Cedar Fair wants more than $110M from 49ers for Great America buyout

The park wasn't making money under Paramount rule, I can't imagine it is doing much better now. If they have an out, I'd take it.

I really doubt that the Columbia Carousel is going anywhere near Sandusky, but I do wonder about the possibility of the wooden coaster going there instead if CF thinks they might have a deal with the 49ers.

Ronman:

You conveniently leave out what has been added to SFGAm since Sky Whirl was removed in 2000.

1. Deja-Vu (now gone)

2. Vertical Velocity

3. King Chaos

4. Big Easy Balloons

5. Ragin Cajun

6. Jester's Wild Ride

7. Superman: Ultimate Flight (replacing Shockwave)

8. Revolution (replacing Ameri-go-round)

9. A built from the ground up waterpark called Hurricane Harbor

10. Wiggle's World (which has about 5 new kids rides)

11. Dark Knight coaster

I would say the park is ahead of the game as far as rides and attractions from 8 years ago.*** This post was edited by Chitown 7/24/2008 11:55:57 PM ***

I wonder why Cedar Fair just doesn't ask the Niners for a parking garage and be done with it? If you run out of parking room, build up! Universal Orlando's parking structures rock. All parks should have them.

^Most parks can't afford them. They are ridiculously expensive.

Chitown your correct, what I'm saying is big hole are now in the park. This season there is just an somethings missing feeling. I do enjoy Dark Night but will never wait on a slanted former theater floor to ride it. Once you pass Demon only Speedway is now between you and Revolution/Eagles Enterance.
I do know that next year Great America is getting GLOW IN THE DARK PARADE[GOOD]. Hurricane Harbor is up for a multi-slide expansion. With that will probably come seperate admission. As for Rides and Great America all rumors, latest being go carts to Splash's space. A Dollywood type water ride on VU's space. Will this bring guest back? It's true we have been spoiled in the MidWest. Year after year Cedar Point reinvents itself with little ride loss. Great America yes, has added rides. We joke if someone took every ride removed from the park and rebuilt them across the tollway, there would be a park to challenge the existing park.
I was only once at Great America in California but, it was on the 20th Season. Three charming days in a ride filled park with palm trees and Demon/Columbia. Paramount ripped the soul out of that park. We hoped Cedar Fair was going to rebuild it. They started out reopening The Orbit. A new ride this year and promise of a great Woodie. What went so wrong?

Well, I think the something missing thing is the removal of a high thrill coaster and no high thrill replacement in recent times.

I am aware of the rumors as well and they fit to what you stated. It's just something we are going to have to get used to for the near future. Big, expensive, high thrill coasters are just not on the agenda for now.

As far as you saying what went wrong with the California Great America park? My belief is CF doesn't really want this park to begin with but it came with the Paramount package. It's a good excuse to sell and get out.

Several news article stated that Cedar Fair tried to leave this park out of the Paramount deal. They also stated that Cedar Fair has been shopping this park every since they acquired it.

Isn't Astroworld an example of what happens when a sports team shares your parking lot?

I remember talking to a higher-up from PCW during the initial discussions about the acquisition. She laughed when I told her that PGA was definitely, and by FAR, the weakest of the PPs in terms of customer service/guest relations, obviously having heard that before in some internal CF meetings.

Removing rides without *timely* replacements is bad, but treating your guests poorly is completely unacceptable. Luckily, it DID get much better before last year's SpringCon, but the park still has a long way to go to reach the CS levels at the local SF park. Yep, in NorCal, I still vastly prefer the SF park to the CF park...of course, SCBB blows both of them off the beach, er, out of the water.

The two Great Americas forever diverged when Six Flags bought Gurnee and KECO took over Santa Clara. But when I visited in 1996 (20th Anniversary season!) Paramount's Great America was beautiful, completely charming, and thoroughly enjoyable. Since that time, the park was eviscerated by Paramount, who took out the train, bulldozed the berm, and opened up the front of the park. I was glad to hear that Cedar Fair had acquired it, thinking they would build on it and make it better than ever. If professional football goofs this deal up and hastens the eventual closure of that park, it will be a complete tragedy. Don't tell me that there is no other available land in the Bay area for them to build their precious stadium. And a word to all who love their parks: No park is immune from redevelopment. Cherish what you have, and patronize your home park, whichever one it is. SFGam is MY home park, and though not everything is always done right, it is what it is, and deserves support, as all parks do.

Wow Coasterfan hit everything spot on. S.F.GAM is also my home park the very thought of loosing CAL.GA scares me. There is no safe park even Busch anymore. I will visit SFGAM Sunday@Wednesday, i will spend money on food in park. There are tee shirts I will by and hell I'll play a few games. Viper my favorite coaster needs money to keep operating. To many Season Pass Holders eat outside the park like at Burger King or Culvers. Also they spend the least amount of money on merchandise. This year Sunday 25% off any candy in the park. Monday buy one get one free. It's just like Jewel our local grocery chain. Tuesdays offer tee shirt deals. I never turn down any of these offers. Spend $100 and get another free you have to be a moron to pass that up. Spend $1 and get another free works too, free is free. These parks depend on their guests..remember that. You give nothing you get nothing. Even in lean years [Thanks Chitown] for opening my eyes we still must support the park. Do you know how many Pass holders have told the park no new Major Coaster no Pass for next year, it's alarming. The very survival of any park squarely fall on your shoulders. I leave every young person with this thought. This is my 33rd Season at the park. Every ride/shop/show/food venue that came and went can't be changed. Will you see 33 more seasons? You won't if you refuse to change your spending habits. R.I.P. Opryland, Six Flags AstroWorld/New England will CAL.GA be next?

^R.I.P. SFNE !?!?!! Surely you mean SFNO ?!?!?

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Yep, in NorCal, I still vastly prefer the SF park to the CF park...of course, SCBB blows both of them off the beach, er, out of the water.

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Hear Hear!!!

Looks like the 49ers and SF are at least talking nicely again, probably in case the deal with Santa Clara does not work out.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2009/03/04/BA6M168RDN.DTL

"None of this changes the fact that the City of Santa Clara is our first choice," Niners spokeswoman Lisa Lang said.
...
York, though, told the season ticket holders that he's hopeful a dealwith Santa Clara can be worked out by the end of the month and the $916million stadium project could go before voters there in November.