Indiana Beach Amusement Park Sold

Article written by:
Eric Gieszl, Editor

Monticello, IN -- Indiana Beach Amusement Park will have a new owner when it opens for the 2008 season. Today, family owned Morgan RV Resorts based in Queensbury, New York announced that it has purchased the Monticello amusement park and resort.

The purchase by Morgan RV includes all of the resorts operations including the famed amusement park and water park, plus the Indiana Beach Camp Resort, Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park Camp-Resort at Indiana Beach, The Beach House Inn hotel and motel, Lakeview Penthouse Suites, cottages at The Beach Club Resort and Hoosier Pointe, the Shafer Queen paddle wheel boat, The Fun Zone, a lakefront sandy beach, the Skyroom Restaurant and multiple dining and retail operations.. Indiana Beach resort complex will open for the season as planned on May 3.

Morgan RV Resorts is the country's largest private owner and operator of RV parks and resorts. Morgan has a large collection of regional destinations that provide clean, fun, affordable family vacations.

"We are thrilled to be welcoming this historic Indiana family destination to the Morgan RV Resorts family," said Bob Moser, co-owner of Morgan RV Resorts. "Superb hospitality and exiting destinations are hallmarks of every Morgan resort.

Many of the properties offer multiple accommodation options, activities and events for al ages, playgrounds, swimming pools and entertainment.

The ownership change won't halt numerous improvements that are planned for the Indiana Beach Amusement Park. The park's sixth roller coaster, Steel Hawq will open this summer.

The new Steel Hawq is Indiana's first custom steel coaster featuring multiple flips and inversions as well as a beyond-vertical 120-degree first drop.

With the addition of Steel Hawq, Indiana Beach will also extend the operating season providing guests with more opportunities to enjoy the park's exciting rides.

"This is an exciting time for Indiana Beach," said Tom Spackman Jr., grandson of park found, Earl Spackman. "With the recent upgrades to many of our accommodations, the forthcoming arrival of Steel Hawg and now the purchase by family-owned Morgan RV Resorts the future is brighter than ever. In the years to come, Indiana Beach is certain to remain the home for all the fun things you love to do."

Indiana Beach dates back to 1926 when Earl Spackman opened Ideal beach with ten rental boats, a sandy beach, bath house and refreshment stand.

In 1947 the first permanent rides were added to Ideal Beach. The rides included a Carousel, Ferris wheel and Rolo Plane. Five years later, Ideal Beach became Indiana Beach.

With this transaction sole family ownership of Indiana's largest amusement park will end.

However Moser added, "Guests of Indiana Beach will continue to take pleasure in the quality experience they have come to love over the past eight decades and enjoy an ongoing commitment to improving the destination year after year."

For more information on Indiana Beach visit www.indianabeach.com or for details on Morgan RV Resorts, see www.morganrvresorts.com.