Bluegrass Boardwalk theme park is not on track to reopen next May and its unclear which of the large attractions that made the former Kentucky Kingdom park popular will be operating. Members of Indiana’s Koch family, who also operate Holiday World, were hoping to open in spring of next year, but that relied on having a signed lease from the state last month, wrote spokeswoman Paula Werne in an email to WFPL. The group has been slow to secure the tax incentives it says it needs from the state to proceed with the project, despite having been approved for the lease by the Kentucky State Fair Board in February.
Bluegrass Boardwalk officials say they’re behind schedule on work the group needs to complete before it reopens, including assessing rides to determine which will be operating when the park opens. The Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet also needs to review and approve the group’s application to determine if it’ll get state tax incentives. This will likely be complete next month, said cabinet spokesman Gil Lawson. "When this is accomplished and, presumably, the lease is signed by the Commonwealth, we will be able to determine whether the park will open in 2013 or 2014," said Werne. Bluegrass Boardwalk is also pursuing local tax incentives. As a result, the new park could delay opening passed 2013, and its unclear which rides will be in operation at that time. The Kentucky State Fair Board this week approved to change the date the Bluegrass Boardwalk can opt-out of its lease agreement. The group now has until August to make its decision.
