Kennywood Entertainment president will step down

no good.

This is an interesting development, to be sure. Thought PR wasn't planning on changing management?

Just like InBev promised no jobs would be lost I am sure this will go the same way.

The sad thing is Kennywood Entertainment is a successful company, it's not like they needed a rescue like the auto industry. Obviously McAneny was doing a good job. Why fire him and try and manage the group from California and risk damaging something that already works.

But, this is what happens when you are owned by a publicly traded company I guess.

I have to wonder if this is a coincidence, or was planned all along? If the latter is true, I have to be just a little pessimistic about what this means. Was McAneny that involved in the day-to-day operations of the parks?

The article says McAneny will resign, not that he was fired. Am I just being naive or was this his decision?

Parques Reunidos is in the process of consolidating management of theWest Mifflin company with Palace Entertainment, its North Americanentertainment unit based in Newport Beach, Calif.

This confuses me, because as Ensign points out, they said there would be no management changes in the beginning.

If they're consolidating with their existing operations, as indicated, then the first thing you do is eliminate redundancy. At the end of the day, we may never know what the details are because it's an HR issue. Perhaps they offered him another role that he didn't want. It's an internal issue for the company, and a professional issue for him.

I'm not suggesting that it's all fair and cool, but these are realities in any kind of consolidation.

Well, I get that. I meant I am confused by the consolidation. If they said there would be no management changes, then why would they be consolidating?

I get that things change. But this is different than what they said was going to happen initially.

That's what's confusing me. It was promised there would be no changes, yet if McAneny is resigning and management is being consolidated, that means that changes are indeed taking place. I realize that Kennywood or PR isn't obligated to keep any of their promises, but since the change of ownership was such a hot topic for a long time, I would think it would be in their best interests to follow through on what they both said since the very beginning.

Maybe McAneny did decide to resign... maybe he's an older guy that had enough. But my gut feeling is that he wanted to be a part of this, only to realize there wasn't any room for him. That's disturbing because it could set off a series of similar changes in upper-level personnel that might jeopardize the company remaining as it was.

As far as I can tell, we have precisely no information as to whose idea this was.

Perhaps this clears it up?

"After they bought us, they saw opportunities to consolidate management," said McAneny of his decision. "That's really what part of this is."

They did say there would be no changes at first....but that never precluded them from ever making changes that make sense business wise. I wish McAneny the best of luck on his future endeavors. I also wish Parques Reuindos great success with Kennywood and their other properties in the US.

I completely understand the drill regarding making sound business decisions for the sake of profitable business. I don't disagree with that concept at all.

That's what makes PR indicating they weren't interested in making changes or in participating in the management of the parks when the purchase was announced so ridiculous. It never made sense that they would not be consolidating redundant management.

I think it's a shady deal to make such declarations just to combat the resistance of the local communities.

It looks like they are trying to smerge KWE into Palace Entertainment, which owns but one true amusement park and a whole lot of FEC's in the East and West. You'd think that they would want some bonifide park management people working for them.

Yeah, you'd think...

Pretty scary that doesn't seem to be the case.

How much management do you need for "a giant taco stand?"

You mean a Fish and Chip shop? The company is actually owned and operated by a British conglomarate