Cypress Gardens has opened the attraction's Splash Island water park, launched a new Web site and prepared for a series of concerts as its new owners and management dig in for their first summer season together.

The five Splash Island attractions, which are included with a park admission, opened last Thursday at the Winter Haven theme park. Live entertainment begins today with the launch of Latin Fest 2008, featuring headliners Carlos Oliva, Ismael Miranda and Tito Nieves this weekend. Later this month, the park is bringing in Lynyrd Skynyrd.

Standard park admission is $39.95 for adults and $34.95 for children ages 3-9 or seniors age 60 or older.

Founded in 1936, the park has struggled against competition from the giant theme parks in recent decades. It was purchased last September for $17 million through a bankruptcy auction by South Adventures LLC of Mulberry. Baker Leisure Group, an Orlando-based theme-park planning and operations firm, took over management in January. Last week it launched the new Web site, cypressgardens.com.

As read in Orlando Sentinel