CONNEAUT LAKE, Pa. - This week, Trustees of Conneaut Lake Park repaid the remaining balance of its $1.01 million in delinquent property taxes and over $214,800 in legal fees to Crawford County and other taxing bodies, according to records from the Crawford County Treasurer's office.

"In effect, 17 years of back taxes have been paid for in a year and a half," said Mark Turner, the Trustees' executive director.

To make it happen, the park sold four vacant lots worth $537,767.91 and used insurance proceeds from the Beach Club fire in 2013 worth $478,260.75.

"A real important part of that plan was identifying surplus property, property that was not important to the operation," said Turner.

It's welcome news to Crawford County Commissioners, who call this a win for taxpayers.

"Had the county not chosen with the other taxing bodies the action that they did, we may not be here today," said Commissioner Christopher Soff.

The park was closed Wednesday, giving Erie News Now cameras an up-close look at several investments Trustees have made. Those include a new water park and lazy river; new track for the iconic Blue Streak roller coaster; and upgrades at popular spots like Camperland have netted the park a 35 percent increase in profits this year, according to Turner, up from about $400,000 in 2016 to a projected $600,000 in 2017.

To keep Conneaut Lake Park sustainable long-term, Park Trustees are now reviewing 75-80 acres of land leading up to the Conneaut Lake waterfront to determine its best use for the future. The park covers 208 acres in all.

"The future from an operating standpoint and a development standpoint I think is really quite bright," said Turner, who suggested a rebuild of the former Beach Club and other facilities were options the Trustees are considering.

Tourism has boosted those numbers. Turner estimates upwards of 90 percent of customers are out of town, including Tim and Cindy Jackson of Pittsburgh, who brought their grandson, Lucas, to the park Wednesday.

"We started camping in Greenville about five years ago and the park was a mess," Tim recalls. "And we came back this year for the first time and we were really surprised about how nice it is."

The park still owes more than $55,000 in legal fees among other debts. The Trustees are also bound by guidelines from federal bankruptcy proceedings, Turner said.