Joyland Owner Asks for Public’s Help to Re-Open, Says Park Is On the Verge of Going Out of Business

On Monday, Texas Governor Greg Abbot announced his latest executive order, which included a Phase II for the re-opening of many business sectors in Texas, and the increasing of operating capacity for others.

While zoos and aquariums were specifically mentioned in Monday's executive order and given a date to re-open, amusement parks were not.

Tuesday, the family that owns and operates Joyland Amusement Park in Lubbock took to Facebook to lament their current situation, in which their business is still forced to be closed by order of the governor.

David Dean, President of Joyland, said in part: "We have submitted extremely detailed guidelines for the reopening of Joyland to the Governor's Office, as well as the City of Lubbock. We do not understand why so many other businesses have been allowed to reopen but amusement parks have been excluded."

Dean summed up Joyland's current outlook: "We are on the verge of going out of business."

Dean went on to ask Joyland supporters to contact Governor Greg Abbott's office, Lubbock Mayor Dan Pope and all members of the Lubbock City Council.

If you're unable to read Joyland's Facebook post, here's the complete text:

We are in desperate need of your help. We have continued to follow Governor Abbott's Guidelines to Open Texas. Yesterday we watched with anticipation the Governor's news conference hoping for a reopening date we could work towards. During the conference, he addressed amusement parks but had no opening date. We have submitted extremely detailed guidelines for the reopening of Joyland to the Governor's Office, as well as the City of Lubbock. We do not understand why so many other businesses have been allowed to reopen but amusement parks have been excluded. Our family has operated Joyland since 1973, and there has been an amusement park here since 1948.

We have survived a number of trying times throughout the years but never before have we been challenged in such a difficult way. We are on the verge of going out of business.

We believe in the American dream and desperately want to see Joyland survive for years to come. Please share this post so we can get Joyland open.

We are asking all of you to contact Governor Abbott's Office, as well as local officials, to push for the reopening of Joyland.

Thank you for your help in keeping Joyland alive.

David Dean

President, Joyland Amusement Park

info@gregabbott.com - Texas Governor

JChadis@mylubbock.us - District 1 Representative

SPattersonHarris@mylubbock.us - District 2 Representative

JGriffith@mylubbock.us - District 3 Representative

SMassengale@mylubbock.us - District 4 Representative

RChristian@mylubbock.us - District 5 Representative

LJoy@mylubbock.us - District 6 Representative

JAtkinson@mylubbock.us - City Manager