SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — When Evermore Park, an immersive fantasy-themed attraction in Pleasant Grove, permanently shut its gates earlier this year, it left many distraught. But a new building is in the works to keep part of the park’s original charm alive.
A recreation of the park’s beloved tavern is expected to open this fall, and will be a place where fantasy fans can come together and remember what Evermore meant to them.
Background
Evermore Park originally opened in 2018, enthralling guests with ornate designs, fantasy characters, and quests. Unfortunately, after experiencing several “trials and tribulations,” which founder Ken Bretschneider said were intensified by the COVID-19 pandemic, the difficult decision was made for the park to close in April 2024.
Months after its closing, Evermore Park’s social pages suddenly changed — the name and logo now reading “Thecrookedlantern.“
In a post on June 12, the page wrote: “As the portal closes and the magic of Evermore Park fades, a Sparc still remains. It is small and unstable, but there is hope. Something has endured in the most unlikely of places: The Crooked Lantern Tavern.”
Another teaser was posted on July 18, with a video showing a chest opening to reveal “The Crooked Lantern Tavern” sign inside. The status with the video read “Coming in the fall 2024, the Crooked Lantern Tavern & much more!”
In the comments of these posts, many wondered they could mean, and what’s next.
The Crooked Lantern Tavern Returns
ABC4.com had the opportunity to sit with Ross McGarvey, the former CEO of the park, and learn the answers to these questions. McGarvey said he has plans to create not another theme park, but a part of it — the tavern that was inside.
After serving on the park’s management board for years, McGarvey moved into the role of CEO in October 2023. Within these roles, he said he became more familiar with some of the struggles the park was facing.
He remarked that he appreciates all the hard work and the efforts that Bretschneider and property owner Brandon Fugal put in trying to keep the attraction going. Once it was clear the park would have to close, McGarvey said he primarily felt disbelief.
“I thought, ‘This can’t be the end.’ I ran a bunch of different financial projections and scenarios and there was just no way to make it work,” he said.
Like many, he said that Evermore Park’s closing was devastating. He attributes some of his best memories to the park, especially a building where many would gather for smiles and laughter, The Crooked Lantern Tavern.
“As we were packing up the park, I just had a real sense of disbelief. This can’t all be gone. There were so many unanswered questions at that point. Is it going to get bulldozed, is it going to become townhouses?” he said.
McGarvey, saying he’s a bit of a dreamer and incredibly stubborn, knew there had to be a way to keep the heart of Evermore alive. That’s when he decided to recreate the tavern — which construction will start on next week. For now, the location of the tavern remains a mystery to be revealed when it opens around late September or early October.
Given the green light from Bretschneider about his idea, McGarvey was able to acquire the original blueprints of the tavern, as well as some of its original furnishings, to create a new spot where fans of Evermore Park could continue to keep its magic alive.
“I’ve got the original concept art and things like that, and we’re going to recreate as much as possible, the entire interior look and feel of the tavern,” he said. “My hope is that we can have nights where people can, you know, come visit. Maybe they’ll book tables or time, or however that is gonna shake out, and they can rent it for a few hours and play DnD or have photoshoots.”
McGarvey said the tavern will be slightly smaller than the original, but the goal is to get it to encapsulate the feel of the park’s original tavern as much as he possibly can. The building is meant to host both public and private events and possibly dinner theaters. McGarvey explained he’s not trying to recreate Evermore, as that chapter has closed, but wants to bring a piece of it back as he knows how much it meant to people.
“I wanted to recreate a place where people could come…to reminisce on the good times, the good aspects of the park, not its shortcomings, not what didn’t work,” he said.
As for the 12.75 acres that Evermore sat on, there is another project in the works. Fugal previously told ABC4.com that an announcement on that will be coming soon. This project is separate from McGarvey’s upcoming tavern.
To learn more about The Crooked Lantern’s opening, McGarvey said to follow the tavern’s Facebook and Instagram pages.
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