Another 50-year-old amusement park closing forever after summer

It has been a tough year for multiple smaller theme and amusement parks across the country.

Wild Waves Theme and Water Park in Washington State and Fun Spot America in Atlanta are both currently running their final seasons before shutting down for good due to mounting operating costs and challenges around finding the funds to keep aging ride infrastructure attractive to visitors.

The CaliBunga Waterpark in San José also closed down indefinitely at the start of the summer season, as the city and the 41-year-old park's new owners couldn't agree on necessary renovations.

Fiesta Village Family Fun Park shuts down after final weekend of operations

The Fiesta Village Family Fun Park, which opened outside San Bernardino in California in 1974, has become the latest park to announce it will close down forever after a final weekend on July 10 and 11, as well as a final private farewell event on July 12.

The park was running year-round and had entered the summer season before making the final call to close down before its end.

Related: 42-year-old water park shuts down during summer season, offers refunds

Michelle and Patrick O'Brien purchased the park from its previous owners in 2002 and have seen declining attendance over the last few years, despite it being, for many, a community hub and source of generational memories.

The park charged a $52 entrance fee for adults and had dozens of rides with nostalgic themes, including go-karts, large batting cages, a tilt-a-whirl, and Dizzy Bears. The owners said the water slides were the first of their kind in California when the park opened in 1974, San Francisco outlet SFGate reported.

Fiesta Village Family Fun Park

"The economics of the amusement park industry have changed dramatically"

"The economics of the amusement park industry and what we're doing have changed dramatically," co-owner Michelle O'Brien explained to SFGate. "We've just reached a point where continuing simply wasn't sustainable. We used to do 22 [children 's parties] on a Saturday, and now we do nine."

The O'Briens also named the rising cost of living and lower discretionary spending power in the local community as reasons why Fiesta Village Family Fun Park attendance took a hit in recent years.

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They also said they tried "to find somebody that was interested in keeping it Fiesta Village" but discovered there "was just no interest."

As a result, news of the closure was initially broken to its approximately 30 employees, in an announcement that has also been emotional for local residents. Many took to various social media channels and shared memories of fun times at the park.

"It was the most fun job in the world," Michelle O'Brien said of her time leading the park. "We got to work with a lot of high school and college kids, their first-time job. Getting to watch them grow and develop through the time that they had with us was so incredibly meaningful."

Related: 32-year-old theme park to close water ride forever after summer season