LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Construction on the planned Kentucky Flyer roller coaster at Kentucky Kingdom is on hold, and the park blames the Kentucky State Fair Board for the delays that could cancel the project.
Kentucky Kingdom president and CEO Ed Hart called out its landlord for using what he called "red tape and intimidation" to try to force the park to drop a lawsuit over parking.
The park announced in early October that it planned to mark its 30th anniversary by adding a sixth roller coaster called the Kentucky Flyer. The wooden coaster will feature a 52-foot drop, hairpin turns and specifications that allow for younger riders.Â
Hart says most of the new coaster is on current property. But the park notified the Fair Board two months ago that it planned to use a half-acre of 20 additional acres included in its lease. It also plans to use another half acre for a new water attraction.
Standing in front of a mound of dirt and heavy equipment, Hart says last week the board told them to stop construction on the coaster hours after meeting in court over a lawsuit filed by Kentucky Kingdom over parking.
He claims the Kentucky Kingdom lease specifies 19,000 spaces are available for first-come-first-served for Kentucky Kingdom guests. Instead, he says the Fair Board, ignores the provisions of the lease and gives them to other exhibitors. During the fair and other events, guests can't park because the fair board gives priority to exhibitors. "Our guests are charged an additional $10 to get to the Kentucky Kingdom gate. Yet we pay $1 million a year," said Hart.
Park officials say they want the courts to grant a "declaration of rights" for Kentucky Kingdom guests to use Kentucky Exposition Center parking on a first-come first-served basis during all events including the Kentucky State Fair and the National Street Rod Association meet.
However, Hart says the Fair Board claims the park didn't have construction permits, financial statements, a certificate of insurance and other things taken care of for the coaster. But Hart says all items on the list were done. He said security staff prevented them from even taking soil samples on the construction site.
Hart claims the fair board is trying to intimidate them into dropping the lawsuit.
"We have, literally, millions of dollars in damages associated with the fair board's violations of our lease, but we have not pressed for those damages. We have only asked for the courts to give us a declaration of rights."
Kentucky Fair Board spokesman Cody Patterson released a statement following Hart's news conference:Â
In our partnership with Kentucky Kingdom we have demonstrated a consistent desire to see their business succeed. There should be no surprises here as our lease with them has mutually agreed upon protocol for an orderly expansion, which is still in process and involves several landlord parties. We seek to be responsible stewards of the Commonwealth’s assets and look forward to working with Kentucky Kingdom as that process continues.
Hart says he and his partners, Ed Glasscock and Bruce Lunsford, have spent $64 million to revitalized Kentucky Kingdom, which is $20 million more than their commitment. "I don't think anyone questions Kentucky Kingdom's value to the community or its success," Hart said. He added, "This is really unfortunate and the type of bureaucratic red tape that in the end only hurts the Commonwealth."
"You can't take parking away from our guests. How else can we be successful? So we don't understand how the Number One tenant paying over a million dollars a year, gets frustrated with parking, then spitefully, the Fair Board stops construction. What's that all about? And we're not going to put up with it."
Video of Hart's news conference can be viewed in the player below:Â Â
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