Hotels Near Dorney Park

Cedar Fair to Acquire Land Adjacent to Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom to ...

"We are excited about the expansion and development opportunities this additional space will provide to Dorney Park, as well as the increased economic impact it will have for the county," said & Wildwater Kingdom is home to more than 100 rides and attractions, including eight roller coasters, dozens of state-of-the-art thrill machines and one of the country's best-ranked water parks. New for 2011 is Planet Snoopy, a kid's theme-park offering the largest collection of kid's rides in the region.

Land Next To Dorney Drew Only One Bidder: Dorney - Emmaus, PA Patch

Lehigh County received only one bid for 6.78 acres of land next to Dorney Park that a county commissioner has called “one of the most valuable properties the county owns.”

That bidder, Dorney Park, is on track to buy the land at the southwest corner of Dorney Park Road and Hillview Road in South Whitehall Township for $2.75 million. At Wednesday’s meeting, some county commissioners said they fear Dorney will turn it into a parking lot. 

The county had high hopes for the land when it put it up for sale last January. The tract is near Interstate 78 and Hamilton Boulevard and next to the county’s biggest tourist attraction --   Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom . The park generates $1 million to $1.3 million annually in amusement tax revenue for  South Whitehall.

“The fact that no one wanted something else there is still amazing to me,” said Commissioner Glenn Eckhart. But he said Dorney already is an economic engine for the county, generating jobs and taxes. He said the land should have been sold five years ago before the economy went bad.

In 2005, County Executive Jane Ervin’s administration had hoped to lease the tract to Lou Pektor’s Ashley Development for 99 years so the developer could build medical offices and retail space on it. The real estate market sagged, and the plan fell through.

In January, County Director of Administration Tom Muller said Dorney had been interested in the property for years. The county was hoping to tie sale of the land to a project that would generate jobs and tax revenue. “A parking lot doesn’t generate a lot of taxes for us, create a lot of jobs,” he said at the time.

Earlier this month when Dorney Park announced its plans to buy the land, its parent company, Cedar Fair, said that the purchase would allow Dorney to add new rides and attractions, further develop the park and expand parking.

Commissioner Percy Dougherty applauded the sale. “The major thing I want to say is ‘Hallelujah,’” he said. “We finally are getting this moving.”

“Hopefully, this will not just be an extension of a parking lot,” Dougherty said. “I hope they put a hotel or some other facilities on that property from which we can get some good county taxes.”

The commissioners are expected to vote on the sale at a future meeting.

Dorney Park

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