California's Great America scales back season, events, possibly for permanent closure

After some of the WinterFest cuts last year (like the number of performers at Cool Yule being cut in half and then the same group double-cast as Holly Jolly Trolley) it felt like the writing was on the wall for the event at CGA.

Independent of the park's upcoming closure, I assume the seasonal events were still popular enough on their own terms to keep doing at CGA? Worlds of Fun lost its WinterFest presumably due to a poor return-on-investment.

It will be interesting to see if any other Cedar Fair/Six Flags drop their seasonal events.

So here’s the thing about KC and Worlds of Fun. Sure, a Christmas event sounds great there, and people will probably visit. But, I can drive a few hours down the road to Branson for SDC and their Christmas event, which might just be the best in the country. So they do have a massive competitor not insanely far down the road.

I fully expect CGA to be done after next season, that is where my money is at on the cancellation of the event. We sort of beat it to death in the other thread. Some think I’m reading too far into it. Who knows. Can I do a Gonchback if I’m right?

Well, mystery solved, as public records show the end of the lease as June 30, 2028. I wonder if there's any incentive to extend it. If there is, I imagine it has to be well in advance, as I assume Cedar Flags will want to pull out whatever assets they can.

I hope the park is able to go out with a little more dignity than Geauga Lake. Ideally they'll give quite a bit of notice and have a nice farewell celebration. I also hope they don't take out all the good rides/assets they are able to keep in the chain while trying to also keep the park open and limping along longer than necessary.

The park will know at least 2 years in advance before it closes (at least if Prologis elects to terminate the lease). That would have been a negotiated term. Maybe the park anticipates being able to have a farewell season and another year to remove assets? Not sure how much of the parks assets would be moveable versus torn down and how long that process could take. Ending the lease at the end of June maybe indicates the park would need 6 months to remove assets. And without November/December operations, they would have 8 months.

GoBucks89:

The park will know at least 2 years in advance before it closes

My biggest takeaway from the latest article posted is that the public will not know when Prologis gives SF the 2 years notice (since the media couldn't even figure it out). Meaning... It's possible the 2 year notice was already given. Given the history of park closures, they're not going to let the public know in advance for whatever reason

That was true when the lease was signed in terms of a Prologis termination. But its true that the park will know (if Prologis terminates) before the public. Park will know before the public if the park decides to let the lease lapse/close the park. But I expect this will be different from other closures in terms of letting people know.

There is a saying in bankruptcy. Its part joke but has truth to it as well. How did you go bankrupt? Slowly at first and then very quickly. I think that concept has played at least a role in other closures. But it won't here because there will be more certainty. Notice of termination will have been given. The lease will be expiring.

There also will be activity on the other side. It won't be the case that the park closes today, rides are all removed the day after and Prologis starts construction of its project the day after that. There will be approvals that need to be obtained along the way that will take time. Most counties have online real estate records (which are public). So, you could get a copy online in those counties of the lease modification that was filed this month. But I checked and the county removed its records from online. Now requests for copies need to be made in person or through the mail. Would expect that someone reporting on the recent filing would have a copy to see what it actually says before writing about it. As I noted in another thread, I think the info that is being reported (about the 6/28 lease termination and 2 year notice for termination by Prologis) was already part of the public record when Cedar Fair announced the terms of the sale/leaseback 2 years ago.

But I have a suggestion. If not getting another visit to CGA will be a big problem for someone, visit the park this season. And next. And each season until the park closes. And if you need to be there on the final day of operations, plan to go on closing day this year. And next. Until the park closes. The park has already given more notice that the park is closing than is often the case with other closures. We don't know exactly when the park is closing but we know it is and in the relative near term. If you want one last trip to the park, book the hotel and go.

TheMillenniumRider:

So here’s the thing about KC and Worlds of Fun. Sure, a Christmas event sounds great there, and people will probably visit. But, I can drive a few hours down the road to Branson for SDC and their Christmas event, which might just be the best in the country. So they do have a massive competitor not insanely far down the road.

May as well stop at Knoebel's since it's on the way.

Seriously, I know exactly zero people that would travel 6 hours round trip for a Christmas light display no matter how great it is. Except for a few random enthusiasts, these are local events.

SDC’s Christmas event is a heck of a lot more then a Christmas Light Display (and it’s a fricking amazing light display) the entire park (other then the two water rides) is open. It’s pretty amazing and surreal to strap into Time Traveler as Christmas music is playing. They also have an amazing entertainment package, 2 huge shows, a bunch of singing groups, a Christmas version of the Train and includes the only currently running Electric Light Parade in the country (until this summer when DL brings back Paint the Night.)

Dollywood and SDC are the absolute kings of Christmas. Those parks become even more amazing in November and December. Also, the general population knows how good it is, 1/3rd of SDC’s yearly attendance occurs in Nov/Dec, 2 “off season” months account for 1 out of 3 people who visit in a year.

I've only been to Kings Island and Dollywood for Christmas lights. KI is about three hours away, and was a one-day adventure.

Dollywood is about a five-hour drive, and like always, is a multi-day adventure. That park, and the surrounding area, is amazing all year round. Christmas is no exception.

About CA Great America, it seems really close to Discovery Kingdom. Now that CF and SF are the same company, maybe it's redundant to have both parks so close together. Perhaps that, as well as Six Flags now owning two parks with the same name, accelerated the eventual closure of California's Great America.

LostKause:

Perhaps that, as well as Six Flags now owning two parks with the same name, accelerated the eventual closure of California's Great America.

of all the reasons it could be, this is not one of them.