Sacramento council approves ownership change for Funderland amusement park
The ownership of Funderland has changed, but it is unlikely to affect the experience for Sacramento families.
The Sacramento City Council Tuesday approved the sale of the childrens’ amusement park in Land Park from Samuel Johnston to Gordon Johnston.
The sale, which occurred sometime after October 2020, a city staff report stated, is now formally approved by the council.
“Staff is confident that based upon Gordon Johnston’s previous experience, financial resources, and qualifications he will be able to continue to successfully operate Funderland Park in the manner that visitors have come to expect when spending time with family and friends at this iconic location,” the staff report stated.
The council without discussion approved a change to the lease agreement to the park and extended its expiration date to 2031. The lease was first created in 2006 and was previously set to expire in 2026 before Tuesday’s action.
As part of the deal, the city and owner agreed that the concession building, which burned down in 2017, will not be rebuilt, the staff report stated. Instead, the park will continue to use a trailer for concessions. The city had previously received insurance proceeds and agreed to help fund the new concession building, but proposed costs were higher than anticipated because COVID-19 delayed the project, the staff report stated.
The pandemic also caused Funderland to close temporarily, and rent payments to stop coming to the city, the staff report stated, but now attendance and revenue have returned to pre-pandemic levels.
Last fiscal year, Funderland provided over $303,000 in revenue to the city, which the city spent on the nearby Sacramento Zoo, Fairytale Town, and Land Park, the staff report stated.
The lease requires the city to approve any changes to the 10 rides at the park.
The council did not discuss the lease before approving it Tuesday.
This story was originally published March 8, 2023 at 12:41 PM.
