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Historic South Jersey amusement park Clementon Park & Splash World has closed its doors and will be put up for sale, its corporate owner announced Wednesday.
The decision marks the second time in seven years that the historic site has shuttered. Owned and operated by Chicago-based IB Parks & Entertainment, the park officially ended operations Monday following the conclusion of its 2026 summer season.
“After five memorable years, we are saddened to announce that we have made the difficult decision to close the park and plan to offer the park for sale,” management said in a statement posted to the park’s website. “It has been a privilege to care for a place that has meant so much to generations of families. We are hopeful that we will find a buyer who shares our love for Clementon Park and will carry its history and legacy forward.”
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Clementon Park and Splash World pictured in 2021. (USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect)
IB Parks & Entertainment acquired the 52-acre property at a foreclosure auction in March 2021 for $2.37 million. The venue had previously closed unexpectedly in late 2019 under prior ownership following a $4.5 million loan default, remaining dark until IB Parks purchased and reopened it in summer 2021.
Clementon Park and Splash World. (USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect / Reuters)
Founded in 1907 by Theodore Gibbs and his two sons, Clementon Park began as a traditional “trolley park” built at the end of a transit line to encourage weekend ridership and provide recreation for nearby Philadelphia residents. Situated on a spring-fed lake between Philadelphia and Atlantic City, the venue remained family-run for more than a century before its first sale in 2011.
Over the decades, the site expanded into a hybrid amusement and water park following a $5 million renovation in July 1993 that added the Splash World water park. Its major attractions include the Hellcat wooden roller coaster, the Dragon Coaster, a drop tower, a giant Ferris wheel, and various water slides.
A water slide twists overhead at Clementon Lake and Splash World, which was sold at auction Tuesday. (USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect / Reuters)
IB Parks & Entertainment, which also operates Indiana Beach Amusement and Water Park in Monticello, Indiana, did not state a specific financial reason for the closure.
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Management noted that additional details regarding the property sale will be released as they become available.