VALDOSTA — Three parks, one name.

Wild Adventures Theme Park has grown from its humble beginnings as a petting zoo under the name Liberty Farms Animal Park, to a three park venture — Wild Adventures, Splash Island Water Park and the newly revamped Cypress Gardens Adventure Park.

As the parks started coming together, owner Kent Buescher said a holding company had to be created to make the company stronger and to be able to get more equity.

“The company was put together out of necessity,” Buescher said.

The holding company is Adventure Parks Group, LLC, and was finally formed in Fall 2004.

The company will be based in Valdosta and will serve as the central marketing, sales and accounting base for the parks.

It will also oversee all parts of the parks’ operations.

APG will also start an intensive marketing and public relations campaign, Buescher said. Because of this, Sara Sumner, who had previously served as public relations coordinator, has been promoted to creative copy editor. Tiffany Lewis, former city public information officer, will serve in Sumner’s old position. Buescher said there were also other personnel changes in the marketing division.

“One of the great things about this holding company is that people got a chance to move up, and jobs opened up for more people,” he said. “We have a great group of people working here, from the marketing people to the people operating the rides. We have been truly blessed here.”

Another aspect of the holding company is that the parks will partner with various corporations for more promotions. Buescher also said he hopes that the company will soon be a publicly traded company soon.

“It’s a win all around — for me, for the parks, for the employees and for the investors,” Buescher said.