Kennywood, Sandcastle, Idlewild set to be bought by Dollywood owners

Kennywood will soon be operating under new ownership whose other holdings include Dollywood and the Harlem Globetrotters.

Atlanta-based Herschend will acquire Palace Entertainment’s U.S. attractions, which includes the iconic West Mifflin amusement park as well as Sandcastle in West Homestead and Idlewild & SoakZone in the Laurel Highlands.

The deal was announced jointly Tuesday by Herschend and Pittsburgh-based Palace Entertainment’s parent company, Parques Reunidos.

Palace Entertainment has more than 20 entertainment venues across 10 states.

Herschend’s portfolio includes Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, Tenn.; Kentucky Kingdom in Louisville, Ky.; Silver Dollar City in Branson, Mo.; and Wild Adventures in Valdosta, Ga.

It also owns the world- famous Harlem Globetrotters.

“We look forward to building upon the strong foundation that Palace Entertainment has created and welcoming these properties and hosts into the Herschend family of brands,” Andrew Wexler, CEO of Herschend, said via news release. “The teams at these parks have done an incredible job building beloved destinations in their communities, and we look forward to learning from them, growing together, and building on their success.

“This is an exciting opportunity for all of us to continue creating exceptional experiences for guests and meaningful opportunities for our teams.”

Herschend officials said there are no immediate changes planned for daily operations at Kennywood or the other parks.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

“Herschend is the ideal organization to lead Palace Entertainment’s unique properties,” said Palace Entertainment CEO John Reilly via news release. “Herschend is best in class in providing a high-quality guest experience within its parks. Palace Entertainment’s team members and its parks are in great hands as we make this transition.”

Kennywood’s opening day is April 12.