Morgan's Wonderland to host international new-park development symposium
By amusementtoday | September 9, 2013
SAN ANTONIO — Representatives from cities across the nation and around the world interested in building ultra-accessible theme parks like Morgan’s Wonderland will attend a day-and-a-half, how-to symposium here Friday and Saturday, Sept. 13 and 14.
“Since the opening of our unique and colorful park in 2010, we’ve received hundreds of inquiries from cities near and far,” said philanthropist Gordon Hartman, CEO of The Gordon Hartman Family Foundation who came up with the idea for Morgan’s Wonderland. “So we’re going to share in great detail what’s required to create a multi-million-dollar, completely wheelchair-accessible theme park. We’re expecting attendees from Texas, New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Arkansas, plus representatives from cities in Colombia, Mexico and Honduras.”
Symposium speakers will be Hartman; Steve Richards, COO of Sports Outdoor and Recreation (SOAR), the organization created to raise funds for non-profit Morgan’s Wonderland and oversee its operation; General Manager Ron Morander; principal architect Robert Luna; designer Tracie Ochoa; and SOAR Communications Director Bob McCullough. Sessions will be held at the Morgan’s Wonderland Event Center.
Discussions will cover a broad range of topics including site selection, land acquisition, fund-raising, design, construction, operations and maintenance. Participants will tour Morgan’s Wonderland in depth and also visit other facilities near Morgan’s Wonderland dedicated to benefitting the special-needs community.
Individuals, groups and foundations interested in attending the symposium or developing their own Wonderland park can visit Wonderland Development Group at www.wonderlanddevelopment.com, call toll-free (855) 206-2112 or e-mail [email protected].