CLEMENTON, N.J. (KYW Newsradio) — A slice of Americana in South Jersey has been revived.
Clementon Park and Splash World has officially reopened under new ownership after its sudden closure nearly two years ago.
The 114-year-old amusement park had been closed since September 2019, when previous owner Premier Parks of Oklahoma City abruptly shut down the property.
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IB Parks and Entertainment, which operates the Indiana Beach amusement park in Indiana, bought Clementon Park out of foreclosure for $2.3 million in March.
“It’s right in our wheelhouse,” said Gary Fawks, senior vice president of operations.
Since the purchase, crews have been painting buildings, rebuilding rides and doing landscaping.
“When we got here, there was no electricity. There was no water. There was no internet,” Fawks said. “So we’ve come a long way in a short amount of time when you consider two years of little to no activity here.”
Not all of the attractions will be open at first.
“We will open this weekend with a partial ride package. It’s really a majority of the rides, and it’s mostly the family rides. And we’ll continue to grow that ride package,” Fawks said. “We’ve been into the rides, tearing them down, putting them back together. That’s ongoing. We’re working hand in hand with state inspectors to make sure that everything is up to their standards.
“In some cases, bringing things up to new standards that have been put into place in the last few years. That’s been a tireless effort for the last two months, at least.”
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The park has about 200 employees now, and Fawks said 100 more could be hired as new amenities open up.
Generations of families have made memories at Clementon Park since it opened in 1907. Eight-year-old Jasean Weston of North Philadelphia waited outside the park’s gates on Friday, anticipating its opening.
“I just want to be in the cool water. It’s been almost two years already. It was my dream to come back here!” he said.