Advenureland Park purchased by Palace Entertainment, 10 new attractions planned by 2023

Adventureland Park [courtesy Facebook]

One of the top global operators of amusement parks has acquired Adventureland Resort in Altoona, with plans to add 10 new attractions in the next two years.

Palace Entertainment, a subsidiary of Parques Reunidos, with more than 60 different attractions assets around the world, announced the purchase on Tuesday.

Adventureland Park and Resort was founded in 1974 by Jack Krantz and has been run as a family business by Krantz’s sons and daughter since Jack passed away 15 years ago.

“For almost fifty years, our family has worked hard to bring good times to people of all ages who come to the park to create life-long memories,” said outgoing Chief Executive Officer Michael Krantz. “Palace wants to carry these traditions forward so future generations can do the same. That would make our father incredibly happy.”

“Thank you to the Krantz family-the legacy of Adventureland placed Altoona on the map. Jack’s vision, along with his family’s, has made Adventureland a primary destination for generations,” said Altoona City Administrator Jeff Mark.

“Adventureland has been a staple in Altoona for many years. We are very grateful to the Krantz family and look forward to Palace Entertainment continuing these fantastic traditions here in our community,” said Altoona Mayor Dean O’Connor.

The park has more than 100 rides, shows, and attractions for all ages, from mild to wet-and-wild and feature shows throughout the park for a variety of family fun and entertainment.

The acquisition and Palace’s expansion of the venue will introduce Adventureland into a portfolio of some of the best known and operated parks in the world. Similar to Adventureland, many of these venues hold and maintain a unique and timeless heritage where they operate.

“We are excited about adding Adventureland into our portfolio,” said John Reilly, Chief Operating Officer of Palace Entertainment. “We specialize in parks and venues that create experiences to be enjoyed over a lifetime, from childhood to young adulthood to parenting and grandparenting. We are investing in Adventureland to expand its current lineup to include eight new family rides in 2022, plus two all-new attractions for the 2023 season.”

“The City of Altoona is excited to work with Paradise Entertainment,” Mark said. “Welcome to Altoona!”

The company also announced that beginning next year, Adventureland Platinum Season Passholders will be able to visit all Palace Entertainment sister parks free of charge, including Noah’s Ark Waterpark, another iconic Midwest destination in the Wisconsin Dells, and Kennywood, the legendary amusement park near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Similarly, Platinum Passholders at other Palace owned and operated parks will also be able to visit Adventureland next summer as one of the many Platinum Pass perks.

“We look forward to our Palace Entertainment team combining their operational excellence with Adventureland’s family-run legacy of entertainment. Parques Reunidos has a unique track record of acquiring and successfully integrating parks, with over 20 transactions completed across 11 countries since 2004. This will continue to be a growth lever for the group, keeping local brands and historical positioning of acquired parks while benefiting from state-of-the-art tools and capabilities to further develop the business,” said Pascal Ferracci, Chief Executive Officer of Parques Reunidos.

Palace Entertainment is one of the leading leisure park operators in the United States, with 24 major entertainment and educational venues across 10 different states offering a wide range of family-friendly rides, attractions and educational experiences at some of America’s most unique and historic venues. The global operator of family fun parks and attractions plan to continue expansion of this Iowa theme park with ten new attractions within two years.