An amusement park is a recreational facility featuring rides, games, and vendors of various types who are regulated under state and local laws, which vary by jurisdiction. Those who work in the gaming industry must adhere to strict guidelines, because federal and state agencies regulate many gaming machines. Amusement park operators and agents are responsible for scheduling use of recreations facilities, maintaining and providing equipment to participants of sporting events or recreational pursuits, and operating amusement concessions and rides.
Amusement park operators are liable for injuries to visitors from negligent operation of the premises or attractions. According to estimates by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), more than 10,000 people were treated in hospital emergency rooms for amusement ride-related injuries in 1999, an increase of 35% since 1993. Nobody knows how safe amusement rides are in this country. The best data we have comes from the CPSC, and industry believes that data to be fatally flawed.
