Boomers Parks (stylized Boomers! until 2018) is a chain of family entertainment centers which feature indoor activities such as carousels, kiddie swings, restaurants, and video game arcades, and outdoor activities such as miniature golf, kiddie rides, bumper boats, batting cages, go-karts, kiddie roller coasters, and laser tag. The Modesto and Irvine locations each have a ride called the Flamethrower.
 | |
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Family entertainment centers |
| Founded | 1998 |
| Founder | Alexander Weber Jr. |
| Headquarters | Boca Raton, Florida, U.S. |
Number of locations | 8 |
Area served | United States |
Key people | Tim Murphy (CEO) |
| Owner | APX Operating Company, LLC. Palace Entertainment |
| Website | www |
History
editThe first Boomers was opened in 1998 in Boca Raton, Florida, by Alexander Weber Jr..
The brand was established in 2001 as a DBA name by the Palace Entertainment chain, which resulted from the merger of several entertainment centers, including Camelot Parks, Palace Park, Boomers!, Grand Prix Race-O-Rama, and Family Fun Center. The official slogan of Palace Entertainment owned Boomers! Parks is "Where Family Fun Rules!".
In September 2014, Apex Parks Group purchased 10 Boomers locations from Palace Entertainment.[1] In 2015, Apex Parks Group rebranded one of the last Mountasia Family Fun Centers to a Boomers. Closure of the Fresno and Houston locations in later years has resulted in 9 total Boomers parks currently owned by Apex Parks Group.
On April 8, 2020, Apex Parks Group announced it was filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and undergoing a financial restructuring.[2]
On June 8, 2020, Boomers announced that they would be closing locations in El Cajon, California, Upland, California, and Kearny Mesa, California.[3] The Fountain Valley, California location also has closed down.
After restructuring Apex Parks Group would become Boomers Parks. In addition to owning six Boomers! locations the company also owns Big Kahuna's water park in Destin, Florida, and West Berlin, New Jersey.
Operating Boomers! Branded Locations
edit| Name | Location | Former name | Owner | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boomers! Boca Raton | Boca Raton, Florida | Boca Raton Airport | Boomers Parks | The first Boomers! park. |
| Boomers! Irvine | Irvine, California | Palace Park | ||
| Boomers! Livermore | Livermore, California | Camelot Park | ||
| Boomers! Los Angeles | City of Industry, California | SpeedZone Los Angeles | ||
| Boomers! Modesto | Modesto, California | Camelot Park | ||
| Boomers! Santa Maria | Santa Maria, California | Camelot Park | ||
| Boomers! Palm Springs | Palm Springs, California | Camelot Park | Palace Entertainment | |
| Boomers! Vista | Vista, California | Vista Family Fun Center |
Former Boomers! Locations
edit| Name | Location | Former Name | Owner
(While under the Boomers! Brand) |
Notes | Current
Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boomers! Anaheim | Anaheim, California | Family Fun Center | Palace Entertainment | Located next to Camelot Golfland, closed in 2004 later replaced with warehouses.[4] | Closed |
| Boomers! Bakersfield | Bakersfield, California | Camelot Park | Sold in 2004; Later rebranded back to Camelot Park.[5] | Closed | |
| Boomers! Dania Beach | Dania Beach, Florida | Grand Prix Race-O-Rama | Closed January 25, 2015.[6] Located next to the Dania Beach Hurricane roller coaster which closed in 2011. The roller coaster was owned and operated separately from the park. The site was demolished to become a new shopping plaza. | Closed | |
| Boomers! El Cajon | El Cajon, California | El Cajon Family Fun Center | Apex Parks Group | Closed June 8, 2020.[7] Demolition of the main building and mini golf course began in early March 2022. | Closed |
| Boomers! Escondido | Escondido, California | Family Fun Center | Palace Entertainment | Sold in 2004;[8] Later replaced by a Car Max dealership.[9] | Closed |
| Boomers! Fountain Valley | Fountain Valley, California | Fountain Valley Family Fun Center | Apex Parks Group | Closed June 8, 2020.[10] Demolished March 16, 2021, because the materials used to build the building contained asbestos. | Closed |
| Boomers! Fresno | Fresno, California | Camelot Park | Closed September 4, 2017. There is still nothing on the property.[11] | Closed | |
| Boomers! Houston | Houston, Texas | Mountasia | Rebranded to Boomers in 2015, Closed February 2020.[12] | Closed | |
| Boomers! Long Island | Medford, New York | Bullwinkle's Family Food'n Fun Park | Palace Entertainment | Has not been updated since September 2019,[13] and was removed from Palace Entertainment's website in 2020. Park is currently abandoned with no known plans to be revitalized by Palace. Also known as Boomers! Medford | Abandoned |
| Boomers! San Diego | San Diego, California | San Diego Family Fun Center | Apex Parks Group | Closed on June 8, 2020; after Apex Parks Group filed for bankruptcy. Reopened on September 5, 2020, as Family Fun Center owned by Huish Family Fun Centers who formally operated the property and owned the land.[14] This location would permanently close on January 4, 2022.[15] | Closed |
| Boomers! Upland | Upland, California | Upland Family Fun Center | Closed June 8, 2020.[16] Reopened as Bullwinkle's Family Food & Fun on December 10, 2021.[17] | Operating |
References
edit- ^ "Palace Entertainment sells 14 entertainment centers and water park". Los Angeles Times. September 18, 2014. Retrieved August 10, 2017.
- ^ "Apex Parks Group Announces Financial Restructuring; Company To Enter Into Stalking Horse Purchase Agreement and Files for Chapter 11 to Effectuate Sale". PR Newswire (Press release). Retrieved 21 April 2020.
- ^ "Boomers! closing Kearny Mesa, El Cajon centers". 10 News. 8 June 2020. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
- ^ "Boomers! Parks Online :: Anaheim". 2004-04-04. Archived from the original on 2004-06-12. Retrieved 2021-01-05.
- ^ "Boomers! Parks Online :: Bakersfield". 2004-08-03. Archived from the original on 2004-08-03. Retrieved 2021-01-05.
- ^ Hurtibise, Ron (24 January 2015). "Boomers entertainment center closed". Sun-Sentinel.com. Sun-Sentinel. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
- ^ "Boomers! El Cajon is now Closed". Boomers! Parks. Archived from the original on 8 June 2020. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
- ^ "Boomers! Parks Online :: Escondido". 2004-08-03. Archived from the original on 2004-08-03. Retrieved 2021-01-05.
- ^ "Family Fun Center Reduced to Rubble | walking towel". 28 June 2006. Retrieved 2021-01-05.
- ^ "Boomers! Fountain Valley is now Closed". Boomers! Parks. Archived from the original on 9 June 2020. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
- ^ "Boomers! Park in Fresno Announces It Will Close After Labor Day". The Business Journal. July 28, 2017. Retrieved August 10, 2017.
- ^ "Indiana Beach amusement park closing after nearly a century: 'It was magical'". Chicago Tribune. February 19, 2020.
- ^ "Boomers Long Island". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 2023-02-25.
- ^ "What's old is new again with Boomers becoming Family Fun Center once more". cbs8.com. 14 August 2020. Retrieved 2021-01-05.
- ^ "It is with great sadness ..." Facebook. January 4, 2022. Retrieved 2022-01-04.Family Fun Center San Diego on Facebook
- ^ "Boomers! Upland is now Closed". Boomers! Parks. Archived from the original on 9 June 2020. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
- ^ Winslow, Hailey (2021-12-03). "Beloved family fun center in Upland set to reopen". FOX 11. Retrieved 2022-01-04.