Editing Lake Compounce (section)

=== Kennywood Entertainment Corporation and Parques Reunidos ===
[[File:LakeCompounceSkyRide.JPG|left|thumb|Lake Compounce SkyRide chair lifts from the Tunxis Trail Compounce Ridge side trail (2010)]]Early in 1996, Kennywood Entertainment Company, owners of Pittsburgh's [[Kennywood]] amusement park, signed an agreement to purchase Lake Compounce. That year the park added several new rides and a [[Boomerang (roller coaster)|Boomerang]] roller coaster. The park prospered as a family amusement park, rather than a thrill park. In 2000, the roller coaster [[Boulder Dash (roller coaster)|Boulder Dash]] was opened, and later received the 2004 Golden Ticket Award for the #1 Wood Roller Coaster from ''[[Amusement Today]]''.<ref>{{cite web |title=2004 Golden Ticket |url=https://www.lakecompounce.com/node/315 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201030348/https://www.lakecompounce.com/node/315 |archive-date=December 1, 2017 |access-date=November 23, 2017 |publisher=lakecompounce.com |df=mdy-all}}</ref> In late 2007, Kennywood Entertainment Company sold its parks to the Spain-based [[Parques Reunidos]] company.<ref>{{cite press release |publisher=Kennywood Entertainment Company |title=New Chapter in Kennywood Entertainment History Announced |date=2007-12-11 |url=http://www.kennywood.com/docs/12.11.07KECNewChapterRelease.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080911092118/http://www.kennywood.com/docs/12.11.07KECNewChapterRelease.pdf |archive-date=2008-09-11}}</ref>

More recent plans have included a significant expansion of the Crocodile Cove water park. This has required the moving of nearby Mount Vernon Road to the north to allow the park more room for expansion. The road move was expected to cost $6 million, while the additions to the water park were expected to cost $15 million.<ref>{{cite web |title=Bristol News |url=http://bristolnews.blogspot.com/2007/12/lake-compounce-sold-along-with.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170811183419/http://bristolnews.blogspot.com/2007/12/lake-compounce-sold-along-with.html |archive-date=August 11, 2017 |access-date=August 9, 2017 |publisher=Bristol Press |df=mdy-all}}</ref> In 2013, the park added the Bayou Bay wave pool. In 2014, the park added an off-site campground called Bear Creek Campground with cabins, tent and RV spaces, and a main lodge. The campground was renamed to Lake Compounce Campground in 2021 during park's 175th season.

In 2016, the park added a new roller coaster called Phobia Phear Coaster, a [[Sky Rocket II]] model from [[Premier Rides]]. Phobia Phear Coaster features three [[Linear motor|linear synchronous motor]] (LSM) launches and a heartline roll at {{Convert|150|ft}} high. General Manager Jerry Brick stated that the coaster was the biggest investment in the park's history.<ref name="Phobia-RecordJournal2">{{cite news |last=Sievert |first=Lauren |date=July 10, 2015 |title=New multi-million dollar roller coaster coming to Lake Compounce next year |url=http://www.myrecordjournal.com/news/latestnews/7494079-129/new-multi-million-dollar-roller-coaster-coming-to-lake-compounce-next.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150710172302/http://www.myrecordjournal.com/news/latestnews/7494079-129/new-multi-million-dollar-roller-coaster-coming-to-lake-compounce-next.html |archive-date=July 10, 2015 |access-date=July 10, 2015 |work=Record-Journal |df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref name="Phobia-Coaster1012">{{cite web |last=Stillwell |first=Andrew |date=July 10, 2015 |title=Lake Compounce Announces "Phobia" for 2016 |url=http://www.coaster101.com/2015/07/10/lake-compounce-announces-phobia-for-2016/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150711235734/http://www.coaster101.com/2015/07/10/lake-compounce-announces-phobia-for-2016/ |archive-date=July 11, 2015 |access-date=July 10, 2015 |publisher=Coaster101 |df=mdy-all}}</ref>
[[File:Decommissioned_Lake_Compounce_chair_lift_on_Tunxis_Trail_2019.jpg|thumb|Decommissioned Lake Compounce chair lift on Tunxis Trail (2019)]]
In early July 2017, Lake Compounce shut down Sky Ride — a twenty-five minute round trip chairlift from the park up to the top of the Southington Mountain ridge. The non-ski chairlift was one of the rides brought to the park by Kennywood Entertainment in 1997. The decommissioning came after a chairlift accident at [[Six Flags Great Escape Theme Park & Lodge|Six Flags Great Escape]] on June 24, 2017. The remote and inaccessible nature of the lift's path and terminus on top of Southington Mountain were cited by Brick as reasons for the closing.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Lake Compounce Closes Sky Ride Attraction Permanently |url=https://www.courant.com/community/bristol/hc-bristol-compounce-skyride-0704-20170703-story.html |access-date=2019-10-14 |website=courant.com|date=6 July 2017 }}</ref>

Both the bumper cars and the trolley ride were removed for the 2024 season.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sobol |first=Evan |date=2024-01-22 |title=Lake Compounce to remove some attractions |url=https://www.wfsb.com/2024/01/22/lake-compounce-remove-some-attractions/ |access-date=2024-08-13 |website=www.wfsb.com |language=en}}</ref>