AMARILLO, Texas (KAMR/KCIT) — The iconic and nostalgic Wonderland Amusement Park opened in Amarillo in 1951.
Since then, it’s provided countless smiles, priceless memories and thrilling moments for area families.
Let’s Talk About It: Paul Borchardt and Wonderland Amusement Park
Now, the amusement park is up for sale, and while it’s a private sale between two independent parties, the City of Amarillo holds the lease.“This is a private business deal, so it’s an existing lease that you know for the sale of Wonderland between two independent parties,” said Amarillo Mayor Cole Stanley. “The city is the lease holder, so we’re a landlord of that property, and that’s really it. The parties have come together. They’ve negotiated as much as they need to. We are hearing back from them that we should be expecting to put this on December 9 for our agenda, and then we would have our lease drawn in a way where it should be a good enough template that it would fit for the future of that amusement park.”
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Mayor Stanley told MyHighPlains.com that the area is a public parkland, meaning the citizens own it, but Wonderland Amusement Park is a private business, owned by the Borchardt family. Mayor Stanley emphasized the city only won’t have anything to do with the actual transaction, it’s only responsibility is getting the lease updated.“We don’t want to be in the negotiations between the two parties at all. The two parties need to finalize their negotiation, and then the city won’t approve the lease until both parties are ready to settle,” he said.For its part, Wonderland is a major source of tourism for the Yellow City, as it serves more than 200,000 visitors a year, according to park leaders. Stanley says the city simply wants to see the decades of success continue.
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“It’s been ran very well for over 70 years, and so because it has that nostalgia, and it is kind of a part of Amarillo’s history, we have the interest in making sure that it stays open and that the park continues forward. However, it’s private. It’s nothing that the city could ever run or would ever venture over into,” he said.MyHighPlains.com reached out to the Borchardt family for comment, and they said they’ll have no comment until a deal is reached.
For the latest Amarillo news and regional updates, check with MyHighPlains.com and tune in to KAMR Local 4 News at 5:00, 6:00, and 10:00 p.m. and Fox 14 News at 9:00 p.m. CST.…