This article appeared in the May 7th Issue of TV Times
- Back to Business Profiles Index -

By David Maull
TV Times

Beneath the thatched huts, tiki lamps and temple stone walls will be the same Rehoboth Beach Sports Complex locals and visitors have come to love.

But with a new name and dramatically new look, the amusement park will have been given the facelift it desperately needed.

Renamed Jungle Jim's Adventure World, the park, located at Routes 1 and 273C, is slated to open Memorial Day weekend.

Co-owners Fran Gonzon and Pete Townsend, who also owns the popular local restaurants Roadsters, the Roadhouse and the Pasta Bowl, have embarked on making the amusement park one of the most attractive on the mid-Atlantic coast.

"It's not like we've reinvented the wheel," Gonzon said. "It just needed to be juiced up a little bit. I felt I had to give it new life."

The park will still feature a large water slide, batting cages, bumper boats, two miniature golf courses and four go-cart tracks, one of which is as billed the largest on the Eastern Shore. "It goes forever," Gonzon said.

But a petting zoo, rock climb, tanning deck, open-air restaurant, small beach area and youth nightclub have been added.

The park's exterior will be remodeled in a tropical theme complete with nearly 100 palm trees.

"You're going to see a massive change in here as far as the face of it," Gonzon said.

Gonzon and Townsend enlisted the help of Kevin Hale, who has designed a number of conceptual park themes for Disney World. Large tropical murals have also been painted by local artist Andrew Dera.

A building with two castle-like towers at the main entrance will house an open-air restaurant with concessions provided by Nathan's Famous Hot Dogs.

A grassy area next to a small go-cart track at the front of the park will be converted to a small beach with volleyball courts. The roof of an adjacent pump house will serve as a tanning deck.

A rock climb, the only one of its kind in Delaware, will be located in the space previously occupied by a tank tag game.

A long rectangular building next to the batting cages will house an arcade with video games and pool tables and a nightclub to be named the "Jimmie Shack." The club will be open to those between 14 and 20 years old and feature local bands and DJs until midnight.

The petting zoo and pony rides will be located near the bumper boat rides and miniature golf courses.

Jungle Jim's can also host corporate parties of up to 2,500 people. Parties will be held on the beach area or a grassy field next to the long go-cart track.

Making the transition easier is the fact that Gonzon and Townsend had to make few improvements to existing equipment outside of placing new engines in all of the go-carts.

"The equipment is all in excellent shape," Gonzon said.