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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowThe new owner of the Indiana Beach amusement park is giving it an overhaul going into the opening of its 90th anniversary season.
California-based Apex Parks Group says it began millions of dollars in work last fall after completing its purchase of the park along Lake Shafer near Monticello in northwestern Indiana.
All of the park's rides are undergoing improvements or maintenance before it reopens in late May, Indiana Beach marketing director Don Hurd said.
"People are really going to be seeing a new invigorated park this year," Hurd told WLFI-TV.
White County Commissioner President John Heimlich said the upgrades are needed and that he hopes it will boost the number of visitors to the park.
"The reputation had suffered here of late," Heimlich said. "Especially, the reputation with the local community."
Apex Parks Group also owns amusement and water parks in California, Texas, Florida and New Jersey.
Its purchase of Indiana Beach from Morgan Recreation Vacations of Sarasota, New York, represented just the second change the park's ownership after the founding Spackman family sold it to Morgan in 2008. The sale includes the amusement park, its campgrounds and hotel about 30 miles north of Lafayette.
The park was long known for its infectious television and radio commercial jingle "There's more than corn in Indiana." But Hurd said the new marketing slogan will be "Where families flock for fun."
Park officials are in the process of hiring workers for 900 positions for the summer season as the overhaul work is underway.
"We want to really polish up the jewel that we have here on the shores of Lake Shafer," Hurd said.
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