The future of Clementon Park & Splash World is now uncertain after the Camden County amusement destination closed permanently at the end of the 2026 season. The shutdown ended the site's 119-year run as one of the nation's last surviving trolley parks, while its owner searches for a buyer willing to take on the property and its history.
In a statement reported by NBC10 Philadelphia, the park thanked visitors for their support and reflected on the five seasons it operated under its current ownership. Clementon said it hopes to find a buyer who values the site and can preserve its legacy. Details about the sale are expected to be announced later.
A Park That Has Survived Closure Before
This is not the first time Clementon Park has gone dark. The site went up for auction, according to SJ Magazine. In March 2021, real estate developer Gene Staples and his firm Indiana Beach Holdings, now known as IB Parks & Entertainment, acquired Clementon Park at a court-ordered online auction for $2.37 million, per InPark Magazine, saving the historic 52-acre site from being broken up and sold off in pieces.
IB Parks & Entertainment made repairs and improvements ahead of the park's June 2021 reopening, and the site went on to welcome visitors for five seasons before this year's shutdown. Founded in 1907, Clementon Lake Park operated as a classic trolley park at the terminus of the Camden trolley line, a designation that made it one of only 13 surviving trolley parks in the country before its 2026 closure, according to New Jersey 101.5.
What Could Shape the Property's Next Use?
Any major commercial redevelopment would face municipal review. According to Gloucester Township's Community Development and Planning Department, all nonresidential land development requires Planning Board approval. The Township of Gloucester's zoning ordinance also says a nonconforming use may be deemed abandoned if it stops operating for more than one year and the owner makes little or no effort to continue or lease it. Applying that provision to Clementon Park would require a parcel-specific legal determination.
Financial Pressure Reached Beyond New Jersey
The closure comes amid broader financial strain on Staples's business holdings. In late May 2026, lender Bridge Investment Group filed a foreclosure complaint against Gene Staples and an entity tied to IB Parks & Entertainment over an unpaid $29 million mortgage loan and $2.7 million in back property taxes tied to a Chicago office complex, as Hoodline previously reported and The Real Deal reported. Clementon Park's shutdown is a significant change for IB Parks & Entertainment.
Operationally, the park had been showing signs of strain well before this year's announcement. The park's Hell Cat roller coaster had been non-operational since 2023.
More Than Just Rides and Slides
Clementon's history stretches well beyond amusement rides, with accounts of people and events associated with the site. The park's history also includes surviving a fire.
The park's traditional log flume ride had grandfathered permission to use water from Clementon Lake, according to InPark Magazine. The amusement complex sits at 144 Berlin Road within a 52-acre lake site.
Clementon Park & Splash World has changed ownership multiple times over the decades, and it is now searching once more for someone to take on the property. Whether a buyer emerges to keep the trolley park running as an amusement destination, or the lakeside parcel ends up rezoned for housing or commercial development, remains an open question as the park awaits its next chapter.
