| Previously known as Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom (1998–2010) | |
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| Location | Louisville, Kentucky, United States |
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| Coordinates | 38°11′44″N 85°44′50″W / 38.195427°N 85.747245°W |
| Status | Operating |
| Opened | May 23, 1987 |
| Owner | Kentucky State Fair Board |
| Operated by | Herschend Family Entertainment |
| General manager | Sarah Worrell[1] |
| Operating season | May–January |
| Area | 67 acres (27 ha) |
| Attractions | |
| Total | 54 |
| Roller coasters | 5 |
| Water rides | 2 |
| Website | kentuckykingdom.com |
Kentucky Kingdom, formerly known as Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom, is an amusement park in Louisville, Kentucky, United States. The 67-acre (27 ha) park[2] includes a collection of amusement rides and the Hurricane Bay water park. Kentucky Kingdom is at the intersection of Interstate 65 and Interstate 264, sharing a parking lot with the Kentucky Exposition Center.
In 1977, the Kentucky State Fair Board announced plans to build a theme park on the grounds of the Kentucky Fair and Exposition Center. The park's construction, overseen by Kentucky Entertainment Limited, began in 1986 and cost $12 million.[3] Kentucky Kingdom opened to the public on May 23, 1987. The park went bankrupt after one season, and was reopened in 1990 by businessman Ed Hart. Due to loan payment challenges, Kentucky Kingdom was sold in 1998 to Six Flags, which operated it until closing it in 2009. Hart reopened the park in May 2014. Seven years later, the park's operating rights were sold to Herschend Family Entertainment. Kentucky Kingdom is owned by the Kentucky State Fair Board and operated by Herschend Family Entertainment.
Kentucky Kingdom has five roller coasters: Kentucky Flyer, Lightning Run, Roller Skater, Storm Chaser, and Thunder Run. The park has opened many first-of-its-kind roller coasters. T2 was the first Vekoma Suspended Looping Coaster in North America. Lightning Run was the first Chance Rides Hyper GT-X Coaster in the world. Storm Chaser was the first roller coaster in the U.S. with a barrel roll drop.
- ^ "Kentucky Kingdom hires new General Manager, as former GM promoted in company". WDRB. September 14, 2021. Archived from the original on November 16, 2023. Retrieved November 16, 2023.
- ^ "Partnership Opportunities". kentuckykingdom.com. Kentucky Kingdom. Archived from the original on August 4, 2020. Retrieved May 26, 2020.
- ^ Tompor, Susan (January 3, 1986). "Kentucky Kingdom stands good chance of beating the odds". The Courier-Journal. Archived from the original on August 5, 2022. Retrieved May 5, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.