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How this Macomb County amusement park is celebrating 50 years of thrills

C.J. Barrymore’s started out as an open field

When you visit C.J. Barrymore’s on Hall Road in Clinton Township, you’ll see roller coasters, a zip line, multiple go kart tracks, an arcade, bowling and more.

But getting to this place of entertainment was years in the making.

“Started back in 1974, it was literally a golf range in the middle of a corn field -- M-59 was just a 2 lane highway,” said David Dalpizzol, Vice President of C.J. Barrymore’s.

Inside the building, the walls are lined with photos that tell the story of how the park with over 20 attractions came to be. The photos are a timeline of growth and transformation, like in the ‘80s, when the establishment was a bar. In the ‘90s, the transformation to family entertainment began, go kart tracks were developed, and soon after, more attractions were added.

Now, in 2024, five decades later, the business is reflecting on providing fun and excitement to Macomb County.

“It’s been a wild ride,” Dalpizzol said. He added they will continue to look at ways to grow.

For more information and to reserve your all-day wristband, tap or click here.

To see the entire interview, and all of what CJ Barrymore’s has to offer, watch the video above.


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