Cypress Gardens is Closed Once Again

September 26, 2009 at 2:31 PM | by Victor Ozols | 0 Comments

Troubled old Florida theme park Cypress Gardens has been shuttered once again, with the owners declaring that it's no longer financially viable to keep it open. They're seeking a buyer, but it remains to be seen whether and when it might reopen, and what it might look like if it does. As the AP reports, Cypress Gardens has been closed several times over the past decade as it struggled with sagging attendance and a fierce local rival whose name rhymes with Schmisney Schmorld.

It would be sad to see it disappear entirely, as I fondly recall visiting the park with my family on a long-ago Florida vacation. But it certainly is a product of another era. Cypress Gardens was opened in 1936 by Dick and Julie Pope, who watched it flourish during the postwar boom. Ex-GIs and their families would pack the stands for water-skiing shows and admire the hoop-skirted ladies who strolled about.

But nostalgia alone isn't enough to keep it afloat. Without a major upgrade, Cypress Gardens might never regain the crowds it enjoyed during its heyday. Here's hoping they figure out a way to make it work. Until then, there's always Weeki Wachee Springs.

[Photo: Viewliner Ltd.]

· For-Sale Sign Heralds Demise of Dated Cypress Gardens [AP via thestar.com]
· Florida's Cypress Gardens Theme Park Closes, Hopes To Find Buyer [USA Today]
· Cypress Gardens [Official Site]
· Weeki Wachee Springs [Official Site]
· Theme Parks [Jaunted]

Jaunted

Select a Destination:

Tags: Theme Parks / Amusement Parks / Theme Park Travel / Nostalgia / Cypress Gardens / Weeki Wachee Springs / → All Tags