Holiday World's Will Koch issues letter to enthusiasts, cancels all 2004 events

Not sure if I am breaking a rule here, but here is what was posted there (Jeff: Please delete if I have done wrong)

MrScott

From:jpwerne@holidayworld.com (Raven Maven)Newsgroups:rec.roller-coaster Subject:Re: Will HW Attend Eastcoaster?Date:19 Sep 2003 19:03:03 -0700NNTP-Posting-Host:63.75.25.193NNTP-Posting-Date:20 Sep 2003 02:03:06 GMTPath:kermit newsfeed-east.nntpserver.com nntpserver.com news.maxwell.syr.edu newsfeed.stanford.edu postnews1.google.com not-for-mail
Coastin_Steve@webtv.net (Coastin Steve) wrote in message news:

> who is still AMAZED that a group of people is being
> blamed for the actions of 1 (or a few)

I hope I can explain this so that most of you understand...I know it's
too much to hope that everyone will get it. :0) But anyway, I'll
try...

So many have posted concerns about possible attendance drops or
financial loss this season. Thanks for worrying, but the big concern
on this end--and the primary reason for the "no events in '04"
decision is an emotional one.

I can't expect any of you to know what we went through this summer.
That awful, awful night. Telling Will. Telling Mrs. Koch. Saying
goodbye to the SRMers. Hugs from so many as they filed past me.
Listening to Will talk to her father on the phone. Handling the first
calls from the media. Worrying about our employees. Tears. Prayers.
Low-flying news helicopters. Inspectors. Police. The coroner.

Crisis counseling. Ministers. Emails from well-wishers. Hate mail.
Flags at half staff. Closed for the day. Satellite trucks everywhere.

Getting up after two hours of sleep and vomiting. Filled with dread
about what the new day will bring. Knowing the truth, but the truth
doesn't change reality. That beautiful young woman who made a mistake
is gone forever.

I haven't trusted myself to say this before...but the cruel names that
have been posted here regarding the ACE member who died that night
have cut me to the core. She has a name. It's Tamar Fellner. She's not
here to defend herself. I pray that she rests in peace. And that her
parents find peace. And I pray they don't read some of what has been
posted here.

At first, Will said we shouldn't talk about whether to have future
events. It was too soon and he didn't want to make a hasty decision.
We should wait till the season slowed down. A few weeks ago, we
started talking about it after a directors meeting. The pained look on
his face convinced me he'd made the right decision even before the
words came out of his mouth.

"I just can't see doing it. I can't see putting our employees through
it."

Next May 31 will be a difficult day for all of us at the park. SRM was
always such a joyous occasion for all of us--we truly looked forward
to it each year. It was like a family reunion. Friends, new and old.

But the thought of sending the ERT coaster trains up the hill in the
dark of the night when the memories are still so fresh--we just don't
want to do that to ourselves. Too many sad, sad memories.

So, you see, it's not all about you the enthusiasts. It's about us. We
have to take care of our own. It's not about lawyers. It's not about
insurance. It's about helping our staff through a rough anniversary.

Please don't clobber me with "Well, what about...?" questions. It's a
Friday night and I'm sitting at home trying to give this to you
straight from my heart.

We don't hate enthusiasts. We're not mad at ACE. We're not trying to
punish anyone. We welcome all those who will follow the rules to visit
us and enjoy their day. But, for '04 anyway, no events. We honestly
don't know about future years.

Please find it in your hearts to at least agree to disagree with us on
this. Don't look for a deeper, more clinical meaning, because it isn't
there. And maybe say a prayer when you have a quiet moment.

Thank you for reading this.

Paula Werne
Holiday World PR

Post Followup

Thank you Scott; that was very helpful of you. On the basis of that letter, the park's decision is entirely understandable. It's a pity the original letter from Will Koch didn't feature any such information. Apparently, a step that was taken out of consideration for the park's employees and respect for the deceased's family and friends was mis-interpreted as a step taken to punish coaster enthusiasts as a whole for the misbehaviour of a few.

Perhaps Jeff is allready working on something, but under the circumstances I think it would be a nice gesture of solidarity for a letter of support to be sent to HW on behalf of Coasterbuzz members. Maybe a thread with messsages of support from us all which could be fowarded to the Park?

All the best.

Coasterbuf said...

>But by HW's own admission, it's a small "minority". So deal with those people, and the problem will be solved. Targeting the entire group, while probably sucessful too, is not the only way, and certainly not the fairest. And does not take into account future generations who will not have been a part of any of this.

There is no other way but to "target the entire group." (You'd think we're the victims.) How do you target the "proper people?" You don't know who they are until something happens. Had the ride ops known at SRM when they dispatched that train that someone would not be coming back, I'm sure they wouldn't have dispatched it. As a community, we do not hold each other accountable. We see people disobeying safety rules all the time (both GP and Enthusiasts.) I've seen probably hundreds of violations. Do I say anything? Up until now, no. Plain fact is, this never needed to happen, but it did. I've got to take responsiblity and say "I'm part of the problem. I didn't say anything to that guy who just took his camera on that ride." As Enthusiasts, we should be the "watchdogs" of the parks. We're the "pros." We ride hundreds of rides. We know what these rides do. "It's not my job..." you may say. No, but maybe its your responsibility. I may not know the guy sitting next to me, but I sure want him to come back. I sure hope the guy sitting next to me would say something to me if I were doing something stupid.

HW (and others) are doing absolutely the right thing. I've never been to SRM, I sure hope to go someday. Unfortunately, what happend at SRM03 could have been avoided. We're all somehow responsible. We've let this happen.

Let's not let it happen again!

d8

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"Welcome to Wisconsin... Illinois' Largest State Park."

I use to take cameras on rides all the time. POV shots, I thought, were cool. And they still are..but after this letter, I dont think I'll be doing that anymore. I'll probably upload the POVs I took this year, and make them the last I take. Standing up on a coaster really begs the question "why?" That is why we have standup coasters. You shouldnt do that on a wooden coaster because you can. There are numerous stories where someone stood up, a beam hit them, and they fell to their death. I went to SFWoA a few years ago, and some kid was standing on Raging Wolf Bobs. It really ticked me off, because you knew that roller coasters would be deemed unsafe if he got hit. Last year someone stood during Mayan Mind BEnder at SFAW. He was hit, had lacerations of some sort and some other injury, and now there are seatbelts. This is because cosater riders as a whole dont think anything will happen to them. This includes coaster enthusiasts. We are just as stupid as the "General Public" and in many cases, more so. While I dont agree with being stapled in, I do think that the lap bar should be snug. Here's a question-why leave room in a lapbar? It doesnt give more negative Gs. You are still weightless, you just dont fly out. That is the reason coasters can do what they do now. Because Traver (i think) invented the lap bar. Here's a thought-use it.

Coastration: If you have a direct question for me then send a direct e-mail. I don't understand the point of your confrontational nonsense. There is no side to take. You either follow the rules or you don't. It doesn't have anything to do with me. If you're just posting crap like that to be a jerk, go do it on someone else's site.

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Jeff - Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com - My Blog
Blogs, photo albums - CampusFish
What time does the water show start?

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I use to take cameras on rides all the time. POV shots, I thought, were cool. And they still are..but after this letter, I dont think I'll be doing that anymore. I'll probably upload the POVs I took this year, and make them the last I take.

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I think the whole deal on taking cameras on rides is fine but only if the parks allows you to do so. Many parks will let you if its an ERS session, I've just come back from Spain with the ECC and some parks were fine with us using cameras on their coasters so I dont see it as a problem as long as you have permission. I would never think of sneaking one on a coaster in normal park hrs when the general public are around because thats definatly wrong.

I take my camera on all rides I go on and most of the time I don't shoot anything I am just not comfortable leaving it behind in the hands of poeple that claim no responsibility if it is stolen and wont provide a secure place to put it unless you pay

Don't bring it to the park in the first place?

If you know they won't let you take it on the ride, and you know that you need to pay for a locker, but don't want to pay for the locker, then why bring it?

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"I go out at 3 o' clock for a quart of milk and come home to my son treating his body like an amusement park!" - Estelle Costanza

this is a very sad siuation . because of these unfortunate set of circumstances, the reputation of Ace and Holiday world could be in Jeopardy.Holiday World is a great park and the staff and management are having just as a rough time as Ace and the people close to the victum who lost her life.In this world that we live in weither we like it or not there are rules and rules NEED to be followed. And if Holiday World chooses to end all Ace event for the moment or for life, Its there rule and .......... so enough said...

Stark Raven Mad is not, and never was, an ACE event.

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Jeff - Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com - My Blog
Blogs, photo albums - CampusFish
What time does the water show start?