Playland is again on verge of closing. What’s next for historic Fresno amusement park?

Fresno’s Playland park is days away from closing it gates — again.

The nearly 70-year-old children’s theme park announced earlier this month that its current operator, Helm and Sons Amusements, would not renew its contract, which runs through March.

It is at least the second time Playland has been threatened with closure since Helm and Sons reopened the park in 2023. Previously, the company was able to modify plans and keep the park open.

This time, however, a temporary closure is necessary to allow Helm and Sons to wind down operations and move its rides, says Susan Anderson, chair of the nonprofit Storyland/Playland, which has overseen the park since 1994.

What happens beyond that is a bit up in the air.

“We have a committee that is looking at the options,” she says.

“I’m very optimistic.”

Possible futures for the historic park

The most likely scenario, Anderson says, is the park reopens under a new operator with its original set of rides: the dragon roller coaster and tea cups, the helicopters, racer cars and carousel, and of course the iconic train (which runs between Playland and its sister park Storyland).

Playland is currently in talks with a potential new contractor and could have an announcement within the new few weeks, Anderson says, though a reopening date would be contingent on state regulators inspecting the rides.

The park would operate on a revamped business model that’s closer to what Playland was prior to the pandemic, she says, with a low ticket price, consistent hours of operation and a focus on younger children (those under 12).

Why doesn’t Fresno Chaffee Zoo take over?

Another scenario (one being floated by some in the community, especially among online commentators) would see Playland somehow folded into the operations of the adjacent Fresno Chaffee Zoo.

The idea is based mostly on proximity, as both the zoo and Playland (and Storyland) share space just off Highway 99 inside of Roeding Park and many people already assume the three are part of the same organization, Anderson says. Some wonder why there isn’t a single ticket that would allow guests access to the entirety of amenities within Roeding Park.

That has been talked about in the abstract, says Fresno Chaffee Zoo CEO Jon Forrest Dohlin.

And from a marketing standpoint, at least, that kind of joint venture is something the zoo could support. But there are a host of reasons why anything more would be difficult to pull off. There are limitations set by Measure Z, the Fresno County sales tax that helps fund the zoo (and doesn’t include either Playland or Storyland).

There are also the relative capacities of the smaller park and the logistics of installing and operating the ticketing systems that would be needed, Dohlin says.

“They have a very different sort of reality.”

And there are other reasons, too.

“That’s not our expertise, for one.”

Nor, he says, is it the mission.

But Dohlin is member of the Storyland/Playland board, and is aware of the struggle (but also the legacy) of park.

“Playland was established for the benefit of the children of Fresno,” he says.

“We are most concerned with having that legacy continue.”

For the zoo, the best way of doing that is focusing on its own operations and creating traffic into Roeding Park — and to Playland by proxy.

Playland as a parking lot?

The least likely scenario for the future of Playland, the one that is unacceptable for the board, is that the park remains closed for good, or that the land gets parceled out for other use, Anderson says.

“We’re not looking at that.”

For one, Storyland/Playland is in year three of a 30-year lease with the city, which has historically been in favor of keeping the amusement park running. Plus, the community still has a deep sense of nostalgia and love for the park.

Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer said as much in a statement to news media following the announcement.

“Like so many in our community, I have my own fond memories of Playland. It was more than just an amusement park — it was a special part of Fresno’s history, woven into the experiences of countless families.”

We need that in Fresno, Anderson says.

“The board feels strongly that we need it. We’re committed.”

So, why did Helm and Sons fail?

Helm and Sons Amusements took over at very particular time for Playland.

The park opened in 1955, as a localized, scaled-down version of larger amusement parks like Disneyland (which also celebrates its 70th anniversary in 2025). For decades, Playland was extremely popular and the crown jewel of the entertainment options at Roeding Park.

In fact, it helped support and spur the growth of the Chaffee Zoo in the 1960s. But entertainment options changed in Fresno and the state began mandatory inspections of amusement rides and by 2000 the park was left with just two rides in operation. Still, it limped along for the next decade until a lack of revenue closed both Playland and Storyland in 2015.

The community rallied with financial support to the tune of nearly $850,000 and both parks were reopened by the following year.

Then, the pandemic hit.

“Before COVID, we were doing great,” Anderson says. At the time, Playland had been a viable enterprise and had even been able to pay off some debts. “People need to remember that.”

And Storyland was able to reopen quickly following the pandemic. But Playland proved to be more difficult. There were rides that had broken down and were in need of fixing and state certifications that needed to be met.

Helm and Sons seemed a perfect fit.

The family-owned business has been operating since the 1950s and had major contracts to provide carnival rides and attractions for several state and county fairs, including the California Mid State Fair and Tulare County Fair. The company could give the park a much needed infusion of money, expertise and new rides and allow the nonprofit to focus its efforts on Storyland.

The company spent more than $600,000 on facility upgrades. It fixed the park’s original rides and began bringing attractions from its vast portfolio, including a massive gondola Ferris wheel.

But Helms and Sons’ vision of a permanent amusement park with a rotating roster of carnival rides never brought in the kind of crowds it needed, and Playland struggled to meet even employee payroll.

Within six months of reopening, there was talk of closure.

“I’m worried,” Davey Helm told The Fresno Bee in October 2023.

“It’s going to be a parking lot by this time next year.”

The company was able to pivot some, tinkering with admission prices and hours of operation. It began hosting special events to help draw in bigger crowds. Last January, the Storyland/Playland board stepped in to stave off another threat of closure.

It developed a plan “for the overall operational costs, developmental marketing plan and infrastructure” that the park needs to remain open. That plan was to last six months.

And it appeared to be working.

In June, Playland held Summer Jam, a two-week event featuring live music and games, plus a limited run on seven exclusive rides. “The business model has changed,” Helm told The Bee at the time.

“It’s gotten better,” he said

“And we’re getting better at running it as well.”

In February, the company informed the Storyland/Playland board it would not renew its contract.

While Helm and Sons seemed like the best idea at the time, the company’s vision was ultimately not what was needed for Playland, Anderson says.

“They’re very good at what they do. They kept trying to find the right combination of things,” she says.

“It just wasn’t the right fit.”

This story was originally published March 19, 2025 at 11:16 AM.