Cypress Gardens to close rides permanently

Cypress Gardens announced in a press release that the park will close for the winter season on November 17 and will reopen in March 2009, without rides or animal attractions. Tampa Bay Online has the details of this closure/removal:

In an effort to ensure the park's long-term presence, it will open reopen with an expanded water park attraction, officials said.

About 200 employees will be laid off temporarily and will learn in the next few weeks whether they will be retained, Jennifer Mansfield, the park's marketing manager, said this morning.

"It was a move necessary at this point to keep the long term in mind and sustaining Cypress Gardens as people know it," Mansfield said.

The water show and extensive, exotic displays of foliage have been the signature elements of the 72-year-old Winter Haven park known as Florida's first tourist attraction.

Mansfield said details will be provided in the near future on specific plans for attractions.

The park's butterfly exhibit is being cared for, but no plans have been determined for what other attraction or zoo might take it and animals such as a jaguar that were part of Cypress Gardens displays.

Patrons holding season passes should monitor the park's Web site, www.cypressgardens.com, for updates on options that might be developed, Mansfield said.

From the press release:

After months of exhaustive analysis by park officials and owners, Florida’s first theme park, Cypress Gardens, will temporarily close on Monday, November 17th, for a major renovation. With a reopening scheduled for March of 2009, the plans include expanding the wildly popular water park, while preserving the history and nostalgia of the original park, with a focus on the original botanical gardens and their worldwide notoriety. The ski show shall continue as part of the original park experience. The existing animal area and the ride area will be permanently closed.

“The operating expense of running 38 amusement rides, a zoo, the botanical gardens, a ski show, and a water park are considerable,” said Cypress Gardens co-owner Rob Harper. “It is obvious the park cannot successfully function as four parks in one. We have some exciting new plans that everyone will be thrilled to see come March,” Harper added.