Glenwood Caverns in Colorado files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy

The owner of Colorado's Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

Glenwood Caverns Holdings LLC, the mountaintop park's owner and operator, filed for Chapter 11 protection on 9 February at the US Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware.

This comes after a Colorado jury awarded more than $200 million to the family of a six-year-old girl, Wongel Estifanos, who died on the theme park's Haunted Mine Drop in 2021.

$116m verdict in 2021 ride death

Post-trial rulings reduced the final judgment entered against Glenwood Caverns to just over $116m.

The Haunted Mine Drop ride was closed after the girl's death, reopening in June 2023 with updated safety features and a new name, Crystal Tower.

In a statement released on Tuesday (10 February), Glenwood Caverns Holdings LLC confirmed the bankruptcy filing and said the park will continue operating, the Post Independent reports.

“Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in Delaware today following the recent judgment against it stemming from a tragic incident that occurred there in 2021,” it said.

"The Chapter 11 process will allow Glenwood Caverns to continue operating while creating a structured, court-supervised process that ensures fairness and transparency as it pursues reorganization."

The statement added, “We recognize the unimaginable loss of the Estifanos family.

"Our decision to pursue Chapter 11 is the most responsible path to stabilize the business, preserve operations and maintain the value for the benefit of all parties.”

The park said its day-to-day operations and scheduled events will continue as normal.

Glenwood Caverns to remain open

Court filings show the company has reported between $10m and $50m in assets, and between $100m and $500m in liabilities.

In the UK, several amusement parks have experienced financial difficulties in recent years.

Wales' Oakwood closed in early 2025, following the closure of Flambards in Cornwall in late 2024. Additionally, Brean Theme Park has gone into liquidation.