Kennywood Entertainment Company
Encyclopedia
The Kennywood Entertainment Company was the operator of five United States
amusement parks in Western
Pennsylvania
, Connecticut
and New Hampshire
.
from the Mellon family
's Monongahela Railway
Company in 1906. The company has since been controlled by their two families. In 1983, they acquired Idlewild Park
from the MacDonald family who had owned it since 1952. Before the MacDonalds took over Idlewild, it had also been owned by the Mellon family. Sandcastle Waterpark
opened just a few miles from Kennywood in 1989. They later acquired Lake Compounce
in Bristol, Connecticut
in 1996, and Story Land
in Glen, New Hampshire
in 2007.
On December 11, 2007, Kennywood Entertainment announced that it would be selling all five of its amusement parks to Parques Reunidos
, a Madrid
, Spain
-based company. Since 2009, Palace Entertainment
, the American subsidiary
of Parques Reunidos, has taken over the role formerly filled by Kennywood Entertainment.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
amusement parks in Western
Western Pennsylvania
Western Pennsylvania consists of the western third of the state of Pennsylvania in the United States. Pittsburgh is the largest city in the region, with a metropolitan area population of about 2.4 million people, and serves as its economic and cultural center. Erie, Altoona, and Johnstown are its...
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
and New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
.
History
Kennywood Entertainment Co. was effectively created when F. W. Henninger and Andrew McSwigan purchased Kennywood ParkKennywood
Kennywood is an amusement park located in West Mifflin, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Pittsburgh. The park first opened in 1898 as a "trolley park" at the end of the Monongahela Street Railway. The park was purchased in 1906 by F. W. Henninger and Andrew McSwigan and thus began the Kennywood...
from the Mellon family
Thomas Mellon
Thomas Alexander Mellon was a Scotch-Irish American, entrepreneur, lawyer, and judge, best known as the founder of Mellon Bank and patriarch of the Mellon family of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.-Early life:...
's Monongahela Railway
Monongahela Railway
The Monongahela Railway was a coal-hauling short line railroad in Pennsylvania and West Virginia in the United States. It was jointly controlled originally by the Pennsylvania Railroad, New York Central subsidiary Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad, and the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, with NYC...
Company in 1906. The company has since been controlled by their two families. In 1983, they acquired Idlewild Park
Idlewild and Soak Zone
Idlewild and Soak Zone, commonly known as Idlewild Park or simply Idlewild, is a family amusement park situated in the Laurel Highlands near Ligonier, Pennsylvania, United States, about east of Pittsburgh, along US Route 30. Founded in 1878 as a campground along the Ligonier Valley Railroad by...
from the MacDonald family who had owned it since 1952. Before the MacDonalds took over Idlewild, it had also been owned by the Mellon family. Sandcastle Waterpark
Sandcastle Waterpark
Sandcastle is a water park located in the Pittsburgh suburb of West Homestead. The park is located on a piece of land along the banks of the Monongahela River. Sandcastle is owned by Parques Reunidos, who purchased Kennywood Entertainment. The company runs its original sister parks, Kennywood,...
opened just a few miles from Kennywood in 1989. They later acquired Lake Compounce
Lake Compounce
Lake Compounce is an amusement park located in Bristol, Connecticut, United States and a part of the neighboring town of Southington, Connecticut; the lake itself lies completely in Southington. It is the oldest continuously operating amusement park in North America, having operated every year...
in Bristol, Connecticut
Bristol, Connecticut
Bristol is a suburban city located in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States southwest of Hartford. According to 2006 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 61,353. Bristol is primarily known as the home of ESPN, whose central studios are in the city. Bristol is also home to...
in 1996, and Story Land
Story Land
Story Land is a theme park located in Glen, New Hampshire.In the few years prior to opening, the founders, Bob and Ruth Morrell, had purchased a large number of dolls from Germany based on storybook characters. This was the basis for the park. When it opened, it had just one ride: a ride on an old...
in Glen, New Hampshire
Glen, New Hampshire
Glen is an unincorporated village in the town of Bartlett in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. The village is the home of Story Land, a popular amusement park in the Mount Washington Valley region, a resort area that also includes the communities of North Conway and Jackson.Glen is found at...
in 2007.
On December 11, 2007, Kennywood Entertainment announced that it would be selling all five of its amusement parks to Parques Reunidos
Parques Reunidos
Parques Reunidos is an international entertainment operator based in Madrid, Spain. The group operates over 50 parks in almost a dozen countries. Parques Reunidos operates theme and amusement parks, zoos, water parks, family entertainment centers, and cable cars...
, a Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
-based company. Since 2009, Palace Entertainment
Palace Entertainment
Palace Entertainment is an American amusement and entertainment company owned by Parques Reunidos. The company was established in 1998 after the acquisition of four independently owned family entertainment companies with the five brands Camelot Parks, Palace Park, Boomers!, Grand Prix Race-O-Rama...
, the American subsidiary
Subsidiary
A subsidiary company, subsidiary, or daughter company is a company that is completely or partly owned and wholly controlled by another company that owns more than half of the subsidiary's stock. The subsidiary can be a company, corporation, or limited liability company. In some cases it is a...
of Parques Reunidos, has taken over the role formerly filled by Kennywood Entertainment.
Amusement parks
- Idlewild and Soak ZoneIdlewild and Soak ZoneIdlewild and Soak Zone, commonly known as Idlewild Park or simply Idlewild, is a family amusement park situated in the Laurel Highlands near Ligonier, Pennsylvania, United States, about east of Pittsburgh, along US Route 30. Founded in 1878 as a campground along the Ligonier Valley Railroad by...
, in LigonierLigonier, PennsylvaniaLigonier is a borough in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,695 at the 2000 census. Ligonier was settled in the 1760s. The borough is well known for nearby Idlewild Park, one of the oldest amusement parks in the country, and nearby Seven Springs Mountain Resort...
, PennsylvaniaPennsylvaniaThe Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to... - KennywoodKennywoodKennywood is an amusement park located in West Mifflin, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Pittsburgh. The park first opened in 1898 as a "trolley park" at the end of the Monongahela Street Railway. The park was purchased in 1906 by F. W. Henninger and Andrew McSwigan and thus began the Kennywood...
, near Pittsburgh in West MifflinWest Mifflin, PennsylvaniaWest Mifflin is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States, located southeast of downtown Pittsburgh. The population was 20,313 at the 2010 census....
, Pennsylvania - Lake CompounceLake CompounceLake Compounce is an amusement park located in Bristol, Connecticut, United States and a part of the neighboring town of Southington, Connecticut; the lake itself lies completely in Southington. It is the oldest continuously operating amusement park in North America, having operated every year...
, in BristolBristol, ConnecticutBristol is a suburban city located in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States southwest of Hartford. According to 2006 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 61,353. Bristol is primarily known as the home of ESPN, whose central studios are in the city. Bristol is also home to...
, ConnecticutConnecticutConnecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately... - Sandcastle WaterparkSandcastle WaterparkSandcastle is a water park located in the Pittsburgh suburb of West Homestead. The park is located on a piece of land along the banks of the Monongahela River. Sandcastle is owned by Parques Reunidos, who purchased Kennywood Entertainment. The company runs its original sister parks, Kennywood,...
, also near Pittsburgh in West HomesteadWest Homestead, PennsylvaniaWest Homestead is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, southeast of Pittsburgh, on the Monongahela River. Heavy industries associated with nearby steel mills existed here. Established were axle works, brickworks, and manufactories of machinery, car wheels, etc. In 1910, 3,009 people lived...
, Pennsylvania - Story LandStory LandStory Land is a theme park located in Glen, New Hampshire.In the few years prior to opening, the founders, Bob and Ruth Morrell, had purchased a large number of dolls from Germany based on storybook characters. This was the basis for the park. When it opened, it had just one ride: a ride on an old...
, in GlenGlen, New HampshireGlen is an unincorporated village in the town of Bartlett in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. The village is the home of Story Land, a popular amusement park in the Mount Washington Valley region, a resort area that also includes the communities of North Conway and Jackson.Glen is found at...
, New HampshireNew HampshireNew Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...