Taylorb29

Most of what has been stated were factors in the closure of the park. Did CF mismanage the park? For sure SF destroy the image of the park, expand to quick, ruin the feeling of what the park had been, and one factor that hasn't been stated...they marketed heavily towards demographics that did not suit a family park feel. I grew up at Geauga lake and eventually CP and remember spending afternoons at GL if only for just a few hours at least 30+ times a season. In the early/mid 90's(as far back as I can remember) the park was always clean and had a buzz (partially from sfo across the lake) but it felt like a second home. Once the park started adding massive attractions (for the park) the feeling started to change, not to the level of the final seasons but it changed. The park started adding cookie cutter games and taking away some of the character of the park. But it was still fun! When PP purchased SF even prior to the first name change (they were a member of the six flags family(one very messed up family)) the park really changed. PP expanded their company too quick and GL suffered, the park was dirty, had an odor, and the staff was unfriendly. The first rebrand and mega expansion...was a train wreck... They basically dumped anything they could get their hands on into the park and the execution was terrible, constant ride break downs and just didn't feel right...regardless this is the last point I believe the park could have saved its self. Prior to the purchase of SWO the park had a chance to profit with marketable attractions in an reasonable economy... SF should have stayed away from the purchase of SWO but it was SW that originally wanted to purchase GL(they were adding coasters to their other parks at the time) but SF made a counter offer that won and purchased what they believed was their competition but in reality their best ally...but again at this point a logical decision...but SF marketed heavily to demographics that did not have the pocket books to drive the incremental revenue needed to make a profit in the industry. In most parks admission covers at best operating costs. The number of high school age kids in the park greatly increased and really the park felt like it couldn't manage their guests. Scaring away families slowly... Many bad PR issues occurred during this time including accidents (some if which were not SFs fault like power outages. After the first year of the combined parks attendance started to fall. The economy hit the can and the image of the park didn't help this. SF ran while they had the chance and CF did not overpay for the assets of the park just a few years earlier SF spent I believe was around 110mil on SWO. With other investments CF really got a deal on the assets of the park compared to the paramount deal. (Paramount had a much better cash flow in their parks) the decision to not purchase the animals was a CF decision but it should have been expected (after the dolphin show incidents at CP in the 90's) CF did improve a few aspects of the park from an operational aspect (impressive considering SF basically had no proper maintenance plan for the prior seasons) but the park made awful pr decisions, struggled to remove themeing put in place by SF, and put in a god awful marketing campaign. And the park just sank from there even more...the waterpark investment was a wise choice however not in the way CF completed it. The park had a waterpark that was only a few years old and they just decided to reinvent the wheel. But this decision shows CF wanted room to expand the rides area if the park. Removal of x-flight and their impulse coaster should have been expected both had serious issues during their operation (dominator was the only SF era coaster that didn't) but what killed GL in the end...Paramount parks...GL would have operated for a few more seasons had it not been for the purchase of these parks. I am a firm believer that GL would not still be here today due to economic conditions but could have survived longer...CF just did it quick and in the wrong way...the last day the park was open I remember telling the people I was with I thought we would get one more season... I hate to say it but GL is gone for good that's clear... The more concerning factor now is how CF is running their remaining parks...they are dirty, mismanaged, and just not what I would have ever expected. CF is a company that treats their employees very poorly, overlooks the details, and is turning into SF with cookie cutter rides (windseeker) in the majority of their parks. Maybe a new CEO will help but I have never appreciated parks that are the same as another park their is nothing unique...I believe Matt O will make them a lot more money (his background is in finance) but that he will do little to change their parks in a positive way!