Paramount Parks, one of the nation
’s leading theme park operators and the company that owns Great
America in Santa Clara, has inked a five-year deal to manage
Gilroy’s picturesque but financially troubled Bonfante Gardens
Theme Park – and the first message to the community is a positive
one.
Paramount Parks, one of the nation’s leading theme park operators and the company that owns Great America in Santa Clara, has inked a five-year deal to manage Gilroy’s picturesque but financially troubled Bonfante Gardens Theme Park – and the first message to the community is a positive one.
“The park will reopen,” reported Bob Kraemer, president of the park’s board of directors.
And in the long run, park leaders believe the move will also help the horticultural wonderland nestled into Hecker Pass run more efficiently and draw the people it needs to achieve financial success.
“We bring you some very good news tonight,” Kraemer told the City Council in announcing the deal Monday night. “We believe this is the start of a very good future.”
Paramount officials said the agreement fits in with their Bay Area business objectives and strategy, and expressed excitement over the prospect of managing a park that’s known in the industry for its uniqueness, quality and unparalleled beauty.
Paramount Parks President and CEO Al Weber, who visited Bonfante Gardens and met with the park’s founder and creator, Michael Bonfante, said the park is “highly respected” in the theme park world and “a beautiful property.”
“We’re proud they’ve chosen us to manage the park,” he said.
“It’s a beautiful park and we think it has a lot of opportunities to grow,” added Bob White, the vice president of marketing at Great America who will be a part of a Paramount management team scheduled to descend on Bonfante Gardens beginning today.The team’s objective will be to put together a business plan in short order for approval by the park’s local board, which includes City Councilman Al Pinheiro. Bonfante Gardens is a non-profit entity formed to provide benefit for the city of Gilroy.
Although the agreement officially begins March 1, Paramount officials – specializing in human resources, finance, operations, marketing and other areas – were expected to begin swarming on the park immediately to evaluate needs and start hammering out a business plan.
Under the management agreement approved by Bonfante’s nonprofit board of directors last week, Paramount will be responsible for all day-to-day operations.
