FlyingScooter Posted October 12, 2005 Share Posted October 12, 2005 (edited) http://wkyc.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=41876 SANDUSKY-The owner of Cedar Point and six other amusement parks says it's considering whether to buy its rival, Six Flags. Sandusky-based Cedar Fair says a deal has to make financial and strategic sense. Director of investor relations Stacy Frole says if the price is right, the company will make a move. Six Flags operates about 30 amusement parks and said in August that it was putting itself up for sale. It has seen interest from about three dozen would-be buyers, mostly private investment firms. But Six Flags is carrying about $2 billion in debt, and Wall Street analysts say that might scare off some of the suitors. and also: http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051011/BUSINESS06/510110359 This is interesting. I think this would be a bad move for CF. Given their recent difficulty with GL, would buying more of the same make sense? What's your opinion? Edited October 12, 2005 by FlyingScooter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meteornotes Posted October 12, 2005 Share Posted October 12, 2005 Well, at least the parks would be run by a company that is involved in the park industry. This is certainly in contrast to Snyder and his group, who really don't seem to have any interest in the park business, other than using it to make themselves rich. On the other hand, I think that CF parks have really gone down in quality in the last five years or so (especially Knotts) and I'm not sure that I want to see them running any more parks. I think that eventually SF is going to sell off parks to the highest bidder, and close those that are in bad locations (like SFKK). We shall see... dt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
socalMAN123 Posted October 12, 2005 Share Posted October 12, 2005 I don't think CF should buy the whole entire SF company, but just buy some of SFs parks. I mean, if they only bought some of the parks they wouldn't be out of control with parks like SF was. ---Brent 8) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhishyBrewer Posted October 12, 2005 Share Posted October 12, 2005 Please pickup Marine World Please pickup Marine World Please pickup Marine World Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MF310ryb Posted October 12, 2005 Share Posted October 12, 2005 I agree with socalman123 i do not think it would be a smart move for Cedar Fair to buy the whole chain a few parks would be fine. They should get GADV so they can have big money makers in the mid west and east with record breaking rides. Both GADV and the Point both draw a lot of income so it would help them in the long run. Plus its my home park it deserves good treatment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlyingScooter Posted October 12, 2005 Author Share Posted October 12, 2005 Phishy: If CF does buy Marine World, i hope they learn the value of animals. They didn't think they were so important when they purchased SFWOA, but after a year, found they may have made an error in not buying them as well. I miss the dolphins and whale. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhishyBrewer Posted October 12, 2005 Share Posted October 12, 2005 Phishy: If CF does buy Marine World, i hope they learn the value of animals. They didn't think they were so important when they purchased SFWOA, but after a year, found they may have made an error in not buying them as well.I miss the dolphins and whale. I totally agree. Except there was nothing they could do about the whale Shouka. It's on loan from somewhere, I can't remeber. If CF did pickup SFMW I think the whale would eventually stay. What other SF parks have marine animals? On the other hand, I still remember the days of Misti, Coco, Striker and Breeze. And the day the first dolphin died the special in the cafe was tuna. Seriously... it was. I would hope that CF could keep the tanks a lot cleaner and free of viruses. The way the tanks at SFMW look right now, it looks like the dolphins are swimming through shit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skyscraper Posted October 12, 2005 Share Posted October 12, 2005 I don't know why you want Cedar Fair to get Marine World, because Six Flags is actually doing a really great job. Don't you read the news ? http://www.themeparkreview.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=19611 The park is doing is best year ever ! The park is really clean, we are so far away from Trash Mountain ! The landscaping is really great,lots of trees and a lot of shaded places. Sorry but looks at Knott's berry farm, do you want Cedar Fair to cut all the trees and put concrete everywhere with cheap 50's theming with no trees at all? (i like knott's but this area is really ugly). There's lot of families, great entertainment, you don't have enough time to see everything in one day, there's so much different shows, animal, coasters... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhishyBrewer Posted October 12, 2005 Share Posted October 12, 2005 ^Yeah, I read that thread. I know some folks don't think CF is all that great. But for me, growing up and working at a CF park, I wouldn't mind seeing a little piece of the company move closer to me. That's all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SonOfBeastSucks Posted October 12, 2005 Share Posted October 12, 2005 I wonder what the parks would be renamed.... it isn't a problem with parks like SFGAm or SFMM, but they have quite a few names to come up with for parks like SFSTL, SFNE, SFoT, SFoG, others.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Imhotep Posted October 12, 2005 Share Posted October 12, 2005 Maybe instead of buying them out, they can take a turn from being rivals and form a partnership. Basically as socalman said, CF would be overwhelmed if they bought ALL the parks. If they partner, maybe CF can gain control of SF's bastard-child parks and turn them around, add some new rides,etc. Or they can gain control of all the major SFs parks and let SF focus on all the smaller parks they havent been able to really concentrate on over the years. If either venture proves successful, only then should they decide to buy out the entire company. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MSLSM Posted October 12, 2005 Share Posted October 12, 2005 Some parks would be nice(er) if they were run by CF. SF has forgotten about parks like SFSTL, SFFT, and Great Escape. CF could make it so these parks bring in larger crowds. It might be nice if the picked up SFMM and SFGAM too, so they can have a larger hold on the region. SF should just have a few major parks and focous on the smaller ones at the same time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scaparri Posted October 12, 2005 Share Posted October 12, 2005 Yeah, I'm not so sure I want Cedar Fair to purchase them. They haven't impressed me at all with how they have handled GL. They pretty much shown me that they have no idea how to rejuvenate a failing park. I'd also like to keep the theming that some of the parks have going for them. Cedar Fair isn't exactly top notch when it comes to theming their rides. Yeah, Six Flags isn't either, but I give them a little credit. All the Cedar Fair parks I've been to (5) have all been spotless clean though and run fairly smoothly, so maybe it wouldn't be bad. I don't know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MF310ryb Posted October 12, 2005 Share Posted October 12, 2005 I'm sure some of those park will go back to their original names. Just like Geauga Lake came back when they acquired SFWOA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chauncey Posted October 12, 2005 Share Posted October 12, 2005 Well, to me, having never been to either a Cedar Fair or a Six Flags park, Cedar Fair always seemed like "the nicer Six Flags". So, maybe it would be a good thing if they took over, or maybe it would just turn them into Six Flags, with all the same problems, only now at all the Cedar Fair parks, too. I don't know. Either way, though, neither chain really appeals to me much. They just don't seem to have any character. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coasterfreak101 Posted October 12, 2005 Share Posted October 12, 2005 I don't think CF should buy SF. I think tat the reason SF can't attain their parks is because they own too much. I think that CF does a great job, from what I saw at CP, and I think that only having to focus on 8 parks is good for them. I just don't think that Cedar Fair needs 40 parks or whatever! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coasterguy618 Posted October 12, 2005 Share Posted October 12, 2005 I really do not think they should do it. I love the Warner Bros. and Looney Tunes in Six Flags. Gaven "I really hope this does not happen" D'Ambra Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chauncey Posted October 12, 2005 Share Posted October 12, 2005 Well, if it isn't Cedar Fair, then it's Dan Snyder, and either way, you're going to lose Looney Toons! Isn't it better to have them replaced with Snoopy, than with cellphone sales men?!?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coasterfreak101 Posted October 12, 2005 Share Posted October 12, 2005 HELL YEAH!!!!! My mother would FREAK if Snoopy came to Six Flags!!!!! She is a Snoopy freak, and living a half hour away from SFA, she'd DIE!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SonOfBeastSucks Posted October 12, 2005 Share Posted October 12, 2005 If CF bought SF, there would no longer be a fight for the most coasters! CF would be sure that CP had the record. Can they even afford to buy the entire chain? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Space Freak Posted October 12, 2005 Share Posted October 12, 2005 Ok, here are a few thoughts on this... I think it was a bad idea for CF to buy GL concidering how close CP and GL are to each other (about 1.5 hours). With a park as well known and as large as CP, who would want to go to GL except to save a few bucks??? So, I dont think that CF should buy the whole lot, however, if they are going to buy some parks, they should do it wisely. They should buy parks that are not close to a park they already own, so SFMM is out because of its proximity to Knotts for example. In the business world, it isnt good to have competition with yourself. And I think thats what happend with GL and CP... Rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pvcoasterguy Posted October 12, 2005 Share Posted October 12, 2005 I truly hope Cedar Fair doesn't buy the Six Flags parks. I personally think they'd ruin some of the nice ones. Let me just show you an example Six Flags Great America - Whizzer would be removed- Cedar Fair wouldn't want to touch it. - More concrete... yay. Cedar Fair has no true idea of landscaping, and SFGAm already has good landscaping. - The woodies would suck. Take a look at Cedar Fair's woodies: Thunderhawk- good, ruined by brakes, Mean Streak- sucks, Ghostrider- really, really rough, etc. But look at Six Flags' woodies. Viper, Texas Giant, The Comet, Texas Cyclone, American Eagle, etc. They are all cared for and still fun and amazing woodies. - The themes would be taken down even more. You can still see the nice atmosphere in many of the lands at SFGAm, such as: Southwest Territory, Hometown Square, Orleans Place, County Fair, and Mardi Gras. I highly doubt we'd get anymore themed attractions, and the quality of the themes would go downhill. - The atmosphere would be ruined. Six Flags Great America has one of the best park atmospheres anywhere. I just have a good time everytime I go, and I feel like I'm not in the real world. Cedar Point just didn't have that type of atmosphere, and, let me say, it was very dissapointing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sfdlfan11 Posted October 12, 2005 Share Posted October 12, 2005 I hope Cedar Fair buys at least some of the six flags. I only live near Six Flags Darien Lake, and its boring now, having the same rides for 5 years in a row. (except for the tornado.) Not one new thing, only the slingshot, which is another 30 bucks. If Cedar Fair buys some parks like these, hopefully they will add something to them. I used to go to Darien Lake all the time, but now we go to Cedar Point. Darien Lake has been losing its crowd. (it doesnt help that its in the middle of nowhere either.) and gueaga lake is very nice now, i dont mind that its not a six flags anymore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Real Posted October 13, 2005 Share Posted October 13, 2005 I truly hope Cedar Fair doesn't buy the Six Flags parks. I personally think they'd ruin some of the nice ones. Let me just show you an example Six Flags Great America - Whizzer would be removed- Cedar Fair wouldn't want to touch it. - More concrete... yay. Cedar Fair has no true idea of landscaping, and SFGAm already has good landscaping. - The woodies would suck. Take a look at Cedar Fair's woodies: Thunderhawk- good, ruined by brakes, Mean Streak- sucks, Ghostrider- really, really rough, etc. But look at Six Flags' woodies. Viper, Texas Giant, The Comet, Texas Cyclone, American Eagle, etc. They are all cared for and still fun and amazing woodies. - The themes would be taken down even more. You can still see the nice atmosphere in many of the lands at SFGAm, such as: Southwest Territory, Hometown Square, Orleans Place, County Fair, and Mardi Gras. I highly doubt we'd get anymore themed attractions, and the quality of the themes would go downhill. - The atmosphere would be ruined. Six Flags Great America has one of the best park atmospheres anywhere. I just have a good time everytime I go, and I feel like I'm not in the real world. Cedar Point just didn't have that type of atmosphere, and, let me say, it was very dissapointing. Without getting into it too much, I bet you caught CP on a bad day / week just as I caught Great America at a bad time. When I was there the grounds were horrible! My girlfriend is a horticulture/floriculture major and she was appauled by the way the grounds were kept at that time. Dead grass all over, tall weeds that need pulled, soil where it shouldnt have been, dead flowers, etc. The lines moved very slowly and the park, while nicely shaded with trees, didnt seem to have a very fun atmosphere. It felt rushed. Which was probably an off day. Id bet the same happened with you at CP. Ive been there in good days / weeks and bad days / weeks. Too many factors go into it. Frankly my last 3 visits to CP sucked. Might not renew my pass unless I see a few things change. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M_Force_4_ever Posted October 13, 2005 Share Posted October 13, 2005 hmm it would be interesting to see CF aquire some of the SF parks...come on SFGAm <~~400th Post!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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