Amusement Park News

The Grand Island, New York community received disappointing news last week when Niagara Amusement Park & Splash World announced that the park will not open this summer.

Its owner, IB Parks & Entertainment, said that attendance and revenue over the last several years have not been sufficient to sustain operations and continue rebuilding the attraction despite years of effort to revitalize the property.

IB took over operation of the park in 2021 under a long-term lease agreement. CEO Gene Staples, who is well known for rescuing and reviving struggling or recently closed parks, acquired what was then Fantasy Island and rebranded it as Niagara Amusement Park & Splash World. The company undertook an extensive effort to repair vandalism damage and prepare the shuttered venue for reopening.  At the time of the takeover, many attractions had been removed or fallen into disrepair, with the Ferris wheel and Silver Comet among the park's most recognizable remaining rides.

In what many viewed as a Herculean effort, IB reopened the Splash World water park in August 2021. By 2022, the amusement park side had gained several new rides, along with the addition of both a Western town and Kiddieland. Formerly operated by Apex Parks, the attraction appeared to have a promising future under Staples' leadership. IB Parks & Entertainment is widely known for revitalizing distressed properties such as Indiana Beach in Monticello, Indiana. The company also maintained considerable goodwill within the community, even as signs of financial struggle at Niagara became increasingly apparent.

Now, however, IB has announced that it could not find a financially sustainable way to reopen for the 2026 season. The company's official press release stated:

“Throughout this process, our local team worked tirelessly to prepare the park for the upcoming season while continuing to make meaningful improvements across the property. Ultimately, attendance and revenue levels in recent seasons were not sufficient to sustain operating costs and the continued investment required to rebuild the park.”

The company also promised refunds for all season passholders.

Thanking the community and customers for their support, IB stated:

“Since taking stewardship of this property, we invested significant effort to revive and improve the park. We believed deeply in its potential and worked to preserve a place that has created memories for generations of families. Over the offseason, we explored every reasonable path to open this year and worked diligently to find a sustainable way forward. We understand many in the community were seeking updates during that time, and we sincerely appreciate your patience as those efforts continued.”

The company acknowledged that the decision would be “disappointing to many families, employees, and supporters who care deeply about this park,” while also noting that closure was not the outcome IB had hoped for. Nevertheless, the decision to remain shuttered for 2026 has already been made.

That said, IB also announced that it remains “sincerely grateful to every guest who visited, every employee who gave their energy and heart to the operation, and every community member who supported our efforts along the way.” The company added that it still plans to host the annual July 4 fireworks tradition from the park property, with additional details to be announced soon.

Holiday fireworks have long been a tradition at the park, and the Grand Island Moose Lodge 180 launched fundraising efforts during the past two years to help bring the displays back. The organization worked alongside both IB and local pyrotechnics provider Skylighters Fireworks. Community donations and a Moose Lodge fundraiser raised $15,000, ensuring that this year's fireworks display would move forward.

The Moose Lodge noted that IB Parks' involvement was limited to allowing use of the Niagara property and emphasized that the fireworks show will proceed thanks to community support and donations.

The park's future had already become the subject of speculation throughout the offseason, partly because no seasonal jobs were listed on the park's website. Earlier this month, however, Grand Island Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Eric Fiebelkorn said that IB had reassured him the park would open after working through operational logistics. Fiebelkorn noted just weeks ago that, “having such a good relationship [with IB Parks] we want to take them at their word, but there's questions.”

Concerns and rumors also intensified due to multiple broken links on the park's website. Season pass, employment, and ticketing links were all nonfunctional.

Now that the closure has been officially announced, attention has turned toward what comes next for both IB and Niagara. As of this writing, there has been no confirmed announcement regarding whether the closure is permanent or limited to the 2026 season, though the situation appears more serious than a temporary one-year shutdown. IB stated:

“At this time, our focus is on responsibly managing this transition and evaluating future opportunities for the property. We will share updates if additional information becomes available.”

The park originally opened as Fantasy Island in 1961 but closed in 2020 after years of financial hardship and declining conditions. IB began its long-term lease to operate the property in 2021.

For now, the planned fireworks celebration provides a bright spot for a community concerned about the park's future. The closure also highlights the growing challenges of successfully operating a small regional amusement park in today's economic climate.