"We have no idea where these ugly rumors come from", Office Manager, Rebecca Griffin says. "Historically, the rumor was that Kings Island was buying us out but, this season, it's Walmart. Neither of those are true."
Park Manager, Jack Boxer said in a prepare statement, "We want people to know, no one has approached us to purchase the park and we have no intention of selling, either." However, The Diggerer has uncovered new information that, while not contradicting Griffin or Boxer, does uncover a darker truth behind the rumors.
One of the oft-used answers to squelch the various rumors is, "That's ridiculous! Sell the park? We're getting ready to open a new ride! Why would we do that if we're closing?"
"That little white lie has so much truth to it it boarders on clever," said Sally Fetcher in the Wayne County Clerk's Office.
While it's true they 'have no intention of selling' to Kings Island or Walmart, there are plans filed with the Wayne County Clerk's Office that will fundamentally change the park forever.
Sally Fetcher, asking to speak to The Diggerer off-the-record, revealed that Camden Park filed to change it's business license and name ever so slightly. In 2014, Camden Park will officially be known as "Camden Park & Ride".
The "new ride" is not the kind your kids will be eating Cotton Candy on and screaming for joy. It will be a new Mass-Transit system taking area residents to, you guessed it -- Kings Island, local Walmarts, and other various locations. The park will slowly cut back on ride maintenance and utimatly eliminate all amusement park rides as they come to end-of-life. Eventually, the West Virginia amusement park and landmark will transition to offer only one type of 'ride' -- a transit system serving residents of Wayne County.
We tracked down the owner of the rides, Mary Goe-Rund, a Florida business woman. She told us, "Phasing out the rides over the next few years is a slight of hand trick, but it's also financially smart. My company owns those rides and they have a contract with us. Frankly, we'd sue their pants off if they tried to break it. Yes, we'll be sorry to lose their business, but in this economy who can blame them? Fewer Americans are taking their kids to parks these days. More people are car-pooling and taking less trips for pleasure. A Mass Transit system makes good business sense."
Stacey Kline sums up most West Virginian's views when he wrote on Camden Park's Facebook wall, recently. "I grew up going to Camden Park, now my children get to go. I just heard rumors that Walmart bought u all out and going to tear it down. I pray that it's just a rumor."
We're sorry to tell you, Stacey. It's more true than not.
SEE ALSO: "'Ugly rumor' has Wal-Mart buying Camden Park" - by Kate White, Gazette-Mail
