Indiana Beach
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Indiana Beach is an amusement park located on Lake Shafer in Monticello, Indiana. The resort was developed by the Spackman family, who owned it from 1926 to 2008. The park was then sold to Morgan RV LLC, Apex Parks Group, LLC, and now is owned and operated by IB Parks & Entertainment.
History
Originally named Ideal Beach, the amusement park began as a small lakeside beach with a bath house and refreshment stand opened by Earl W. Spackman. In 1927, the first thrill attraction opened, and from that point, it began to expand. In the 1930s and 1940s, it was popular for the Ideal Beach Ballroom, featuring well-known bands. In 1961, Indiana Beach added a paddle wheeler boat called the Shafer Queen, which operated for 11 years before being replaced by another paddle wheeler with the same name.
In February 2008, both the amusement park and Indiana Beach campgrounds were sold to Morgan RV LLC. On September 1, 2015, the park was sold to Apex Parks Group.
On February 18, 2020, Indiana Beach suddenly announced that it would permanently close after 94 years of operation, with no plans to reopen. Apex Parks Group cited financial difficulties for the closure and said they had "worked diligently" to find a new buyer for the park but had not been successful. In addition to dozens of seasonal workers, Indiana Beach employed 27 people in administrative and maintenance positions. Those workers were offered six weeks compensation.
In March 2020, Apex Parks Group said that it was in discussions with potential buyers of the park, and that it was possible that the park would be able to reopen that year. Because Indiana Beach generates a large part of the county's tourism revenue, White County officials agreed to offer $3 million from the White County Windfarm Economic Development Fund to the buyer after the sale was complete.
In April 2020, Indiana Beach announced that the park would be reopening that year. The park was purchased by Chicago businessman Gene Staples, subject to approval of a $3 million loan from White County. The park reopened on June 27, 2020.
Rides
Roller coasters
| Name | Year opened | Type | Manufacturer/Model | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cornball Express | 2001 | Wooden roller coaster | Custom Coasters International | Shares the same support as Hoosier Hurricane |
| Hoosier Hurricane | 1994 | Wooden roller coaster | Custom Coasters International | Shares the same support as Cornball Express |
| Lost Coaster of Superstition Mountain | 2002 | Elevator lift wooden coaster | Custom Coasters International | Built at the site of the former Superstition Mountain Mine Ride |
| Steel Hawg | 2008 | El Loco | S&S - Sansei Technologies | A unique coaster with a beyond vertical drop that was once the world's steepest coaster |
| Tig'rr Coaster | 1984 | Steel, Jet Star | Schwarzkopf | Oldest operating roller coaster at Indiana Beach and formerly operated at Holiday Beach in Douglas, Georgia |
| All American Triple Loop | 2024 | Steel, Triple Loop Coaster | Schwarzkopf | Formerly operated at the German fair circuit; Sunway Lagoon in Subang Jaya, Malaysia; Flamingo Land in North Yorkshire, England; and La Feria Chapultepec Magico in Mexico City, Mexico. |
| Cyclone | 2022 | Galaxi | Robles Bouso Atracciones | Located at the site of the park's original Galaxi Roller Coaster and formerly operated with Garcia Attractions' traveling carnival in Mexico. |
Water park attractions and rides
| Name | Year opened | Type | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| Action river | 1989 | Lazy River | |
| Big Flush Water Coaster | 1998 | Water Coaster | |
| Sandy Beach swimming area | 1926 | Swimming area with a recirculating pool | |
| Splash bash water spray pad | 1989 | Splash Pad | |
| 5 tube slides | 1989 | 3 enclosed slides, 2 open slides | Repainted for the 2016 season |
Major rides
| Name | Year opened | Type | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Crow | 2004 | Larson International Flying Scooters | |
| Antique Autos | 1960s | Antique car ride | |
| Den of Lost Thieves | 1998 | Sally Corporation Shooting dark ride | |
| Dodgem | 1960s | Bumper cars | |
| Double Shot | 1998 | S&S Power Double Shot tower ride | |
| Falling Star | 1990 | Chance Rides Falling Star | Opened on the boardwalk, near the South Gate. In 2011, it was taken down and moved to the storage lot behind Steel Hawg. For the 2013/2014 season, it was relocated yet again next to the Hoosier Hurricane station. |
| Flying Bobs | 2020 | Allan Herschell Company Alpine Bobs | Not to be confused with another Flying Bobs attraction that had previously operated at the park. Formerly located at Coney Island from 1994 to 2019. |
| Giant Gondola Wheel | 1989 | Chance Rides Ferris wheel | |
| Music Express | 2011 | Mack Rides Music Express | |
| Nao de China | TBD | Weber Traumboot | Formerly located at La Feria de Chapultepec until its closure in 2019. |
| Paratrooper | 1970s | Frank Hrubetz Paratrooper | |
| Rockin' Tug | 2014 | Zamperla Tugboat Spining Ride | |
| Rocky's Rapids | 1986 | Arrow Dynamics Log flume | Relocated from the former Pontchartrain Beach, which closed in 1983. |
| Scrambler | 1960s | Eli Bridge Company Scrambler | |
| Sea Dragon | Chance Rides Pirate ship | ||
| Sea Warrior | 2021 | Klaus (SDC) Polyp | Relocated from Lake Winnepesaukah in 2020, had previously been located at Kiddieland Park from 1967 up until its closure. |
| Shafer Queen | 1961 | Paddle Wheel Riverboat | The original boat was retired for other usage in 1972 and a newer set was known to have been bought for the 1973 season. |
| Skyride | 1960s | Chairlift | |
| Spackman Express | Chance Rides C. P. Huntington Miniature Train Ride | Runs along much of the park's length. | |
| Tilt-A-Whirl | 1997 | Sellner Tilt-A-Whirl | |
| Water Swings | 1992 | Chance Rides Yo-Yo | |
| Zero Gravity | 2026 | SBF Visa |
Attractions
- Cap'n Crow's Bumper Boats
- Dr. Frankenstein's Haunted Castle– A walk-through attraction
- SkyCoaster
Kiddieland
- Beach Buggies
- Boardwalk Balloons
- Boogie Boats
- Crazy Carp
- Leap Frog
- Little Eli Wheel
- Mini Motors
- Rocky's Roundup
- Rockin' Tug
- Wild Wagons
Former rides
- Bullet
- Chaos (1997-2007) Chance Rides
- Flying Bobs (Chance TM) removed in 2013 to make room for Viper
- Grand Carousel Chance Rides the 50' Grand Carousel (removal in 2019)
- Dragon Wagon (roller coaster) (2014–2018)
- Galaxi (roller coaster) (1971–2013)
- Growler- (2014-2019) Wisdom Tornado spinning Family Ride
- Mystery Mansion
- Paratrooper (Original Model)
- Pumpkin Ferris Wheel
- Skydiver
- Splash Battle (2006–2015)
- Superstition Mountain Mine Ride
- Trabant
- Twister
- Viper (2014-2015) Wisdom Viper
- Zero G (2016-2020) Larson International Ring of Fire
- Zugspitz
Former attractions
- Adventure Point
- Boat Tag
Games
- Fascination
- Gallery of Ghouls– Shooting gallery
- Skee Ball
- Video Arcade
Lodging and cabins
Lodging at Indiana Beach includes hotel, motel and cabin accommodations with varying prices, sleeping capacities and amenities. There are also campground facilities named Indiana Beach/Monticello KOA containing approximately 1,000 camp sites.
Controversies
In 2011, former and current employees staged a protest due to working and safety conditions at the park, claiming that "Rides are continuously closed, or many times forced to be open using rigged components because the company will not or cannot pay for the parts that will allow maintenance to fix them properly." An inspector from the state's division of Homeland Security investigated as a result of the protest and found no major safety violations.
It was reported in December 2012 that Morgan RV LLC had sold 11 of its properties to Sun Communities Operating Limited Partnership LLC of Michigan for $135 million. Among the listed properties was Ideal Private Resorts LLC, whose website includes Indiana Beach Amusement Park and Indiana Beach Accommodations as destinations. Calls by news media to Morgan RV LLC requesting comment, including confirmation or denial that all or part of Indiana Beach was included in the sale, went unanswered.
In January 2013, local news affiliates reported Morgan RV LLC was delinquent paying property and innkeeper taxes totaling approximately $347,000 to White County, where Indiana Beach is located. The CEO of then-owner Morgan RV, Robert Moser, and Indiana Beach's general manager, Bob Gallagher, stated that the park would open for the 2014 season despite misgivings stated by Monticello residents and business owners.
On June 27, 2019, a twelve-year-old boy died after suffering a medical emergency on a roller coaster at the park; it was determined it was not caused by Indiana Beach or the ride.
External links
- at theRoller Coaster DataBase