DES MOINES, Iowa — Palace Entertainment announced on Tuesday that all its U.S. amusement parks, including Adventureland, have been acquired by a new company.

According to Palace Entertainment, Herschend, a long-standing themed attractions company, and Parques Reunidos, Palace Entertainment’s parent company, reached a deal that would allow Herschend to acquire all of Palace Entertainment’s U.S. entertainment properties. The move was made to allow Parques Reunidos to focus on its European market.

Palace Entertainment has over 20 entertainment venues across the country, including Adventureland.

Herschend has a 75-year history and prides itself on being the world’s largest family-owned themed attractions company, owning amusement parks like Dollywood Parks & Resorts, Silvery Dollar City, the Vancouver Aquarium and Wild Adventures, and more, according to the company’s website.

“We look forward to building upon the strong foundation that Palace Entertainment has created and welcoming these properties and hosts into the Herschend family of brands,” Andrew Wesler, CEO of Herschend, said. “The teams at these parks have done an incredible job building beloved destinations in their communities, and we look forward to learning from them, growing together, and building on their success. This is an exciting opportunity for all of us to continue creating exceptional experiences for guests and meaningful opportunities for our teams.”

Herschend said no immediate changes are planned for any of the entertainment properties being integrated into the company. The company said it will focus on supporting its new employees, maintaining continuity in guest experiences, and communicating with staff and local communities throughout the transition.

For over 50 years Adventureland has been entertaining Iowans. The amusement park was opened in 1974 by Jack Krantz and in 2021 was sold to Palace Entertainment.

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