The parent company of Silver Dollar City, which started as a small cave tour operation in the Ozark Mountains, just bought over 20 attractions owned by Parques Reunidos under the Palace Entertainment brand, including Lake Compounce in Connecticut, which holds the title of America's First Amusement Park.

The Deal

Herschend Entertainment, which owns Silver Dollar City, Dollywood, Kentucky Kingdom, and the Famous Harlem Globetrotters, announced it is buying Palace Entertainment's U.S. attractions from Parques Reunidos. According to a press release, the deal strengthens Hershend's strategic expansion in family entertainment and hospitality. At the same time, Parques Reunidos can reinforce its strategic focus on core European markets.

So What Are Some of the Parks In This Deal 

The two most well-known parks in the deal are Kennywood in Pittsburgh and Lake Compounce in Bristol, Connecticut. Additionally, Herschend Entertainment is purchasing a variety of water parks, theme parks, family entertainment centers, campgrounds, and resorts. If you'd like to see more of what Hershend is buying, check out this list of parks from Palace Entertainment.

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With this acquisition, Herschend becomes the world's largest family-held-themed entertainment company, entertaining over 20 million annual guests. "Being a family business for 75 years has given us a deep understanding of what makes properties like these special—not just the rides and attractions, but the people who pour their hearts into them every day,” said Herschend’s Board Chair, Chris Herschend.