Cypress Gardens park in Fla. closes
WINTER HAVEN, Fla. - Cypress Gardens, which reigned as Florida’s grandest theme park in the days before Disney, has shut down while its owners try to sell the attraction.
The 73-year-old park, known for water-skiing shows, lush flower gardens, and Southern belles in hoop dresses, was shuttered Wednesday after years of sagging attendance and ownership changes.
The owner, Land South Adventures, said the park was no longer financially viable. The company said in a statement it “has explored numerous management frameworks and exhausted every possible approach to keep the park running in its traditional form.’’
The company said it was negotiating with several potential buyers.
Cypress Gardens, once a must-see for Florida visitors, was opened in 1936 by Dick and Julie Pope, and the family sold it in 1985. It has been bought and sold several times since. The current owners bought it in 2007 for $16.8 million.
