Cedar Fair to close Wildwater Kingdom at Geauga Lake permanently

Ensign Smith said:
Well said, Kenny.

Thanks. And please, try the chicken.

Do we have to wait for Kenny Rogers to die to see five different comedians impersonate him?

Kenny Rogers played the Ohio State Fair this year and from all reports he already is.

Raven-Phile said:

I will always remember the deaf lady who worked the gates scanning tickets/passes

The really short lady with glasses? She was the one who scanned my pass Saturday, and was so excited to see my SeaWorld Cleveland shirt she called another worker over to look at it!

I remember her as well from the ride side. I also remember Henry, who I saw at WWK during my last visit in 2013. Feel sorry for these folks.

The really short lady with glasses? She was the one who scanned my pass Saturday, and was so excited to see my SeaWorld Cleveland shirt she called another worker over to look at it!

Yes, her. She is very sweet. Always smiling, and she would always enthusiastically wave at everyone who came up to her gate.

I hope she finds something else that she can do. Honestly, working the gate seemed to be right where she wanted to be. If she ever had a bad day, she certainly never showed it.

Definitely a very sweet lady. It seemed to me that she must be nearing retirement age, if not already there. Whatever she does, I hope she'll be happy.

She was honestly the first person that came up in my mind when I saw the park was closing. I feel sorry that she has to lose the job she obviously loves.

Jeff said:

Nothing to do with it except the investment made in it? I'm fairly certain there is some kind of revenue sharing agreement there, and/or lease.

The cost of the project was $24 million - majority publicly funded through an increased bed tax. Cedar Fair purchased land for $3 million and donated to the project - approximately 12.5% of the cost.

This isn't a diversification of the company - certainly not their "new m.o." Cedar Fair is a $1.3 billion amusement park operator. A $3M land buy for a sportspark that they don't own or operate, isn't diversification. It's to drive attendance and family spending to their main product - amusement park (Cedar Point).

Go Intamin said:

She was honestly the first person that came up in my mind when I saw the park was closing. I feel sorry that she has to lose the job she obviously loves.

I had the exact same thought. I hope everything works out for her.

My understanding of the Sports Force Park is that it will be run completely independently of Cedar Fair...at least for now. This was a pretty obvious attempt by Ouimet to duplicate the success of Disney's sports facility...which, at it's foundation, puts heads in beds. The Sports Force Park will drive hotel revenue for Cedar Point and for the other hoteliers in the area.

I believe one article said every athlete who plays in a tournament at the Sports Force Park will get a free admission ticket to Cedar Point. That kid likely isn't going in the park alone...so others will be buying tickets too.

I suspect there is some kind of vacation clause that says if Sports Force Park either leaves or underperforms/underdelievers that Cedar Fair will have the right to take over operation and/or assume ownership of the land for another use. That said, if the park is run well I don't think it can lose. Sports tourism is the fastest growing segment of the travel industry.

Yeah, it is free admission to Cedar Point for all players and coaches for the duration of whatever tournament is going on. Cedar Point is already selling daily, weekend, and week-long tickets for the families.

https://www.cedarpoint.com/?mobile=0&keyword=SportsForce

Chicago07 said:
The cost of the project was $24 million - majority publicly funded through an increased bed tax. Cedar Fair purchased land for $3 million and donated to the project - approximately 12.5% of the cost.

Source? It's fine if it's true, but if you're just going to be an anonymous guy that no one knows, it would be great if you could explain it.

And the company is diversifying by devoting more to the resort business.

Well, whoever runs it/owns it, whatever- it's a win. For some reason I hadn't seen the renderings until yesterday and it looks like it's going to be awesome, very professional and classy. And a brilliant idea for the park, the locals, etc. The second phase with biking and walking trails will be a real plus for the community.

I hope the spring mayflies don't snatch those baseballs out of the air. That would result in a unique, special ruling.

The midges helped the Indians win the division title in 2007:

I still relish that game.

Jeff said:

Only on CoasterBuzz do we have sidebars about the academic use of a word like "butthurt."

Not sure about the other uses, but after multiple bran muffins, man does my butthurt.

I was lucky to be at that game! One of my favorite Jacobs Field memories.

Ensign Smith said:

I still relish that game.

I prefer stadium mustard myself.

Jeff said:

Source? It's fine if it's true, but if you're just going to be an anonymous guy that no one knows, it would be great if you could explain it.

http://www.sanduskyregister.com/Business/2015/05/14/Update-4-50-p-m...rie-County