26 Jun 2017
Hersheypark looking at possible expansion
BY Tom Anstey
The owner of Pennsylvania’s Hersheypark is in the early stages of developing a masterplan for the expansion of the theme park, eyeing a piece of land adjacent to the attraction for the project.
Hershey Entertainment – parent company of the Hersheypark – owns the former Parkview Golf Course, which sits alongside the site.
In November last year, a 10-year project to relocate the Park Boulevard pathway was completed, with Hershey donating US$9m (€8m, £7.1m) worth of land for the project. The completion of the US$9.7m (€8.7, £7.6m) project, which was funded by local, state and federal funds, offered a safer corridor from downtown Hershey to the Hersheypark and better connected the former golf course with the Hersheypark site.
“Regarding development plans for Hersheypark, we are currently working through various concepts both internally and with a retained theme park master planning consultant,” said Garrett Gallia, vice president of communications and corporate relations for Hersheypark, speaking to Attractions Management.
According to Gallia, planning is currently in the early stages with an actual masterplan for the site being some years, with different elements of the development still in discussion.
“As we imagine what the park development and expansion could be, we are looking at many different possibilities – some of which may lead to concrete plans, some of which may not,” said Gallia. “We can say that we envision a lot of exciting developments in Hersheypark's future.”
Hersheypark, which first opened its doors in 1906, has seen significant expansion in recent years, adding eight rollercoasters and a US$17.6m (€15.7m, £13.8m) waterpark between 1991 and 2008.
In 2012 the park’s tallest and fastest rollercoaster, Skyrush, debuted and in 2013 the Shoreline Sprayground was added. The park’s 13th rollercoaster, Laff Trakk, opened in 2015 and this year the park added its Hershey Triple Tower drop rides.
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