GILROY
– Gilroy’s family theme park ended its 2003 season last weekend,
wrapping up its longest-running and most successful operations in
its three-year history.
GILROY – Gilroy’s family theme park ended its 2003 season last weekend, wrapping up its longest-running and most successful operations in its three-year history. The last day of Bonfante Gardens’ breakthrough season was a memorable one Sunday, with an afternoon of sunshine and a multitude of visitors.
“People are still showing up. (Sunday), we had a huge attendance day, and it was a gorgeous day,” said Nicole Koebrich, spokeswoman for Paramount Parks, which manages Bonfante Gardens. “We almost weren’t prepared for the large amount of people who showed up … so we went out with a bang.”
The park does not release official attendance figures. Strong attendance became the norm for the park this year and allowed operations to continue past Labor Day, the last day of the season in past years. The park has remained open on weekends, even extending its already lengthened season by three weeks.
The weather did not always cooperate, bringing rain to the horticultural theme park on several occasions and even forcing it to close early when attendance was low.
“You can never plan on Mother Nature, so for the days the sun came out for us, it was great,” Koebrich said. “On a whole, I think we are glad we did what we did.”
Koebrich did not know how many days the park closed early, but said that on rainy days, park officials re-evaluated their hours of operation based on attendance and weather outlook.
“The weather’s a big thing, so that’s going to make a big difference,” said Patti Hale, a member of Bonfante’s board of directors. “We knew (rain) was a risk.”
Park officials could also decide to extend the season next year.
“We will have to analyze all the reports and go through the discussions and decide what will be best for next year,” Hale said.
This was the first of five years that Bonfante Gardens will be under the management of Paramount Parks. Paramount also owns and operates Great America amusement park in Santa Clara and Boomerang Bay, a water park set to open inside Great America next year. Bonfante’s board of directors has praised Paramount for the park’s solid turnaround.
“We are thrilled. It’s gone better than any of us could have expected,” Hale said. “I think Paramount has done an outstanding job managing the park’s operations this year. Paramount came in and they had a lot on their plate … and they didn’t have a lot of time to do it.”
The park is turning a profit for the first time in its history and attendance in the late summer months exceeded expectations, according to Bob Kraemer, chairman of the board of directors. Daily operations for the park also ended on a high note Labor Day weekend, with that Sunday marking the park’s most profitable day.
“I think (the season) went very smoothly,” Hale said. “I think all the guests that came were happy with what we had; they liked the extended hours.
“We’re happy with the season pass program, too, because the season passes are selling and … the free parking is a big plus,” Hale said.
The park began selling 2004 season passes earlier than usual this year, offering free Bonfante parking as a bonus if passes were purchased between early September, when they went on sale, and the end of the season Sunday. In past years, season pass sales began in December.
“We started selling them earlier, so we’re well ahead of last year,” Hale said.
The park’s seasonal staff members, many of them local residents, will leave Bonfante until next year. The park’s full-time staff, employees of Great America, will remain throughout the winter.
Now, Bonfante can take its newfound profitability back to its financial ledger. Once the board closes this season’s financial books, members will continue meeting with creditors to chip away at the park’s multi-million dollar debt.
“That’s an ongoing process,” Hale said. “I’m sure we’ll be doing that for some time.”
The park could also benefit from welfare exemptions on property taxes it is requesting from the state and county. Because the park is a nonprofit and serves an educational purpose, it is asking for exemption from part of its $400,000 property tax bill.
City Council and Gilroy Unified School District, among others, sent letters to both the state and county in support of Bonfante’s tax exemption appeal.
“I think they’ve been trying to get letters of support to show that there’s support,” Hale said. “We’re asking for this consideration because we’re just like any kind of 501(c)(3).”
Hale does not know when the park will receive notice of a tax exemption decision.
Meanwhile, she looks forward to another successful season next year.
“We are together with (Paramount) making plans for next year,” Hale said.
Next season’s operational calendar has not yet been scheduled, but the park typically resumes weekend operations in early spring.
