(Arnolds Park)– It’s official: the Arnolds Park Amusement Park ended 2004 in the black. It’s the first time in many, many years the operation has turned a profit.
What’s more, the positive finish came despite an abnormally cool, wet summer.
According to year-end financial reports presented at Friday’s meeting of the board of directors of the Iowa Great Lakes Maritime Museum, the park operations posted a GAIN of 274,634-dollars. It came on income of slightly more than 2.5 million dollars and expenses of slightly more than 2.2 million.
That compared with 2003 when the operation lost almost 70-thousand dollars on income of more than 2.5 million and expenses of slightly more than 2.6 million dollars.
The board also Friday approved an operating budget for 2005. It predicts income at 2,392,700-dollars and expenses of 2,282,400-dollars for a gain of 110,300-dollars. It was emphasized that the budget is a conservative one so as to be as realistic as possible.
Board members also Friday reiterated their commitment to erasing the park’s 1.7 million dollar debt this year. A major donor campaign to do just that kicks off this spring. The goal is to raise two million dollars.
