Herschend

HFE traces roots back to Hugo and Mary Herschend from Chicago, Illinois along with sons Jack and Pete. The family vacationed in Missouri's Ozark Mountains region and fell in love with the nature the area offered. In 1951 Hugo obtained a 99-year lease on a Branson, Missouri area attraction called Marvel Cave. Hugo suffered a heart attack and later died in 1955, however Mary along with her two sons continued to improve the cave attraction by installing electric lighting and building concrete walkways. A cable train was installed in 1958 to ferry guests out of the depths of the cave upon the end of the tour. The attendance nearly doubled and a small frontier town was erected to entertain visitors as they waited for their cave tour. In order to increase attendance, a gimmick was used by naming the village "Silver Dollar City" and distributing silver dollars as change to every visitor in hope that when they would spend the rare coins they would tell people where they had got them from. The idea was a success, and the Herschend family soon found themselves involved in the theme park business.

In 1969, Silver Dollar City drew national attention when producer Paul Henning brought the cast and crew of the popular Beverly Hillbillies television show to the park to film five episodes.{{Cite web |last=Plein |first=Chad |date=2023-08-25 |title=Ozarks Life: Paul Henning’s gifts for the Branson area |url=https://www.ky3.com/2023/08/25/ozarks-life-paul-hennings-gifts-branson-area/ |access-date=2025-01-01 |website=www.ky3.com |language=en}}

In 2010, Herschend Family Entertainment was featured on an episode of the reality TV series Undercover Boss.

The company also co-owns and co-operates with partners Dolly Parton and her company The Dollywood Company, the dinner and theatre company Pirates Voyage Dinner and Show in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina,{{cite web |url=http://gadling.com/2011/06/06/dolly-partons-pirates-voyage-replaces-dixie-stampede-in-myr/ |title=Dolly Parton's 'Pirates Voyage' replaces 'Dixie Stampede' in Myrtle Beach |website=Gadling |last=Zay |first=Libby |date=June 6, 2011 |access-date=July 24, 2017}}{{cite web |last=Moore |first=Cassidy |website=MyrtleBeach.com |url=http://www.myrtlebeach.com/blog/curtain-to-close-on-myrtle-beachs-dixie-stampede/ |title=Curtain to close on Myrtle Beach's Dixie Stampede |date=September 23, 2010 |access-date=July 24, 2017}}{{cite news |url=http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/entertainment/article16657346.html |title=Pirates Voyage all settled in former Dixie Stampede location, enjoying holiday shows |work=Myrtle Beach Sun News |last=Palisin |first=Steve |date=December 20, 2013 |access-date=July 24, 2017}} and Dolly Parton's Stampede (formerly Dixie Stampede).{{cite news |url=http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2008-01-08/news/stampede08_1_parton-dixie-dixie-stampede-pigeon-forge |title=Dolly Parton's Dixie Stampede dinner theater in Orlando sold, closed |last=Boyd |first=Christopher |work=Orlando Sentinel |date=January 8, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100311204206/http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2008-01-08/news/stampede08_1_parton-dixie-dixie-stampede-pigeon-forge |archive-date=2010-03-11 |access-date=July 19, 2021}}{{cite news |title=Orlando's Dixie Stampede shuts down |last=Blake |first=Scott |work=Florida Today |url=http://www.floridatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080108/BUSINESS/301080002/1003 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20080119133116/http://www.floridatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080108/BUSINESS/301080002/1003 |date=January 8, 2008 |archive-date=January 19, 2008 |access-date=July 19, 2021}}

In April 2021, Herschend announced its purchase of the Vancouver Aquarium following the latter's severe economic losses during the COVID-19 pandemic.{{Cite web |last=Griffin |first=Kevin |date=2021-04-15 |title=Facing closure, Vancouver Aquarium sold to U.S. entertainment company |url=https://vancouversun.com/news/vancouver-aquarium-sold-to-u-s-tourism-company-herschend-enterprises |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20210416050824/https://vancouversun.com/news/vancouver-aquarium-sold-to-u-s-tourism-company-herschend-enterprises |archive-date=2021-04-16 |access-date=2023-01-07 |website=Vancouver Sun |language=en-CA}}

In March 2025, Herschend announced its purchase of Palace Entertainment from Parques Reunidos, bringing parks like Kennywood and Lake Compounce into the chain, along with many other properties.{{Cite news |last=Valentino |first=Silas |date=March 25, 2025 |title=Dollywood owner buys 4 California amusement parks |url=https://www.sfgate.com/california/article/dollywood-owner-buys-four-california-theme-parks-20240328.php |work=SFGATE}}{{Cite web |last=Gregory |first=John |date=2025-03-18 |title=Dollywood owner Herschend to buy over 20 U.S. properties from Parques Reunidos |url=https://www.themeparktribune.com/dollywood-owner-herschend-to-buy-over-20-u-s-properties-from-parques-reunidos/ |url-status=live |access-date=2025-03-18 |website=Theme Park Tribune}}

{{location map+|United States

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|caption=Locations of Herschend amusement parks — 8px Fully or jointly owned by Herschend

|places=

{{Location map~|United States|position=bottom|lat=35.805702|long=-83.528838|label=Dollywood |mark=Red pog.svg

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{{Location map~|United States|position=right|lat=38.195427|long=-85.747245|label=Kentucky Kingdom |mark=Red pog.svg

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{{Location map~|United States|position=left|lat=36.6671|long=-93.3389|label=Silver Dollar City |mark=Red pog.svg

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{{Location map~|United States|position=bottom|lat=30.6914|long=-83.3153|label=Wild Adventures|mark=Red pog.svg

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{{Location map~|United States|position=left|lat=40.387251|long=-79.861810|label=Kennywood|mark=Red pog.svg

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{{Location map~|United States|position=left|lat=41.654447|long=-93.499886|label=Adventureland|mark=Red pog.svg

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{{Location map~|United States|position=bottom|lat=33.902034|long=-117.468434|label=Castle Park|mark=Red pog.svg

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{{Location map~|United States|position=right|lat=40.0277|long=-76.2184|label=Dutch Wonderland|mark=Red pog.svg

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{{Location map~|United States|position=top|lat=40.262885|long=-79.280054|label=Idlewild|mark=Red pog.svg

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{{Location map~|United States|position=right|lat=41.641667|long= -72.923333|label=Lake Compounce|mark=Red pog.svg

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{{Location map~|United States|position=bottom|lat=44.116111|long=-71.182778|label=Story Land|mark=Red pog.svg

}}

}}

===Aquariums and Zoos===

The Herschends extended their brand in 1976 upon purchasing a small tourist attraction in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, called Goldrush Junction. The following year the attraction was renamed Silver Dollar City Tennessee as part of a development plan to transform the property into a theme park patterned after the original Silver Dollar City in Branson. For the Pigeon Forge park, the Ozark Mountains theme of the original Silver Dollar City was slightly reworked to represent the Great Smoky Mountains and Appalachia culture instead, fitting the location in the foothills of the Smokies.

In 1986, singer and actress Dolly Parton, who grew up near Pigeon Forge, became a co-owner, and the park's name was changed to Dollywood, reflecting her involvement. At this point, the Pigeon Forge park was branched off into a separate division of HFE called The Dollywood Company, which oversees all the properties that Dolly Parton has interest in.{{Cite web |url=http://www.dollywood.com/company-info/about.aspx |title=About Dollywood: Company Information: Dollywood |access-date=December 18, 2007 |archive-date=December 17, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071217034909/http://www.dollywood.com/company-info/about.aspx |url-status=dead }}

Along with the Herschend family, Dolly Parton co-owns the Dolly Parton's Stampede (formerly Dixie Stampede{{cite news|url=http://www.citizen-times.com/story/entertainment/2018/01/09/dolly-partons-dixie-stampede-gets-name-change-now-called-stampede/1017388001/|title=Dolly Parton's Dixie Stampede gets name change, now called Stampede|last=Jones|first=Maggie|work=USA Today|date=January 9, 2018|access-date=January 9, 2018}}) dinner attraction chain, which has locations in Pigeon Forge (opened 1988), Myrtle Beach (1992), and Branson (1995). A location in Orlando opened in 2003 and closed in early 2008.

In 2001 a new water park was opened adjacent to the Dollywood theme park called Dollywood's Splash Country.

{{Main|Callaway Gardens}}

Former Herschend employee William R. "Bill" Doyle, III was hired as the President & CEO of Callaway Gardens in June, 2015.{{cite news |last1=Adams |first1=Tony |title=Callaway Gardens hires new CEO with resort, theme park background |url=https://www.ledger-enquirer.com/news/business/article29448097.html |access-date=3 April 2022 |publisher=Columbus Ledger-Enquirer |date=June 5, 2015}}

Doyle resigned effective July 8, 2019 after four years on the job to return to Herschend. He continued as a trustee of the Ida Cason Callaway Foundation and assisted in the search for a new president.{{cite news |last1=Wooten |first1=Nick |title=Callaway Resort & Gardens President & CEO resigns |url=https://www.ledger-enquirer.com/news/local/article231680008.html |access-date=April 3, 2022 |publisher=Columbus Ledger-Enquirer |date=June 18, 2019}}

Herschend began managing Callaway Gardens in 2020. Two years later, they purchased most of the assets, including The Lodge & Spa, Golf: Lake View Course & Mountain View Course and conference center. Herschend will lease and manage the Ida Cason Callaway Foundation's Virginia Hand Callaway Discovery Center, Cecil B. Day Butterfly Center, Ida Cason Memorial Chapel and the gardens. Callaway had about 500 employees.

HFE built several water parks in the 1980s which have since sold to other companies such as Wet 'n Wild, and White Water Bay. White Water Branson, built in 1980, was the forerunner and is still owned by HFE; while the White Water parks in Oklahoma City (1981), Grand Prairie, Texas (1982), Garland, Texas (1982) and Atlanta (1983) have been sold.

The 4,000 seat Grand Palace Theatre opened in 1992 by the Herschends. The theatre was co-owned by singer Kenny Rogers. Along with Rogers headliners were Glen Campbell, Louise Mandrell and Barbara Mandrell. In 1994 HFE entered into a ten-year contract with Radio City Entertainment. The Grand Palace Theatre would be the first to host the Radio City Christmas Spectacular starring the Rockettes outside of New York City’s Radio City Music Hall. The shows were successful and led to Radio City Entertainment launching tours of their shows in other cities throughout the United States.

HFE built the $10 million Grand Village Shops with Kenny Rogers adjacent to The Grand Palace Theatre in 1993. Ozark wares and English bone china filled the twenty six New Orleans themed shops. HFE later bought out entertainer Kenny Rogers and sold The Grand Palace in 1996 and The Grand Village in 2005.

American Adventures, a children's theme park opened alongside White Water Atlanta. The park was sold to Six Flags in 1999.

In 1994, The Dollywood Company constructed a large music theatre in Pigeon Forge called Music Mansion. Headlined by James Rogers,{{cite web|url=http://www.jamesrogersonline.com/home.html |title=Welcome to James Rogers Online |publisher=Jamesrogersonline.com |access-date=January 23, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120209123830/http://www.jamesrogersonline.com/home.html |archive-date=February 9, 2012 }} the highly successful theatre was operated by HFE until 2001, when it was sold to Anita Bryant. In 2005 the theatre was sold again and converted to a WonderWorks location. A Music Mansion Theatre was planned for Myrtle Beach, but never materialized.

In 2003 the Dollywood Company opened a new Dixie Stampede location in Orlando, Florida along Interstate 4. The location operated until early 2008, when the property was sold to Simon Property Group for an undisclosed amount. The building was torn down, and an extension of the Orlando Vineland Premium Outlets was built on the land. HFE has plans to build another Dixie Stampede in the region at some point, though specific plans have not been disclosed.[http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/orl-dixie0908jan09,0,451819.story Orlando Premium Outlets' owner buys Dixie Stampede - OrlandoSentinel.com]

In 2004 HFE purchased the Hawaiian Falls water parks located in Dallas, Garland and The Colony, Texas. In 2006 all three parks were sold.

In 2004 HFE purchased Ride the Ducks. In 2017, HFE sold Ride the Ducks to Ripley Entertainment who shut the operations down in 2018 after the deadly sinking in Branson.

Celebration City in Branson was acquired by them in 2002 and closed on October 25, 2008.

Herschend also briefly operated Six Flags Darien Lake from 2012 to 2014.

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• {{official website|http://www.hfecorp.com/}}

{{HFEC}}

Category:Amusement park companies

Category:Companies based in Atlanta

Category:Stone Mountain