The nuns were apparently relucant to reopen the park or to allow volunteers to restore it due to the danger of injury from the crumbling structures, which could have led to liability lawsuits. Therefore, it continued to rot away for decades.
Finally, in 1997, a group of boy scouts were allowed to repair the Holy Land USA sign - although it fairly rapidly became overgrown once again. In 2008, the cross was replaced by an illuminated, 50-foot-tall stainless steel version.
Sadly, the site that its creator hoped would bring peace to all who visited it was the site of the rape and murder of a 16-year-old girl in July 2010. She was strangled to death at the foot of the giant cross.
A new, 52-foot-tall cross was installed in time for Christmas 2013. It was lit up with 5,000 LED bulbs in a special ceremony. This was made possible by Waterbury Mayor Neil O'Leary, who teamed up with friend Fred Blasius to form a limited liability, not-for-profit company that purchased the property earlier in the year.
The pair have promised to "preserve and enhanced" Holy Land USA as Christian landmark - so this is one abandoned theme park that we could see finally reopen in some form one day.
Comments
I was just in Orlando with my daughter and every time we drove past it, we kind of joked about going there. It became sort of a landmark to help us find our hotel. She is going to school down there in the fall, and we decided that we have to check it out sometime too. It's on our bucket list.
Why are guys talking about Orlando? Did you read the article... this is in Connecticut.
Yes, we know it is in Connecticut. But there is another one that is actually open, that is in Orlando. And we have both commented that every time we drive by it we talk about going in. I was replying to them...Nothing to do with this park or with anyone else.
Please read the comments before you jump to conclusions BUDDY!
There is a place in a Orlando called HolyLand where you can visit and the people commenting about the place in Connecticut are saying they were unaware there was another place in the USA based on the HolyLand.
You are welcome.
I have a few friends that work at HolyLand Experience. A few are just villagers, one plays Jesus. It cracks me up. I went to visit them once. As an atheist, it was an interesting experience.