ARCOLA - Hundreds of people packed the restaurant at Rockome Gardens to see the theme park's fate determined at auction.

However, the fate of the park, which has been visited by millions of people from all over the world for more than 40 years, is still uncertain.

Under the terms of the auction, the owners, Dale and Allen Yoder, could accept or reject any bids.

When the total of all bids for the property and inventory came to $815,000, the Yoder brothers declined the offers.

Rockome Gardens, which had 110 employees last year and has been in the Yoder family since 1958, was auctioned in three lots: The 29-acre park site, including 35 buildings; 179 acres of farmland and woodland adjacent to the park; and everything that is not bolted down on the property, including antiques, farm implements and livestock. The park, which has been on the market since 2001, is normally open from April to October.

The owners, as well as many employees and community members, said they hope someone will buy the park and operate it in a way that will continue to benefit the community.

The restaurant's front table was filled with employees, who described all the employees as "like one family." Several of them said they enjoyed working for the Yoders, who they consider the very best bosses.

Ollene Poundstone, who has run several of the park's shops during the past seven years, said, "We're all going to sit here and cry while it's being sold."

But her fears were not realized Saturday.

The highest bid for the park site and buildings was just $210,000.

While trying to boost that bid to a level that might be accepted, auctioneer Mark Schackmann told the bidders there was a great opportunity available.

"You get the restaurant, two homes, 35 buildings total, the log cabin, blacksmith's shop, all of it," he said.

A local man offered a $605,000 combination bid for the larger parcel of land and the entire inventory. But that wasn't quite enough.

Allen Yoder said he and his brother were disappointed the bids weren't higher.

"At this point, I don't think we'll accept the bids," he said in the kitchen, just before the auctioneer announced the bids had been rejected.

Allen Yoder, the older of the two brothers, who both grew up on the property, said they would have accepted any offer over $1.2 million for all lots.

He said they were especially disappointed on the low offer for the personal property, which includes train cars, steam engines, tractors, trailers, computers and numerous antiques. The list of items, in small print, filled most of the space on a poster.

With an individual bid for the 179 acres - just over a quarter of a square mile - coming in at $456,450, that would put the approximate price of the inventory at about $150,000.

"The land price isn't too bad," Allen Yoder said.

The Yoders were also disappointed at the bid on the theme park site. Allen Yoder noted that the cost to replace the restaurant alone would be $300,000 or more, exceeding the offer for all the buildings plus the land.

Dale Yoder said the brothers will sit down Monday to consider various options. They plan to contact possible buyers, including a group that had recently expressed interest but was apparently not present at the auction.

Craig Dalton of Bement, who came to Rockome as a child and has brought his own children here, said he hopes the park remains open.

"This is a great site," he said. "It's a Central Illinois classic."

Huey Freeman can be reached at hfreeman@;herald-review.com or 421-6985.