DelGrossos Amusement Park

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DelGrossos Amusement Park AKA BLANDS PARK
Benvenuto Welcome
Celebrating 60 Years of Old Fashioned Fun at
Family Prices
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BACKGROUND

• 1890s Picnic Grove origins along Tipton Creek
• 1909 Incorporated by Blands family
• The Roaring Twenties
• The fate of the Altoona-Tipton Speedway
  determines the rise fall of park business
• Bland's Park adds a Hershell-Spillman Carouselle
• Still in operation today Circa 1924
• 1.25 mile banked oval track constructed of 2x4
  lumber on end
• The Great Depression and high maintenance costs
  caused the track to falter

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Altoona Tipton Speedway - 1925
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Race Day (Memorial Day, Independence Day Labor
Day) crowds would exceed 80,000 people
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Growth Committment

• 1946 Mafalda Fred
• DelGrosso
  purchase
• Blands Park

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Growth Commitment

• 1987 Zyklon Roller Coaster Introduced
• 1988 Handicapped Pedestrian Crosswalk is opened
• 1989 Tipton Intersection improved traffic
  signal is installed
• 1992 Championship Golf is built
• 1994 Go-Kart track is constructed
• 1995 Water Works begins operations
• 1999 Tipton Rapids -5 mega water slide complex
  graces the Tipton skyline
• 2000 Name Changed to DelGrossos Amusement Park
• 2004 Crazy Mouse, Free Fall Wacky Worm combine
  to make our largest expansion to date
• 2007 The DelGrosso Family Celebrates its 60th
  Anniversary

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Vision
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PA Amusement Industry Facts

• Tourism is our 2nd largest industry
• PA has more amusement parks and antique carousels
  than any other state
• 9 of our 18 parks are over 100 years old
• We employ over 14,000 people providing valuable
  learning earning experiences.
• Our amusement parks entertain over 11 million
  guests annually

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PA Amusement Industry Facts

• Our amusement parks have short, weather dependent
  operating seasons where every day counts!
• PA spends millions of dollars attracting visitors
  to our state only to find attractions closed or
  partially open in late August.
• Early school openings rob tourism of both workers
  patrons
• Passage of HB 258 would increase park sales,
  extend the length our operating seasons, enhance
  the profits of related businesses, and boost tax
  revenues.

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Industry Perspective Favoring School Starting
After Labor Day

• Currently we lose our competitive edge to
  neighboring states
• Returning to school prior to Labor Day LESSENS
  family time opportunities for experiential
  learning
• Will ENHANCE an already robust tourism industry
• REDUCED reliance on workers with J-1 Visas
• Will provide IMMEDIATE economic impact
• Currently we lose 500,000 visitors due to our
  shortened season

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Industry Perspective Favoring School Starting
After Labor Day

• Mansfield University State Survey 2006 found
• 47 of respondents favored school opening after
  Labor Day
• 51.7 of the female respondents favored school
  opening after labor day
• 22.6 of the respondents said it doesnt matter
• 378,000,000 in tourism revenue is LOST annually
  due to schools opening before labor day
• (or 75 million for every weekday school starts
  before Labor Day)
• This equates to
• 2348 jobs LOST
• 17.7 million in LOST tax revenue
• 45 million in LOST wages
• 4.6 million per day SAVINGS in child care
• School Districts would realize a 175.7 SAVINGS
  in fixed operating costs

Tripp Umbach, September, 2006, The Economic
Benefits of Reinstituting The Traditional Summer
Vacation The Cost To Pennsylvanias Economy From
Schools Starting Before Labor Day
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The DelGrossos Amusement Park Story

• Our season ended August 22, 2004
• We conducted an in-house study to show the school
  superintendents the negative effects this
  decision had on the economy of Blair County
• Businesses NEGATIVELY effected
• The Blair County Ballpark, The Railroaders
  Memorial Museum, Lakemont Park, The Gardner Candy
  Factory Museum, The Meadows, The Frozen Cow,
  Slinky Action Zone, Fort Roberdeau, hoteliers
  restaurateurs

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The DelGrossos Amusement Park Story

• Impact on DelGrossos Amusement Park August
  23-27
• We responded to 31 e-mails 128 phone calls
  regarding this question and turned away 581
  vehicles attempting to visit the park
  Conservatively, this represents over 2000
  potential guests!!!
• Operating days lost before Labor Day represents
  8.6 of an extended operating season
  (10/116.0862)
• Operating days lost before the end of August
  represent 4.5 of an extended operating season
  (5/111.045)
• We LOST income, employees LOST wages, PA LOST Tax
  revenue the ripple or multiplier effect???
• Increased business would result in more
  investment on a shorter timeline our vision
  would be implemented sooner not later
• Results
• Blair County School Superintendents agreed not to
  resume classes before August 29, 2005 not
  before the last week in August in subsequent
  years

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Passing House Bill 258 will

• STRENGTHEN tourism kindred industries
• IMPROVE competitive advantage with neighboring
  states
• INCREASE Employment
• BOOST Tax revenues
• EXPAND family time and experiential learning
• Provide IMMEDIATE economic impact
• This isnt a one-sided issue it is a WIN-WIN
  for Pennsylvania

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Our Vision and Our Commitment to the Future
Today, the park is owned operated by
Freds Mafaldas 7 sons daughters
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On behalf of Pennsylvania Amusement Parks
Association Pennsylvania Association of
Convention Visitors Bureaus Pennsylvania
Tourism Lodging Association Pennsylvania
Campground Owners Association Pennsylvania
Restaurant Association Pennsylvania Ski Area
Association The DelGrosso family We appreciate
your time and continued hard work for the tourism
industry in Pennsylvania. Thank you ?