Florida's Beloved Sprawling Amusement Park Has Closed After Nearly 3 Decades

The list of closed American amusement parks thrill seekers still get nostalgic for has just gotten a bit longer. The Andretti Thrill Park — a popular Melbourne, Florida-based attraction co-founded by NASCAR racing legend John Andretti in the late 1990s — has officially shuttered its doors after almost 30 years in business. Eddie Hamann, the owner of the car-themed park, confirmed the news in an exclusive interview with The Space Coast Rocket, published on March 13, 2026, telling the publication that the closure was "bittersweet" and that several factors led to the decision. "There was no issue with the city, no issue with the county. Sales were still strong. We never lost money here," he said. "It's simply that the facility is 27 years old. It requires a lot of maintenance, and it was time to look at what the future holds."

The Andretti Thrill Park opened in 1999, stretching along South Babcock Street for almost 17 acres, right around the corner from the Palm Bay High School. To help meet the ever-changing needs of the growing city, an apartment complex featuring more than 300 units is going to be built in its place. Fans of the beloved Space Coast venue took to social media to reminisce about their time at the park. One Facebook user recalled "decades of fond memories" riding go-karts with her family, calling the closure a "sad loss" for the community. "For many local families, Andretti was more than an entertainment venue," another penned. "It was a place tied to childhood memories, birthday parties, weekend outings, and the kind of experiences that become part of a community's shared story."

The Andretti Thrill Park in the quiet Florida beach town of Melbourne seems to have inspired family memories to compete with some of the best non-Disney World amusement parks in the U.S. The success of the Florida park even prompted the launch of the Andretti Indoor Karting & Games, a national chain with several locations across Texas, Georgia, and Arizona, among other states. 

As one visitor shared on TripAdvisor back in 2018, the place offered "great thrill rides for kids of all ages," from its winding go-kart race track to its other hair-raising midway rides. Beyond all the family-friendly thrills, the park was beloved for its other fun-filled attractions, including an arcade full of classic games, various obstacle courses, laser tag, a splash zone, miniature golf, and bowling. 

With an apartment complex well on the way, the Andretti Thrill Park has already begun to be dismantled with signage removed and other iconic features taken down, including the checkered flags that once waved in the breeze outside. Instead, a banner was hung on the gate around the park to announce the end of a fun and thrilling era in Florida's history. "This location is no longer operating," the banner reads. "Thank you for your support the last 27 years."