Santa once again will spend his summers in East Dundee. After closing roughly six years ago, Santa’s Village has reopened as Santa’s Village AZoosment Park. Much of the original amusement park remains, and has been renovated and combined with a pett... Read More »

A Kane County judge evicted North Pole Corp. this week, ruling in favor of land owner Sterling Bay, a Chicago development company. North Pole Corp. owner Hugh Wilson agreed to sell off the assets to pay Santa's Village's debts, estimated at more than $170,000. An October auction is scheduled by a company specializing in amusement park, circus and museum auctions, Wenz said. The Galleon, a Ferris wheel, merry-go-round, two roller coasters and the trademark Snowball ride will all be auctioned off, he said. The original buildings, built in 1959 of California white cedar, will remain. The auction will be open to the public.

Facing a still uncertain future, Santa's Village has again canceled its plans to reopen. "The future of Santa's Village is now, at best, speculative," Phillip Wenz, park administrator, told village officials Monday night. Santa's Village planned a grand opening Saturday but those plans have been scrapped because the prospective new owners have not been able to obtain financing, said Wenz, who spoke on behalf of North Pole Village, L.L.C., the prospective owners. A 2006 opening date remains a possibility, but he did not elaborate.

Santa's Village laid off its staff last week and owes thousands in back water bills and amusement taxes, but the park remains on track to reopen this summer under new management, sources said. Village Trustee James Carlini said the new owners officially will close on the park and land on May 26. Carlini has been a liaison between the prospective owners and the village. The layoffs are temporary, he said, adding, "it's not a big deal."

Renovation, expansion in the works for Santa's Village amusement park