Latest news with #LeahKoch-Blumhardt
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Yahoo
Holiday World and Splashin' Safari Shares new accessibility guide
HENDERSON, Ky. (WEHT) – Holiday World and Splashin' Safari officials have released their updated accessibility guide, which features a new sensory rating system and updates to the existing boarding pass system. This project was done in collaboration with Easterseals Rehabilitation Center in Evansville. Officials say the accessibility guide, which has been available for decades, includes detailed ride descriptions and guidance to help guests choose which rides are best for each individual. The new sensory guidelines rate each attraction on five sensitivities: sound, sight, touch, movement and splash. Each category has a rating of low, moderate or high. KYTC's high water report for April 25, 2025 'We hope the new ratings will help our guests with sensory sensitivities plan for an even better visit to our parks,' says Leah Koch-Blumhardt, Fourth-Generation Owner and Director of Communications. 'We couldn't have created this guide without the help of Easterseals Rehabilitation Center–they've been a wonderful partner for more than 30 years.' Holiday World and Splashin' Safari officials say the parks' 'Ride Boarding Pass' is also being updated this year. The 'Ride Boarding Pass' is for guests who are unable to move through or stand in ride lines. This year, riders who qualify for the boarding pass will be able to board their first attraction instantly, and then they will receive a boarding time for their next attraction based on the wait at the current attraction. All guests who use the boarding pass will wait their turn to ride, however, they will not be required to stand in line. Relay for Life returns to help American Cancer Society 'We want everyone to feel included in the fun at Holiday World' adds Koch-Blumhardt. 'From our accessibility guide with new sensory ratings, to our entirely gluten-free restaurant, to our Sensory Calming Room, every year we try to take another step forward in making our parks a place where all are welcome.' The updated accessibility guide can be found below. 2025-Accessibility-Guide-4.07Download 'Eyewitness News. Everywhere you are.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
06-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Bourbon Trail sees 2.7 million visitors
The Kentucky Bourbon Trail saw a record 2.7 million visitors last year as it celebrated its 25th anniversary. In Owensboro, Green River Distilling more than doubled its number of visitors from 8,142 in 2023 to more than 16,000 last year. The Kentucky Distillers' Association said visitors to the Kentucky Bourbon Trail came from all 50 states and more than 20 counties on six continents. Today, the trail has more than 60 distilleries. The report said that 62% of visitors have incomes above $100,000 and 76% were from outside of Kentucky. It said that most spend three to five days in communities with a distillery and spend between $600 and $1,400 on dining, entertainment, lodging and transportation. The report said that last year the Trail saw a surge of visitors from states including California, Colorado, Florida, Louisiana, New York and Pennsylvania. • That indoor sports complex at 500 W. Third St. that we've been talking about for a couple of years now is moving forward. Envision Contractors picked up a building permit for a $10.8 million, 94,599-square-foot building. The total cost is expected to be $16.579 million. The building will have seven full-sized basketball courts that can be converted for use as volleyball, pickleball or other sports and have an area suitable for futsal, a mezzanine, concessions and offices. • After months of rising unemployment rates, some counties, like Daviess, are seeing falling rates. The state reported this week that unemployment rates rose in 83 counties, fell in 33 counties and stayed the same in Grant, Graves, Knox and Pulaski counties between February 2024 and February 2025. Woodford County had the lowest at 3.9%. Magoffin and Wolfe counties had the highest at 11.1%. In this area, Daviess reported a rate of 5.1%, down from 5.2% in both this January and last February. Hancock was at 6% in February, down from 6.4% in January but up from 5.3% a year earlier. McLean saw a rate of 5.7%, down from 5.8% in January and 6% the previous February. Muhlenberg reported 7.1% in February, down from 7.3% in January and 7.5% a year earlier. And Ohio saw a rate of 6.9% in January, down from 7.2% in January and 7.1% the previous February. • The Owensboro Convention Center is a nominee for Meetings & Conventions and Successful Meetings magazines' ninth annual Stella Awards as the Best Stand-Alone Facility in the Midwest Region. The center has won one of the awards in each of the past eight years. Voting is open now through May 2. They can be cast at • Shorter people can now ride Holiday World's Thunderbird roller coaster. The theme park has lowered the height requirement from 52 inches to 48. The Thunderbird opened in May 2015 with the 52-inch requirement. But the manufacturer has since lowered it to 48 inches and the theme park agreed. Leah Koch-Blumhardt, director of communications and a fourth-generation owner of the park, said, 'We strive to choose attractions the whole family can ride together, so this was exciting news. However, we do apologize to all the parents who were planning to use the 52-inch height requirement as motivation for their children to eat their veggies this year.' Holiday World will open on May 10 and Splashin' Safari will open a week later.
Yahoo
01-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Holiday World's Thunderbird has updated height requirement
HENDERSON, Ky. (WEHT) – Holiday World and Splashin' Safari announced that Thunderbird will have a minimum height requirement of 48 inches, down from 52 inches. Officials say Thunderbird opened in May 2015 as 'the first launched wing coaster in North America.' The 3,000-foot-long steel roller coaster features four inversions and a Linear Synchronous Motor-powered launch that takes riders from 0 mph to 60 mph in 3.5 seconds. A second launched wing coaster from the same manufacturer opened this past weekend in Virginia and has a 48-inch minimum height requirement. Holiday World says the new height requirement now matches all of the major wooden roller coasters at Holiday World. Severe weather causes storm damage across the Tri-State 'Not long after the new launched wing coaster's construction was announced, we received word that we would be able to lower our minimum height requirement thanks to updated testing,' says Leah Koch-Blumhardt, Director of Communications and Fourth-Generation Owner. 'We strive to choose attractions the whole family can ride together, so this was exciting news.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Holiday World and Splashin' Safari earns 9 nominations
HENDERSON, Ky. (WEHT) – Holiday World and Splashin' Safari announced it has received nine nominations in USA TODAY's 10Best Readers' Choice Awards. Officials say these 'prestigious' nominations, selected by a panel of editors and industry experts, highlight what fans love about the theme park. Holiday World and Splashin' Safari says it has received nine nominations in the following six categories: Best Theme Park – Holiday World Best Outdoor Water Park – Splashin' Safari Best Water Coaster – Cheetah Chase, Mammoth, Wildebeest Best Roller Coaster – The Voyage Best Lazy River – Bahari River Best Wave Pool – Bahari Wave Pool, The Wave Maintenance project to start on Natcher Bridge in Daviess County 'We've never had this many nominations in a year, let alone all at once!' said Leah Koch-Blumhardt, Director of Communications and Fourth-Generation Owner at Holiday World & Splashin' Safari. 'We're honored to receive this recognition from industry experts, and we hope everyone will help us reach the top by voting daily–especially for best water park and best water coaster.' Officials say voting for USA TODAY's 10Best Awards began March 24 at 12 p.m. Eastern Time, and runs until April 21 at 11:59 a.m. Eastern Time. The top 10 winners in each category, as determined by reader votes, will be announced on April 30 at noon Eastern Time. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
15-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Still no word on Publix
In August, Publix announced plans for a store in Gateway Commons. They said the 50,325-square-foot store would be on the northwest corner of Pleasant Valley Road and Hayden Road. And it would create around 150 jobs. But they didn't say when construction would start. I checked back this week and they still don't know. • Southern Living has once again named Moonlite Bar-B-Q Inn, 2840 W. Parrish Ave., as the best place to get barbecue in Kentucky. It said, 'Kentucky is known for its barbecued mutton, and Moonlite is the best-known purveyor of it in the state. You can order it chopped or sliced, and you can finish it with Moonlite's signature tangy orange sauce or with Kentucky's distinct Worcestershire-laced 'dip.' The long-all-you-can-eat buffets offer plenty of barbecue beef, pork, ribs, and chicken, too, alongside a range of Southern-style veggies and desserts. Don't skip over the burgoo: it's a splendidly peppery version of Kentucky's classic barbecue stew.' • Hampton Inn South, 615 Salem Drive, picked up a building permit for a $380,000 project that adds 980 square feet for a breakfast addition and renovates bathrooms. • The state reported this week that general fund receipts were down 3% in February. But they're still up 1.6% for the fiscal year. Road fund receipts were up 5.9% in February. And they're up 1.8% for the fiscal year. • Holiday World & Splashin' Safari announced this week that it now owns Santa's Cottages in Santa Claus, Indiana. Santa's Cottages is a 23-acre lakeside resort, complete with walking trails, lakes, playgrounds and a pool. The announcement said this is the first business acquisition in Holiday World's 79-year history. Leah Koch-Blumhardt, a fourth-generation owner & director of communications for the company, said,' As we grow into lodging, we hope more families will choose our parks as a multi-day destination.' • Kentucky's annual unemployment rate for 2024 was 5.1%, according to the Kentucky Center for Statistics. That was an increase from 4.3% in 2023. • St. Patrick's Day is Monday and Numerator, which specializes in consumer survey data, says 33% of us plan to celebrate. And the top purchases are expected to be food and alcoholic beverages.
