Thoughts on if Idaho could see another amusement park in southern Idaho?

[cleosmom]

Personally I don't think Idaho could support another amusement park, no more than we need Jimmy Fallon owning the South Fork Lodge in Swan Valley

[banjomike]

Originally Posted by cleosmom

Personally I don't think Idaho could support another amusement park, no more than we need Jimmy Fallon owning the South Fork Lodge in Swan Valley

I have mixed feelings about that too.
I knew the Warners, the couple who owned the South Fork Lodge (old & new), very well, and they were grand people. But both have passed on now, and if their place had to be sold, I think it's better that a dedicated fisherman bought it than someone else.

It won't ever be like it was, but it's possible it might be similar, hopefully. The South Fork was as much a community hang-out center as anything else, and I hope that part of it isn't lost for good.

[Syringaloid]

It's actually Jimmy Kimmel who has bought that lodge. Per news here in Boise, it was previously owned by Rods Ready from Van Nuys, CA.

[banjomike]

Originally Posted by Syringaloid

It's actually Jimmy Kimmel who has bought that lodge. Per news here in Boise, it was previously owned by Rods Ready from Van Nuys, CA.

Yes. That's what I heard too.
Kimmel is a dedicated trout hunter. I expect we will see a lot more of him here now that he owns the South Fork Lodge.
I hope he'll keep the fishing guide part of the business going. That was the real heart of the business.

I go way back with the Warners, the couple who owned it. Spence Warner's father built the original S. Fork Lodge back in the late 1930s, and it was one of the first lodges to offer guided trout fishing on the Snake River.

Spence's dad never did do much with the guide business, though; the old Lodge was mostly just a local hangout that had a few tourist cabins for rent.
It wasn't until Spencer took over the family biz that guiding became a big deal. When the state bought out the old lodge property so the highway could be improved, Spence and Linda used the money to build the new one, which was a much better place than the original in all ways.

I played both places quite often for many years, and have a lot of fond memories of the Warners. They became good friends. Like it often happens none of their kids wanted to take over the family biz, so after Linda died, I expected the S. Fork would go to other hands.

Kimmel loves the Snake, so I guess it's better him than someone else.

[cleosmom]

Originally Posted by Syringaloid

It's actually Jimmy Kimmel who has bought that lodge. Per news here in Boise, it was previously owned by Rods Ready from Van Nuys, CA.

I got the surname incorrect,thanks for clarifying! Regardless,still not thrilled