I don’t typically do general news updates, but there’s been a lot of developments in the past few weeks that I haven’t written about due to all the traveling. Here’s a brief theme park news round up.
Cedar Point Teases 2010 Attraction – Possible 18th Roller Coaster On the Way
Somehow Cedar Point has found some room for another attraction on their crowded peninsula on Lake Erie. Today, on Cedar Point’s OnPoint! blog, Tyler and Tony began teasing the park’s 2010 attraction. I haven’t really been following the rumor mill on this one so this may not necessarily be a new roller coaster. Anyone have any more info or guesses as to what else that mega park could add? Read the blog entry here. Thanks to Nick for bringing this post to my attention.
B&M Track Has Been Sighted at Carowinds
This week, red B&M track has appeared in a parking lot at Carowinds. So finally, the maker of the new 2010 coaster has been identified. Now, the common belief is that the race-themed coaster will be a hyper coaster (featuring a drop of 200 feet or more). But a with that racing theme, a launch coaster would make more sense. Will we see another hyper coaster like Cedar Fair has added to Canada’s Wonderland (Behemoth) and King’s Island (Diamondback), a looping launcher like Islands of Adventure’s Incredible Hulk or something completely new and different? The official announcement for Carowinds 2010 roller coaster will be on August 26th. So, we’ll find out the details soon enough. Photo Credit – CoasterNut30 at Carowinds Connection.
Knoebel’s Kozmo’s Kurve Now Open
While Flying Turns is STILL under construction after more than two years, Knoebels has replaced their recently removed junior coaster High Speed Thrill Coaster with Kozmo’s Kurve. You can watch a video of the ride on ThemeParkReview’s CoasterTube.
Reactions to Big Bad Wolf’s Retirement
You have until Labor Day to ride what’s widely considered the best suspended roller coaster around. Busch Garden’s recently announced that they’re going to retire the 25 year old ride, explaining that it’s “at the end of its service life.” Join the discussion here. The reactions from the coaster enthusiast community has resulted in the creation of a Save the Big Bad Wolf Petition.
Also, check out my comments from an interview I had with the Williamsburg Yorktown Daily on Bad Wolf’s retirement in “Coaster Enthusiasts Say Signs Were There on Big Bad Wolf’s End”. The article also includes quotes from Lance Hart the man behind ScreamScape. I may even make a trip to Busch Gardens myself this month to say goodbye, and of course ride the park’s other amazing coasters.
What’s Your Take?
What’s your take on these news stories? Leave a comment below.
March 23, 2010 at 08:36
To read the public spanking Cedar Fair management got at the hands of the New York Times check this out:
http://dealbook.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/03/22/the-…
This is a most embarrassing public repudiation of Cedar Fair actions by a respected journalist and expert on mergers.
Note the professors comments in reference to Q Investments statement about not being cut out of the upside of the deal. The professor notes, correctly, Q Investments language suggests they may go along with the merger if they are cut into the equity of the new company.
This action would really take the retail investors to the cleaners. Everyone would win, except the large number of individual investors. This action, should it occur, would resemble, in my mind, Greenmail.
Greenmail is an illegal activity. It is when one large investor gets preferential treatment, usually a higher price for their shares, than other shareholders. Giving a party selective access to the upside of the deal whilst depriving other parties that opportunity is suspect.
And this is the heart of the problem with the sweetheart deal Cedar Fair Management and Board have hammered out in the proposed merger with Apollo: management and the board get to participate in the upside of the deal without suffering any downside.
They are shifting all the downside risk (read "costs") to the Unitholders while feathering their nests with all the upside potential and thus avoiding downside costs.
It is a case of "heads I win, tails you loose."
March 24, 2010 at 02:07
i think there stocks are about to drop besides buisness.