Often when things seem darkest, the light at the end of the
tunnel is just about to be revealed.
Often when things seem darkest, the light at the end of the tunnel is just about to be revealed. The news that the Board of Directors at Bonfante Gardens has signed a five-year deal with Paramount Parks, the company that operates Great America Theme Park in Santa Clara, to manage our horticulture jewel in the Hecker Pass corridor on Highway 152 is welcome news, indeed.
If any company can make this go, Paramount can. It’s a well-matched marriage, starting with the geography: Since Paramount’s Great America is just up the road (a road that is about to double in lanes) the parks can be marketed to similar target audiences.
We’re more than likely to witness a great deal of cross marketing like “buy two season passes to Great America and get four free passes to Bonfante Gardens in Gilroy.”
The opportunity for our community is truly vast.
We believe Michael Bonfante, the Nob Hill Foods magnate who dreamed up, built and poured his soul into Bonfante Gardens, has created something unique and special. But for a number of reasons – marketing and expense control chief among them – the park failed to attract enough visitors, leaving its future on shaky ground.
Theories abound in the community about what needs to be done to turn Bonfante Gardens into the success we have all, at one point or another during the past decade, envisioned. Paramount’s management team will transform those theories into hard numbers and concrete suggestions.
They’re going to know how many people go through the turnstiles and how they received their tickets. They’re going to know what the hot dog cost, how many they need to buy and what they need to sell it for to make a profit. And they’re going to assess what the park lacks in terms of attractions and make knowledgeable suggestions to the Board.
Plus, we’re going to read and hear a lot more about Bonfante Gardens …when “Park World” magazine calls it the most beautiful park in the world, the marketing opportunity won’t be lost.
Paramount’s expertise will be invaluable. The company, which is owned by Viacom, operates five successful theme parks in North America which welcome more than 13 million visitors annually.
Though details are a bit murky since this joint venture is newly hatched, Paramount’s purchasing muscle will likely play a role. From cleaning solvents to hamburger patties, buying in bulk will make a difference on the bottom line.
So, as if to mirror the gushing waterfalls in the park and the freshly blooming flowers, hope once again springs eternal for Bonfante Gardens.
For this new opportunity, the community should be grateful not only to the park’s creator, Michael Bonfante, but to the board members who worked so hard to arrange this marriage. A tip of the hat to Bob Kraemer, Alan Owens, Patti Hale, Stephen Lowney, Councilman Al Pinheiro and Joel Goldsmith.
Success at Bonfante Gardens could be a huge trigger for Gilroy’s economic future. Think about it: hundreds of thousands of visitors to Gilroy annually – a blessing from Bonfante Gardens.
