Dateline: March 27, 2003

Vandalism, debt may doom theme park

By Roger Estlack, Clarendon Enterprise

Recent vandalism at Thunder Junction may be the final straw for the troubled theme park north of Clarendon.

Owner Frank Hommel said this week he does not intend to open the park this summer due to continuing financial losses.

“I just don’t know what else to do,” Hommel said.

Thunder Junction only grossed $14,250 last year while expenses amounted to well over $50,000. Recent attempts to sell memberships to the park for the upcoming season have failed.

“We started trying to offer memberships in December and so far have not sold a one,” Hommel said.

The park’s troubles got worse three weeks ago when someone  broke windows, kicked open a door, and stole several items. They also spilled or deliberately emptied out a container of muratic acid, which Hommel says caused a lot of damage in the concession stand before he discovered it.

“It’s ruined the floor; it’s destroying the particle board,” he said.

Sheriff Butch Blackburn said this week his office has no leads in the Thunder Junction break-in.

“I suspect it’s drug related because they took items that could be easily pawned,” the sheriff said. “We would welcome any information anyone can give us.”

Meanwhile, Hommel is trying to figure out what to do with the park and the equipment left there. It might be possible to disassemble and sell the waterslides, but, as he puts it, “you can’t pull the concrete [pool] out of the ground.”