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Park News - (4/24/08) Kennywood has finally settled their 2005 dispute over what they claimed was an unfair amusement tax. Unfortunately the settlement didn’t abolish the Amusement Tax and required Kennywood to pay a portion of taxes the park didn’t collect in 2006 and 2007, the borough will instead place a cap on the amusement tax at 5% or 50 cents a ticket (whichever is less).
  (3/20/08) In addition to the new Ghostwood Estate ride, Kennywood will also present the Sheer’s Lumberjack Show, Jason Pipatone “Master Entertainer” on the Kennyville Stage as well as strolling throughout the park. The park will also set up The Slush Factory frozen drink stand near the entrance of Noah’s Ark.
  (3/10/08) Coming as a bit of a surprise, it seems the deal to sell Kennywood Entertainment to Parques Reunidos has been hitting quite a few speed bumps. According to this article, the deal to sell the chain is still awaiting approval but there are many family members who are quite opposed to the sale and have become much more vocal about it. Kennywood Entertainment is currently owned by the 76 descendants of the park’s two founding families and the terms of the deal require a “super-majority” to go forward and not just a simple majority vote anywhere over 50%. The exact approval number was not given, but typically a “super-majority” vote could require anywhere from 66-75% approval.
  Negotiations are still ongoing and while Parque Reunidos expects to seal the deal within 4 weeks there are still a large number of the owners who just do not want to sell away their home away from home. Apparently a new vote from the family members is slated later this month.
  (2/4/08) We’ve got a link to a photo trip report at Kennywood posted to Ridemad this week. The images were taken back in June, so while you wont see any new construction or anything, it might put on a smile on your face while your waiting for Spring to come.
  (12/31/07) You can see a good collection of vintage era Kennywood park artwork and photos posted to the Theme Park Review forums. These include the old Laser Loop, Thunderbolt photos before the Steel Phantom was built and the building of the Steel Phantom.
  (12/11/07) Kennywood Entertainment has sold all of their parks to Parques Reunidos.

2008 - Ghostwood Estate - (5/5/08) You can catch a little video preview of Ghostwood Estate put up by the local news and another report added to YouTube after it opened below.

  (5/1/08) The local news dropped in on Kennywood to see what’s new and get the scoop on Ghostwood Estate as the final touches are put on before it can open this Saturday for the public and for the media and DAFE on Friday. The early word going around is that the ride is quite impressive. Some teaser images did find there way onto the HauntWorld forums three weeks ago, but you’ve got to register to see them, but if the rest of the ride looks as good as these images, then Kennywood surely has a huge hit on their hands.
  (4/23/08) A reader has sent in a few pictures showing off the outside of the nearly finished Ghostwood Estate building.
  (3/4/08) A quick correction to yesterday’s Ghostwood Estate update. The interior themeing has not been finished yet, only the basic indoor construction work is done so far. Also, a new octagon shaped building will go up in Kiddieland this season that will feature three new games for the little ones. The Carousel Court will also be refurbished, complete with a new neon lighting package.
  (3/3/08) Kennywood is said to be on track to open the new Ghostwood Estate ride along with the rest of the park on May 3rd. Much of the interior themeing has been completed and they are now installing the ride system as well as putting up the new outside façade for the ride.
  (2/5/08) Kennywood has now posted the storyline behind their newest attraction, Ghostwood Estates. It seems the park has been haunted by a long time partner of the Kenny family, Lord Ghostwood. Over the years he’s been happy to live the quiet life but his happy ever-after is now in chaos as countless other spirits have invaded his home and he needs your help to eliminate the unwanted netherworld trespassers. Lord Ghostwood will be in control of your trackless vehicle, holding your own safety in his ghostly hands, but you can trust him right? Right? You can also see a new piece of concept artwork showing off great looking exterior to the Ghostwood Estates over at Kennywood Connection.
  (12/11/07) Kennywood has announced the details of their new $2 million Ghostwood Esate dark ride this week, a new eight-room haunted house style ride that will replace the Gold Rusher. It will use trackless cars and over 200 interactive targets for the riders to shoot at.
  (11/19/07) According to this posting at Haunt World, they claim that Kennywood will replace the Gold Rusher with a “TOTAL renovation by Halloween Productions”. The $2 million project was described as having a new four sided outdoor “haunted mansion” façade for the new “interactive targeting” dark ride that will use trackless vehicles from ETF systems (I’m assuming their Mystic Mover cars), GCI effects, 8 rooms and over 200 animations.

Future Expansion Plans - (10/10/07) A local reader tells us that things are not looking good for those big future expansion plans Kennywood was hoping to embark on. The deal killer has always been the proposed Mon-Fayette Expressway that would increase traffic flow to the area. We’ve got a link to the official Expressway Map, with the green line section near Kennywood. However in the latest debate between current Mayor and his challenger, they both agreed that the northern portion of the Mon-Fayette Expressway was “dead” and not even included in the most recent request for federal transportation funding. So at this point, any major expansion plans Kennywood may have could be a long way off.
  (3/14/06) Kennywood is talking a bit more about what they plans to do with the extra land they are buying around the park. There is no timetable, but the overall plan includes a new water park, a hotel and 8.5 acres to add to the park for several new rides and a new “signature” attraction in an area that is now the Union Railroad yard “in neighboring Duquesne.” From the sounds of things the plan is to build an indoor waterpark that will be attached to the hotel so that they can run it all year round, and you can bet that they’re working on an idea for a new coaster.
  (7/7/05) Kennywood announced their full support for the completion of the Mon-Fayette Expressway that will create better access to the park. IN light of this, they have also announced that the park has purchased “23 brown field acres” with the intent of expanding the theme park. They plans on expanding the park by 30 acres by 2015 and in addition to new rides and bigger coasters they also are looking at possible plans for a hotel and indoor waterpark. Work on the new site could begin as early as 2010. You can read more about the local area land purchase here. Before these other project start however, the park is also working on plans to build a bridge from the parking lot to the entrance of the park to use in place of the tunnel that currently goes under the road.