NEWS: Six Flags Sells Yet Another Park!

[robbalvey]

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/12349982/

 

Big changes are on the way for Wyandot Lake.

 

The southern Delaware County water park's operator, Six Flags Inc., has decided not to renew its contract to run the park and is finalizing an agreement to sell its assets there to the neighboring Columbus Zoo and Aquarium for about $2 million, Business First has learned. The zoo would take over the park's operations at the end of this season.

 

The sale would set in motion an integration plan that has zoo officials possibly combining entrance gates at the facilities and adding zoo-oriented themes to the water park. The zoo also has set aside land in an expansion plan to increase the 18-acre park by as many as 15 acres, said Jerry Borin, the zoo's executive director.

 

"I think an expanded new water park could make the entire complex of both facilities a much bigger attraction to a larger audience," he said.

 

The zoo could sell combination memberships or day passes, Borin said, and conduct entertainment and educational programs using both facilities.

 

Although Wyandot Lake is among the smallest of Six Flags' 29 North American parks, it has performed well, said General Manager John Gannon.

 

"The park is certainly very profitable still," he said.

 

That profit could come in handy as the zoo moves forward on tens of millions of dollars of expansions in the next several years, Borin said.

 

"If we can turn the water park into a larger source of earned income, it can help offset some future zoo operating expenses," he said.

 

Though the zoo would welcome Wyandot Lake, the park no longer fits in at Six Flags, said spokeswoman Wendy Goldberg. The publicly traded company hasn't posted a profit in years and has been looking for ways to pay down debt and improve earnings. Shedding some parks is part of that plan, she said.

 

So what is that now? Frontier City, a couple of water parks and now Wyandot Lake?

 

This was the line I most noted:

the park no longer fits in at Six Flags

 

So how many other parks no longer fit in at Six Flags?

 

--Robb "I called this one years ago!" Alvey

[Darien Laker]

I had a feeling this one was on its way out. This park has never seemed to fit in at Six Flags. It was only there because it was Geauga Lake and Darien Lake's sister park back in the funtime days, and Premier bought that chain (before they bought Six Flags.)

[jamesdillaman]

Do you think they might add another coaster to the park in the new 15 acre expansion? That'd be nice, wouldn't it?

[coasterdude5]

It will probably just be more slides. But you never know.

[niiicolaaah]

Good, maybe SFDL will be sold too. That park is redonkulous.

[coasterguy618]

First of all, I didn't even know Wyandot Lake was owned by Six Flags. Second of all, we knew they were going to sell another park so it isnt a suprise.

[DerekRx]

If Astroworld was always the Red Headed Step Child of the Six Flags chain, Wyandot Lake is the denied child that even after 4 paternity tests on Maury, Six Flags still refused to claim. Its no real shocker that they dumped this park. At least I don't feel this park is threatened at closing just yet, so I can put off a trip there for a bit longer. Poor WL, maybe now you'll be loved.

[ebl]

Wyandot Lake was one of the old pre-Six Flags Premier properties, wasn't it? So it became a Six Flags park simply because its parent company bought the other ones.

 

Was I asleep? Did Six Flags indeed dump Frontier City? Not that they shouldn't have, but I just don't remember seeing that anywhere.

 

Whatever, I think Six Flags is doing the right thing. They acquired too many properties too quickly and ones that really were never a "fit" for the chain. Selling off still-profitable parks will bring in much needed cash to help Six Flags get out of the hole they dug.

 

Eric

[Twister II]

I know Six Flags Elitch Gardens 'may' sell depending on how it does in 2005. I read that in an article somewhere months ago.

[PhishyBrewer]

Doesn't that park sit on like 2 acres of land? Right next to the Jack Hannah mansion.

[Astat]

I think this will actually be good for Wyandot Lake. It's a nice little park with a lot of potential, it just gets overshadowed by the bigger parks in Ohio. It'd help bring more people to the zoo as well.

[BrownStreak]

Yeah, so SFDL is the only Funtime Park still left under the ownership of the company that bought it! Kinda seems like SFDL will be next. They have so much land and room to grow but their potential has never been tapped. I personally liked the park more prior to Premier branding it a Six Flags Park. It used to have a nice country-western feel to it with its ride names and entertainment.

[CoasterFanatic]

I don't really think that Darien Lake will be going anywhere soon. Say what you want about the lack of new rides, but Darien has been treated pretty good by Six Flags.

 

The new management is interested in the "A-List" properties and while Darien isn't there yet, it does have a good bit of potential. The campground, premier concert venue and close proximity to Buffalo and Toronto should keep it a Six Flags property.

 

On that same note, I am curious how Shapiro and company would have handled the Geauga Lake property. My guess is that it wouldn't have been their first choice for an expendable property.

[Token Yankee Guy]

So how many other parks no longer fit in at Six Flags?

 

I know SFNE wouldn't be on the chopping block, Snyder had nice compliments about SFNE's operations, nicest park he has been to, and how the park has a lot of potential.

[SharkTums]

^I would be careful quoting Shapiro like that. Keep in mind he pretty much said the exact cookie cutter thing about every park. He's not going to go around saying 'this park was really terrible'.

[USRoadTripper]

My guess is that if another park is still on the chopping block, it would be American Adventures in Marietta, GA. It's got almost entirely kids rides except for a few family rides like a Tilt A Whirl and stuff, and a kiddie coaster. It's also got this large soft play area that was an extra charge to enter the last time I was there a few years ago. It was eliminated as a free admission if you already have a Six Flags pass this year, so you have to either buy a one day ticket or a season pass that is valid at that park only. Plus it is all hidden back in the woods...doesn't look like any other park I've seen, especially Six Flags ones. American Adventures is very close to (if not adjacent to???) a free standing water park that is now also not included in regular Six Flags passes. Maybe they are on a streak of getting rid of the free standing water parks? If so, it would make sense to dump those two properties together.

That's my two cents.

 

-Julie

[momo1tx]

Wyandot lake is a nice little place. I used to live five minutes away from it, so I know a lot about the area. It shares the same parking lot with the zoo, and the zoo has their carousel, so it really was predictable. I enjoyed the zoo also, so hopefully they will do good things with this park.