der Giganten, German for Colossos: Battle of the Giants, is a wooden roller coaster located at Heide Park in Soltau, Lower Saxony, Germany. Manufactured by Intamin, the roller coaster opened as simply Colossos in 2001. Unlike traditional wooden coasters, its track was prefabricated, laser-cut in a factory to a high degree of precision, with sections designed to snap together like Lego pieces. Some of its planks were tightly bonded in multiple layers instead of traditionally nailed together by hand. The roller coaster closed in 2016 due to deteriorating track conditions and reopened in 2019 after refurbishment.
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All American Triple Loop is a steel roller coaster at Indiana Beach in Monticello, Indiana.
Cornball Express is a wooden roller coaster at Indiana Beach in Monticello, Indiana. The ride was designed and manufactured by Custom Coasters International. It opened on May 18, 2001. The Cornball Express had gained critical acclaim among enthusiasts, being named the #1 wooden roller coaster in the world by website ThemeParkCritic.com in 2002. Cornball Express, along with 2002's Lost Coaster of Superstition Mountain, were among Custom Coaster International's last roller coasters designed before closing their doors in 2002. It was their 48th roller coaster designed.
Hoosier Hurricane is a wooden roller coaster at Indiana Beach in Monticello, Indiana. The ride was designed by Dennis McNulty and Larry Bill of Custom Coasters International. It opened on May 27, 1994, as the park's largest wooden roller coaster and the first wooden roller coaster built in Indiana in fifty years. The ride was Custom Coasters International's third roller coaster designed and the first modern wooden coaster built with a steel support structure, which would eventually become a trend on many wooden coasters designed by them.
Robert J. Moser is an American business executive from Saratoga Springs, New York. As of 2010, he was the owner and CEO of Prime Group Holdings, Moser's prior company, Ideal Resorts, was the largest operator of recreational vehicle parks and resorts in the United States. As of 2013, Moser owned and managed over $9.5 billion in real estate assets through his various companies' ownership of apartments, mobile home parks, retail space, office space, self-storage facilities, industrial parks, hotels, and resorts.
This is a list of events and openings related to amusement parks that occurred in 2021. These various lists are not exhaustive.