Evermore Park to close permanently; new attraction to be announced

PLEASANT GROVE — A local fantasy and adventure attraction, Evermore Park, confirmed Tuesday it will close its doors for good, according to the park’s owner, Brandon Fugal.

After years of dreaming and finding the vision for Evermore Park, CEO Ken Bretschneider finally saw his plans realized in 2018. However, KSL TV’s reporting dates back to 2014. An excited Bretscheider stood above a 3D model of the park, and explained the park’s concept: that it would be an immersive and ever-changing piece of a fantasy Victorian England plopped onto a 12.75-acre lot.

The park became widely known to Utahns, especially during holidays. What began as a magical adventure, supporting creatives, small business owners, actors, and other park employees, quickly became a business model that couldn’t sustain itself. In 2020, rumors of the park’s closure spread through the Utah community, and Bretschneider took to social media to address some of the public concerns.

Evermore is not out of business, but 2020 (Covid) made for a very hard year. We do care despite the few that are saying otherwise. We had to deal with real financial issues and continue to put our heart and soul and everything we have into this dream. Hoping for a better 2021.

— Ken Bretschneider (@CCOEvermore) January 18, 2021

In Feb. 2021, the park made national headlines and caused a dramatic stir after filing a lawsuit alleging Taylor Swift’s newly released album, “Evermore,” was a trademark infringement on their name. Swift filed a countersuit later the same month, and later both parties dropped their cases.

According to a ProPublica loan database, the park took out two loans, equating to over $1 million, in 2020 and 2021. Both were forgiven in 2021 and 2022.

Despite its financial struggles, guests continued to post mostly positive feedback through 2022. During the holiday season in 2023 though, the park’s online ratings took a dive, and multiple guests noted that the park seemed abandoned and outdated.

“Evermore Park has struggled over the years to make their business model work. Between COVID and challenges with their operating model, they have defaulted and have been evicted from the property. Fugal told KSL TV Tuesday.

Fugal said that the 12.75 acres of real estate where the park was located will be “repositioned,” and he plans to unveil plans for a new attraction “in the coming weeks.”

“Anyone who follows what I am involved in, in the commercial real estate sector, knows that I don’t do anything halfway. I have a track record for representing the most upscale projects in Utah,” Fugal said. “And this will be no different.”