Gilroy Gardens has offered educational programs and youth jobs to thousands of students and generated millions of dollars to the local economy over the past 25 years, according to a recent impact report released by the theme park’s directors and staff.
The inaugural 2024 Gilroy Gardens Impact Report details the park’s contributions to education, the local economy, youth development and the Gilroy community since Gilroy Gardens opened 25 years ago. Last year alone, the park hosted 460,000 visitors and generated about $2.13 million in economic impact, according to Gilroy Gardens leadership staff.
“Gilroy Gardens is more than a theme park—it’s a living classroom, a sanctuary for families and an engine of opportunity,” said Hoa Minh Le, president and general manager of Gilroy Gardens. “This inaugural report celebrates what we’ve accomplished together and calls on our community to help us sustain and grow our impact for generations to come.”
Key achievements over the past 24 years, cited by the impact report, include:
• In 2024, 3,556 students participated in Natural Science Day, a hands-on program that has reached more than 25,500 students in grades K-5 since its inception.
• Gilroy Gardens has created more than 14,200 youth jobs over the years, including 600 seasonal roles last year.
• Since 2012, the park’s Gilroy Reads literacy program has given more than 8,400 free tickets to children who have completed reading challenges.
• With more than 90% of the theme park’s visitors coming from outside Gilroy, it has contributed more than $50 million in economic impacts to the region over the past 25 years.
“Gilroy Gardens is deeply rooted in our community and plays a unique role in shaping the future of our city and our children,” said Dan Harney, chairman of the board. “This Impact Report showcases all we’ve accomplished and highlights where we are heading. We’re excited about expanding educational opportunities, growing our programs, refreshing the majestic trees and garden setting and ensuring we continue to thrive as a resource for all.”
But Gilroy Gardens’ future financial survival depends on a more sustainable long-term strategy. The impact report includes plans for the future, including developing additional partnerships and more STEM-based educational programs.
“Gilroy Gardens belongs to all of us,” Le wrote in the impact report. “It is more than a theme park—it is a living testament to what can be achieved when a community invests in one another. While we have operated successfully as a nonprofit, our current model relies almost entirely on revenue generated at the gate. To ensure Gilroy Gardens remains sustainable for future generations, this model must evolve.”
Gilroy Gardens is owned by the City of Gilroy and is operated by an independent nonprofit organization. Every dollar earned through park operations is invested back into Gilroy Gardens, Le said.
Located at 3050 Hecker Pass Highway, Gilroy Gardens is open to the public year-round and features a variety of seasonal and holiday themes. Gilroy Gardens is also available as a venue for private events, including the 2025 Gilroy Garlic Festival which attracted about 9,000 ticket holders July 25-27.
To view the full 2024 Gilroy Gardens Impact Report and for more information about the park, visit gilroygardens.org/support/.
By the numbers
3,556: Students who participated in Gilroy Gardens’ Natural Science Day in 2024
25,556: Total students participating Natural Science Day throughout park history
49,907: Active members of Gilroy Gardens in 2024
855: Guests who gained free park access through Gilroy Reads in 2024
$2 million: Estimated economic impact from Gilroy Gardens, 2024
$50 million: Total estimated economic impact, park history
600: Youth jobs filled at Gilroy Gardens in 2024
9.1 million: Visitors to Gilroy Gardens throughout the park’s history
10,000: Trees growing within Gilroy Gardens
Source: 2024 Gilroy Gardens Impact Report
Gilroy Gardens needs to go. Bye bye Gilroy Gardens and hello to something new.
Let us not forget that they majority of these “youth” jobs are not of Gilroy’s youth. Gilroy Gardens is so badly managed they fire they’re employees who management stalks underage kids on the internet and then fire them if they post anything bad about their working conditions. They constantly send their employees home after 2 hours of a 4+ hour shift due to low attendance. Bait and switch employees to work on holidays due to “holiday” then once the day is over, management decides to not apply holiday pay due to their discretion. This is literally in their employee manual policy.
As a parent, this does not make a great first job. The schedule is never consistent. I’m constantly getting called to pick my kid up. My kid is constantly getting called in on days off, when the manager could have scheduled my child. As an Gilroy resident, ex-patron, ex-employee, and now a kid who worked there, I have never delt with more shady and mismanaged establishment.
As Gilroy residents, are we going to forget, that after all expenses, worker’s comp, and lawsuits, etc. Gilroy Gardens actually only generates $1 million a year for the city? And this was during good economic times, not the last 5. Gilroy gardens hemorrhages money. Is $600k in debt to the city of Gilroy.
There is absolutely NO “educational” programs available at GG, like the CEO Le is stating. The Green Barn is nothing but a quick dollar for GG to have parents purchase an over priced activity they could have bought at Wal-Mart.
Buh by Gilroy Gardens! A financial disaster since day one!
Let’s add in their being the new venue for the Garlic Festival. It used to be a community function that provided funding for schools and churches exclusively through the tireless efforts of volunteers. From pushing 100,000 attendees over the 3-day event it’s now limited to 3,000 per day. And they have the audacity calling it a huge success, perhaps from all the marked up prices ($30 just to park!). Most know how it finally went south due to inept police security (with no way to pay the increased insurance) but unfortunately the Garlic Festival was already on the ropes with millions of dollars squandered through the Garlic Committee; walking away from a mortgage on Old City Hall being just one fiasco. From a literal “Eat, Drink & Stink” (used to be one of the t-shirt logos), it’s become a figurative stink. Look a little further and you’ll see the same parties involved with what’s now run at Gilroy Gardens. Someone is benefitting but it’s no longer the community of Gilroy.
How do they mean profitable, did Bonfante pay back the million$ to bail out his failed venture? Gilroy Gardens is as a 501 non-profit, where does the money go?