Community hopeful for Kennywood’s future after announcement of pending sale

PITTSBURGH — Kennywood, Idlewild and Sandcastle are being sold to a new company.

Parques Reunidos has agreed to sell its Palace Entertainment U.S. properties, which include the three Pennsylvania parks, to Herschend, which owns award-winning destinations like Dollywood, the Adventure Aquarium and Wild Adventures Theme Park.

In all, Herschend, which describes itself as the “world’s largest family-owned themed attractions company,” is acquiring 20 entertainment venues across 10 states. Herschend says it’s committed to a smooth transition and no immediate changes are planned for the daily operations of the properties it’s acquiring.

But, Herscend says it does have three main priorities in the coming months:

Supporting its new employees with training, resources, and opportunities aligned with Herschend’s people-first culture.
Maintaining continuity in guest experiences while exploring enhancements that align with Herschend’s commitment to high-quality entertainment.
Proactively communicating with employees, guests, and local communities as the transition progresses.

“We look forward to building upon the strong foundation that Palace Entertainment has created and welcoming these properties and hosts into the Herschend family of brands,” said Andrew Wexler, CEO of Herschend. “The teams at these parks have done an incredible job building beloved destinations in their communities, and we look forward to learning from them, growing together, and building on their success. This is an exciting opportunity for all of us to continue creating exceptional experiences for guests and meaningful opportunities for our teams.”

Terms of the sale were not announced. The sale has not yet been completed.

Inside Jim Futrell’s Bethel Park basement, his love for amusement parks is clear. It’s full of nostalgic relics from Kennywood, Idlewild and other theme parks from across the country.

Futrell is a historian and director for the National Amusement Park Historical Association. He believes the plan to buy Palace Entertainment’s U.S. theme parks, including Kennywood, Idlewild and Sandcastle Waterpark, is positive.

“Herschend has been gradually growing over the last several years. They’re an extremely well-respected operator in the industry,” Futrell. “It’s going to put Kennywood, Idlewild and Sandcastle back in family hands.”

Futrell doesn’t believe jobs at the parks will be in jeopardy saying Herschend values its employees.

“The values that they have as leaders have been instilled in their company culture,” he said.

Community member Lisa Hays, who lives in Ligonier Valley, has fond memories of going to Idlewild with her grandma as a child. She’s hopeful for the park’s future.

“I can just hope that they’ll keep the park open and keep the nostalgic feel to it, the family-friendly nature of the park,” Hays said.

Local leaders said they’re excited for the deal and believe it’ll breathe new life into the area.

“We are delighted to welcome our new guests to West Mifflin,” said Mayor Chris Kelly. “I look forward to meeting with them for lunch to discuss ongoing development initiatives. It’s also noteworthy that Route 43 will be extending directly to the entrance of the Parks in the near future. This is a big win for our community.”

Westmoreland County Commissioner Doug Chew said, “I’m encouraged by the information I’ve read about Herschend acquiring Idlewild Park and Soak Zone in Westmoreland County. Like most everyone in Westmoreland County, I have vivid memories of times at Idlewild as both a kid and a parent to my 3 boys. Herschend seems excited to carry on the legacy that Idlewild represents, and I look forward to working with them in any way necessary to ensure Idlewild remains strong for every successive generation.”

There’s no word on what could happen to the popular Steel Curtain ride, but Futrell said closing the deal can take several months, meaning the ride should be ready to reopen sometime this summer.

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