Rigby amusement park closing after 1 year of operation
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RIGBY – After reopening under new ownership about a year ago, a Rigby amusement park is closing its doors again.
Squealers Fun Park at 735 Rigby Lake Drive announced on its Facebook page Saturday would be its last day of operation.
“Thank you for all the love and support in Squealers Fun Park. We have gave it (our) all and it’s just not in the cards for us. We appreciate all the smiles and love along the way, but unfortunately we will be shutting down as of Saturday at 4 p.m.,” a Facebook post dated July 8 reads.
Ann Hansen, the wife of the owner, Kent Hansen, tells EastIdahoNews.com the reason for the closure is because the park just hasn’t been as financially profitable as they wanted.
“We were in the red and it wasn’t getting any better. We didn’t have the money and we didn’t want to get a loan to make it better. It just wasn’t paying for itself,” Ann says.
Customers are invited to come and ride the go-karts, play miniature golf, enjoy the bounce houses, the rock climbing wall and all the other amenities one final time between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
“Let’s just enjoy today … with positive vibes,” another Facebook post says. “I would like us to end on a positive note. Come race us before we close.”
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Hansen purchased the property from Matt Blackham in the fall of 2020 after it had been closed for a year. He and his team added an 8-acre RV park on the west side of the property. It will remain open, according to park employees.
The cost of renting a space at the RV park is $45 a night during the summer and $35 a night during the winter.
Hansen also owns Snake River RV Park at 1440 Lindsay Boulevard in Idaho Falls. He began looking for a second location to open an RV park when Idaho Transportation Department released the results of the Interstate 15 and U.S. Highway 20 connector study in the fall of 2020. The study looked at ways to improve the flow of traffic and reduce congestion. One of the three options being considered would impact the Lindsay Boulevard exit, the location of Snake River RV Park.
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Squealers first opened in the late 1990s under the name The Riot Zone. Keith Johnson was the original owner.
The future of the property remains uncertain. Ann says they haven’t figured out what to do with it yet.
She’s grateful for everyone involved in the venture over the last year and for those in the community who have supported their efforts.
“We would like to express our appreciation for last year’s managers, Allen and Megan Lovell, and this year’s managers, Bill and Jennifer Martindale and Wanda and Doug Bradshaw. They all worked very hard and put in a lot of time and we really appreciate their hard work,” says Ann.
“Please come visit us for one last fun-filled time. Once again, thank you for all the love and support!” a Facebook post from Squealers says.