By John Kiesewetter
The Cincinnati Enquirer

The Belle of LeSourdsville heads out on LeSourdsville Lake during the park's reopening in 2002. (Enquirer file photo)

MONROE - A Nebraska amusement park owner has asked about buying LeSourdsville Lake, the 82-year-old Butler County park that has been closed for three of the past four summers.

"I truly feel this is a park that is ready to reopen," said Carl Jennings, 49, owner of Peony Park in Wahoo, Neb.

The 68-acre amusement park, a local icon, has operated for only one brief season, in 2002, since it was purchased in 2000 by Jerry Couch, owner of Couch's Camper Sales in St. Clair Township. Couch has built a camper dealership next to the park on Ohio 4.

Jennings said he talked last month to Couch, who promised to send him park financial records. Couch could not be reached for comment.

The Nebraska businesssaid he's eager to review the materials and decide whether he could acquire the property in time to open by Memorial Day.

"I think it's 50-50," he said about the chances he could take ownership.

Timing is critical, he said, because the park's core business should be company or group picnics and reunions. Groups will soon be making their summer plans, he said.

"You can't just open the park and say, 'OK people, show up!' If you don't start booking picnics now, your season is dead," he said.

Jennings has never seen the old park, along the Great Miami River between Hamilton and Middletown. He plans to make a trip here later this month, he said.

"A hundred people have told me about it. I'm told it's well-kept, and clean and new. It just needs to have someone stay, and stick with it."

Jennings, who began working at Omaha's historic Peony Park at age 14, says LeSourdsville can't compete on a scale with a huge regional tourist attraction like Paramount's Kings Island. But it could find a niche with families and groups.

"So why do it? Because of the nostalgia, and the Americana - no pun intended," Jennings says. "You're not going to make $1 million on it, but you could keep a historic entity open and make a little money."

E-mail jkiesewetter@enquirer.com