Amusement Park News

Thunder Island, located in Fulton, New York, is up for sale — at a discount. The water park property is listed for $1.5 million, which is half a million dollars less than what current owners Shane and Gale LaBeef paid for it in 2022.

The LaBeefs purchased the park, which had been listed for $2.75 million, for a flat $2 million.

Located in mid-state Oswego County, the 113-acre property includes a water park, go-kart track, and mini-golf course. It also features a banquet hall with a commercial kitchen and bar. The listing describes a 7,724-square-foot sports and entertainment building, and perhaps most notably, indicates that the property also has potential for residential development.

Just 25 minutes from Syracuse, the park has had several owners over the years. Harry and Tammie Perau originally opened it in 1979 as a go-kart track before expanding with new attractions.

Thunder Island became well-known in Central New York for its catchy jingle: “The most fun in the sun, where you'll meet everyone—Here on Thunder Island! Thunder Island!” It was also affectionately called “the biggest small park around.”

Over time, the park grew to include eight water slides, three go-kart tracks featuring Formula One, Grand Prix, and two-seater karts, a zipline, mini golf, an arcade, a café, and a banquet facility.



The Peraus sold the business to Ron and Lisa Falise in 2018. While the park continued to thrive for several years, it was forced to close during the 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It reopened briefly in 2021 before tragedy struck: Ron Falise was killed in a tractor accident on the property, and the park shut down once again.

At the time of his death, Falise had been working to expand the water park into a “stay and play” destination. Plans included a campground and RV park on the back of the property.

Lisa Falise later said that “Ron became the heartbeat of Thunder Island,” describing the park as his “baby, his joy… he put everything and then a little bit more into Thunder Island.”

Eight months after his passing, overwhelmed by memories, Lisa decided to sell the park, saying, “I really hope his legacy is continued.”

The LaBeefs purchased Thunder Island and reopened it in 2022. They ran the park successfully through 2024 and expressed enthusiasm about future expansions, including paintball and laser tag.

That first season under new ownership went well. “We had a lot of positive feedback,” said Gale LaBeef. “Everybody was really understanding that it was under new ownership.”

At the end of the 2024 summer season, the owners thanked visitors for their support and said they looked forward to the 2025 season. They even experimented with new events, including an adult Halloween party with $20 tickets that featured a live DJ, a “haunted house” setup, finger foods, a dance floor, a costume contest, and a visit from the ominous “Crunchy the Clown.”

The park appeared to be in good shape, from its iconic giraffe figures on the mini golf course to its café and snack bar, Sliders, which served burgers, hot dogs, chicken wraps, nachos, pizza, frozen drinks, and beer. The banquet hall, complete with a marble-trimmed bar, was ready to host parties and business events.

However, there were signs of trouble. Several August days were too cold or rainy to open, and a July storm forced a temporary closure for cleanup. In June 2024, mechanical issues added to the challenges. That same summer, a frustrated Facebook post by Shane LaBeef addressed complaints about the mini-golf course, reading in part: “We are doing our best with what we have. We are not rich! We work very hard for what we are blessed with. Last year the bad weather almost bankrupted us. And all the repairs so far this year are unbelievable. We almost didn't open this year.”



Operations continued until this year, when the LaBeefs announced that Thunder Island would remain closed for the 2025 season. The only explanation came in a June 1 Facebook post: “We are very sorry to announce that Thunder Island will not be opening for the 2025 season. High hopes for the 2026 season. Please be patient, we will get out more info when we can.”

Instead of updates, fans were met with news that the park was once again for sale.

The LaBeefs have not publicly commented on the sale. In addition to Thunder Island, the couple also own Shane and Son's Heating and Cooling in Syracuse and AAA Paintball Park in Constantia, New York.