Indiana Beach- Is the end near?

[boilermaker4life]

Last Spring, we were greeted with good news coming from Monticello, and now the news just seems to be getting progressively worse. Too bad, the place was a really affordable family getaway. I can't blame this one on the economy, but poor leadership instead.

Monticello, IN – January 5, 2011 – Indiana Beach Amusement Resort, the premiere Indiana entertainment destination located on Lake Schaffer in Monticello, is undergoing a restoration project this winter in preparation for the 2011 season. The ‘Indiana Beach Revival’, as the project is being referred to by park management, will not only update the physical appearance of the park, but involve new marketing initiatives including a more aggressive event schedule.

Indiana Beach Amusement Resort opened its doors in 1926 as a swimming area in a cornfield and has grown into the largest Amusement Resort and Vacation Playground in Indiana. An escape destination enjoyed by nearly three quarters of a million visitors annually, Indiana beach boasts over 40 rides and attractions, games, fine dining, dancing, an exciting Waterpark, six roller coasters, and so much more

The ‘Indiana Beach Revival’ Project was kicked off with an Open House Day on January 15th 2011, which invited the public to come to the resort to learn about the restoration and what is in store for the upcoming season. The event, featured wine, live jazz music, raffles and an announcement of the new attraction to be added to the park this upcoming season!

While the resort staff will be hard at work restoring rides, installing new ticket booths, renovating bathrooms and more this Winter, come Spring, Indiana Beach will be inviting the public to get involved in the ‘Revival’ project.

Tom Sawyer Day, to be held this April, will give high school students the opportunity to show off their artistic skills in an effort to repaint the park fence and walls. Inspired by the Tom Sawyer white washing story, the event will be sponsored by Valspar paint and provide the teenagers with the necessary supplies to paint murals on the resort’s now dull surfaces. “The goal is to get the community involved in the restoration project,” commented John Collins, Indiana Beach General Manager. “Tom Sawyer Day will inspire kids to embrace their artistic abilities while brightening up one of their favorite destinations.”

Once the park, owned by Morgan RV Resorts, has been revived and repainted, it will launch the 2011 season with a Cinco de Mayo party. Held May 5th – 7th, the weekend long Cinco de Mayo festivities will feature Traditional and Modern Latin Dance Troops, Latino Dance Lessons, Authentic Mexican Cuisine from Chicago Land Restaurants, Traditional Hispanic Jewelry and Clothing, And Much More! The resort will also offer $18 unlimited ride passes.

As soon as the resort is open for the season, weekly jazz parties will be held on the Lake Schafer beach. Sponsored by the local Whyte Horse Winery, every Thursday night will feature live jazz music, wine tastings served by the Whyte Horse staff and food. The idea behind this new series of events is to give adults something to look forward to. “Indiana Beach isn’t just for kids!” laughed Collins.

The Thursday night jazz parties will be reminiscent of one of the park’s main attractions from its first years. Earl Spackman, the park’s original owner, built a ballroom and dance floor in 1930. The dance floor hosted evening dances for guests and residents of the surrounding area. In the ’30’s, the Indiana Beach Ballroom was a home to the growing Big Band Era.

Expanding twice, the Ballroom quickly became one of the major attractions. This season, the Indiana Beach management plans to emphasize the legendary Ballroom as a destination for weddings, reunions and more.

Another new marketing initiative is a partnership with Wal-Mart that will give Wal-Mart employees across the country Indiana Beach discounts.

For more information about Indiana Beach Amusement Park or how you can get involved in the Indiana Beach Revival visit http://www.indianabeach.com or call 574-583-4141.

About Morgan RV Resorts

Morgan RV Resorts is the Country’s largest privately owned RV park corporation with 41 RV Resorts. Our RV parks offer a combination of pools and beaches, premier lake and oceanfront sites, spacious wooded sites, Cable TV, 50 Amp electric, Wi-Fi, the best of activities for all ages, and so much more! Many of our resorts also offer rental accommodations from rustic cabins to deluxe park models. Each resort is run individually in order to ensure that the family-centered environment continues to flourish.

[FParker185]

At least the park is going down kicking and screaming.

[boilermaker4life]

What evidence does everyone have that they're closing? What's with all the negativity?

[w00dland]

$18 wristbands? Hell, why not go.

[CoasterDude12-2]

Hopefully I can make it back to the midwest. I'd love to go to Indiana Beach again.

[BigTopSkyCoaster91]

Boy am I glad this is actually happening. I went there last summer to check out Steel Hawg and Cornball. I really enjoyed the lakeside atmosphere. It definitely gives an exciting atmosphere for their scrambler, Skycoaster, Swingride, and Hoosier Hurricane. I was surprised how much I liked Lost Coaster of Superstition Mountain... boy was that fun backwards. My only complaint is exactly what they intend on fixing. It was almost gross riding their Music Express flat. The toll the lake has taken on their rides is obviously noticeable with all the rust... so that didn't help the atmosphere.

[FParker185]

http://www.indianabeach.com/pages/india ... ture_point

Looks to me like Management has a renewed interest in keeping the park going, at least til it's off the market. They are especially interested when the effort involves a whole slew of up-charge attractions

I will admit though that renovated bathroom facilities will be a most welcome improvement.

[boilermaker4life]

I was in the newly-remodeled bathrooms today, and boy are they way nicer than before. All bathrooms are now also being painted orange on the exterior to more easily identify their locations within the park.

[FParker185]

did you park in the $5 parking area, the $7 parking area, or the $10 parking area? Any idea how far the $5 is from the park?

[boilermaker4life]

Currently there is still free parking available. $5 is about a 5 min walk from the North entrance, adjacent to the Steel Hawg. If you come after 6 its free. The other lots go free 2 hours before the park closes.

[FParker185]

http://www.wlfi.com/dpp/news/local/Form ... iana-Beach

I like where this is going..

[Luxornv]

I went there last week and I was not impressed. When I entered the park, I wasn't sure if any of the coasters were running because I didn't see any trains on them for a few minutes. Turns out this was just because of extremely slow operation. I know some rides there couldn't run more than 1 train (Cornball) or 2 in the case of Lost Coaster, but they were intentionally running the others at half capacity.They also have the strictest loose article policy I've ever encountered, but they don't bother to tell you until you're on a ride. It was just disappointing to see the condition this park was in. If run properly, this could be an amazing park in a very unique location.

[DejaVu2001]

Just posted on Facebook and their website, the park is now closed for the season a good 3 weeks before they were scheduled to.

http://www.indianabeach.com/pages/indianabeach_calendar

Absolutely no advanced notice, and no reason. Hersheypark and Knoebels had record flooding and they're busting their rear ends to reopen this weekend. Indiana Beach has no reason to close early, they just don't give a crap. This management doesn't know their heads from their rears. But then again, we already knew that.

To anyone like me, that was planning on going, "Sorry, Park's closed, the crow out front should have told you"

EDIT: Indiana Beach appears to have deleted their Facebook page. Guess they don't like being called out on their BS

[FParker185]

So, who's turn is it to defend the park this time?

[monsterfan99]

So it's about time to start guessing where the parks rides will end up.

[ragingbull1331]

So it's about time to start guessing where the parks rides will end up.

Well... I'd love to see Great America snag a ride for 2013 from there (Im looking at you Steel Hawg)

[CoasterBGW]

The park has one of the most unapologetic responses ever... "It was on our operating calendar, but things are subject to change without notice and it was just a decision we had to make."

If they knew it was unprofitable and still scheduled to operate, then it makes me seriously question the managements ability to run a successful business.

http://www.wlfi.com/dpp/news/local/indi ... sing-early

MONTICELLO, Ind. (WLFI) - Indiana Beach in Monticello, Indiana is now closed for the season except to private functions and the Enjoy White County Festival on October 1, 2011.

The news the park would not remain open through the month of September came as a shock to some. WLFI received several complaints about the park's schedule on our Facebook page .

Don Stack owns a house on Lake Schafer, near Indiana Beach. He said his family is coming in this weekend and he had planned to take them to the park. Stack said it was an annual tradition, a family reunion. He said his brothers were coming into town from Texas and Oklahoma, but now, with the park closed, they will have to make alternative plans.

"We'll still get together and do things, with or without the amusement park," Stack said.

NewsChannel 18 contacted Indiana Beach Thursday to find out what was going on.

Bob Moser, president of Morgan RV Resorts which owns the park, spoke to us by phone. He said Indiana Beach typically closes on Labor Day weekend, however, when Morgan first purchased the amusement park in 2008, the company tried an extended season, but found it not to be profitable.

The park does remain open in September for private functions. Sherry Vogel, Director of Sales and Marketing for Indiana Beach, said the park will be open on October 1 for the Enjoy White County Festival .

She acknowledged the change in closing date this season.

"It was on our operating calendar, but things are subject to change without notice and it was just a decision we had to make," Vogel explained.

Moser told NewsChannel 18 Morgan RV Resorts is "very committed" to Indiana Beach and he alluded to future plans to improve the park next season, but did not want to elaborate. He said Morgan has invested more than $10 million to the park since the company bought it in 2008.

Moser denied the closure this season had anything to do with a protest earlier this summer by former employees. He said he plans to visit the park in the next several days. He added he will be meeting with city officials as well as the former employees.

Indiana Beach's Operating Calendar is posted on the park's website .

[BP317]

I doubt cutting hours this time of year has anything to do with any signs of the park closing for good. IB being a seasonal park with a skeleton staff is better off getting a head start on offseason tasks then keeping the park open and losing money if the place is going to be dead.

[FParker185]

Apparently word is filtering out that Morgan RV, parent company of Indiana Beach has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The electricity at the park was shut off 2 days ago due to non-payment to NIPSCO. Outside Food Vendors were told to remove their stations and any remaining supplies.

It's looking pretty bleak right now.

[tribar]

^Wow the end is near!!!!

[FParker185]

I would think the end of Morgan is near, I gotta think someone else will end up buying the park for a steal and keep it a park. The location is way to remote for condos, and a few years ago I was looking at Real estate around the lake as I was looking at possibly applying for a full time job there, and you can get a house on a decent sized plot of lakefront land for less than it costs to buy luxury car. Real Estate values are probably even lower now.

[tribar]

^That acutally doesn't sound like a bad idea. Cheap, lakefront, close to an amusement park even if it is a crappy one

[Stoogie]

Apparently word is filtering out that Morgan RV, parent company of Indiana Beach has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The electricity at the park was shut off 2 days ago due to non-payment to NIPSCO. Outside Food Vendors were told to remove their stations and any remaining supplies.

It's looking pretty bleak right now.

So how do you know this?

[ragingbull1331]

Apparently word is filtering out that Morgan RV, parent company of Indiana Beach has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The electricity at the park was shut off 2 days ago due to non-payment to NIPSCO. Outside Food Vendors were told to remove their stations and any remaining supplies.

It's looking pretty bleak right now.

So how do you know this?

Lemon Chill Guy or Dippin Dots man... Obviously

[FParker185]

Post elsewhere from one of those outside vendors, hence "The word filtering out" Nothing is confirmed til there is either a news story, press release of some sort, or someone digs up public domain legal papers.