Regional Parks Keep Closing. Why Dolly Parton’s Dollywood Bucks the Trend.

Skift Take As independent theme parks shutter and Six Flags sheds assets to pay down debt, Dolly Parton’s privately-held, non-franchise park is in the midst of a $500 million expansion. Dollywood opened its gates to the public on Wednesday, one day after namesake country music star Dolly Parton passed away at the age of 80. “The show must go on,” reads a statement on the amusement park’s website, adding that it wanted to honor Parton’s memory “not with silence, but with laughter, music and shared dreams.” It’s a fitting message from the park, which has avoided the closures and debt-fueled selloffs plaguing other regional park operators in recent years. Dollywood has found success leaning into Appalachian culture and Parton’s brand, and is in the midst of a $500 million expansion with investments that rival the likes of Disney and Universal. Spokespeople for Dollywood did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but Parton told the Wall Street Journal earlier this year that she hopes Do