 A theme park called Britannia Park had been opened on the site in 1985 but closed after just 10 weeks, insolvent, and its founder Peter Kellard was later imprisoned for fraud.Derbyshire County Council purchased the site in 1986 and sold it to Granada, who in June 1987 opened the American Adventure, heralded as "Britain's Major New Theme Park".Initial attractions at the American Adventure included the two-drop log flume called Cherokee Falls, the runaway mine train, the Buffalo Stampede roller coaster, a pirate ship, and a Ferris wheel.