Kennywood sale makes fans nervous

But I don't think that's a situation isolated to parts of western Pennsylvania. A while back someone said that Americans don't understand the world outside of the U.S. but let's face it, a lot of Americans don't understand the world around them so how can they be expected to understand the world that's outside the world around them?

As Tina said, she apologized. If she's going to have to eat crow for that comment, it's going to be because of people thinking it was an insulting comment and not because of the people that it supposedly offended.

*** This post was edited by Rob Ascough 12/12/2007 2:19:55 PM ***

If she's going to keep her job, it's going to be because her new employer from Spain saw fit to overlook it. Not any parameter of an armchair coaster dork.

She oughtta spend a day waiting tables at a 'taco stand' with all her tips going to charity. Now there's a great way to 'replace' a visual...

-CO

And why is that comment alone reason enough for the woman to be fired? Would you like it if you got fired for a meaningless slip of the tongue that you immediately apologized for? After all, this is an actual person with an actual family we're talking about. For the sake of you and your family, I hope you have a little more job security than the job security you're suggesting for Ms. Rosemeyer.

*** This post was edited by Rob Ascough 12/12/2007 2:27:59 PM ***

Brian, I totally understand that as well. I can understand how the locals feel coming from their point of view, especially regarding the steel factories and countless jobs being lost. I haven't forgotten that. :)

I just hope it all pans out for the best for everyone.

-Tina

*** This post was edited by coasterqueenTRN 12/12/2007 2:49:34 PM ***

If I made that kind of comment in an internal meeting at my job, I'd be fired, period. Most of the jobs I've ever had were in the global village. In the average day I encounter white Midwestern boys like me, black women, Russians, Chinese, Indians, Pakistanis, Israelis and Arabs, and that's just in the teams I work with. Not surprisingly, that also means I work with Christians, Jews, Muslims, Buddhists and Hindus.

Not everyone is fortunate enough to have this experience, but I for one wouldn't have it any other way. It forces me to see a bigger world view. These people are all Americans now, and yet they bring new things to the table. You learn to respect that and let go of all the protectionist we're-the-center-of-the-universe nonsense.

Gonch is right. Our culture is one content with mediocrity, and ripe with a lack of accountability (I added that last part).

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Ensign Smith said:
The more I ponder it, the more I think that, if the park's going to be sold to a corporation, maybe it's better it is a foreign company. American companies are notoriously near-sighted, tending to focus only on the bottom line for the next quarter or two. That's why in so many industries, European and Asian companies tend to outspend their American counterparts on R&D by five to one or more. It has been suggested that companies arising from those cultures have an innate, longer view. We Americans want everything now!

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For the first time in history, I agree with you. Public companies are the worse offenders because most of them are pressured to grow non-stop, and produce better results every quarter. Long-term vision is completely disregarded, and punished by Wall Street. I'll never understand why you can no longer take a year or two to lay a foundation, and then profit for years to come. (Ironically, Gonch would probably argue that Six Flags is trying to do just that, even if we don't agree with the specific actions. Either way, Wall Street is not amused.)

And I'll go as far as agreeing with both of you. I've said for years that publicly-traded domestic companies are way too focused on short-term rewards than logical long-term growth. Corporate America is a lot like an NFL franchose- a new regime is given a few years to win it all and if it doesn't happen, a new regime is installed and it starts all over again without the ultimate goal ever being reached. What people fail to understand is that by focusing on logical growth, the ultimate goal will probably be reached in a fraction of the time and for a lot less money.

I'll toss in my comment from the Kennywood thread in the forums- Europeans pretty much rejected American ownership of some of their amusement parks so that alone is probably saying something.

*** This post was edited by Rob Ascough 12/12/2007 2:57:45 PM ***

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And why is that comment alone reason enough for the woman to be fired?

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Because it's not a PR person's job to preserve the 'classic' rides, but maintain the image of company as a whole. Maybe because that job is specifically NOT to do what she did. Maybe that's why I don't work in PR...so I can shoot off at the mouth when I please.

And when did I say she should be fired? Show me. Do some reading. Get the lil' quote marks out. Go ahead. Why would I propose a way to 'patch things up' if I personally wanted her tossed from a window? I'd keep it to myself instead. And even that might not be enough to appease her new bosses.

Some days I swear I'm wading chest-deep in simpletons. Honestly.

-CO

I'm sure it's frustrating to live in a world where no one is as intelligent and insightful as you are. I actually envy you for operating on such a high level that you're having conversations that fail to exist for the rest of us. It was your post that suggested her job was suddenly in jeopardy. Where did this whole "classic rides" thing come into play? Not one single person referenced that in regard to the comment she made. And now you suddenly know her new bosses well enough to assume tossing her out a window is a way to rectify the problem? What are you suggesting? Maybe I should read into that as you believing the Spanish like to solve their problems by killing people? I can pull out the "lil quotes" on that one if you'd like.

You're chest-deep in simpletons and I'm up to my ears in people that have way too high an opinion of themselves.

*** This post was edited by Rob Ascough 12/12/2007 3:13:40 PM ***

In other words, you can't find where I said I wished she lost her job. Right?

Her job's in jeopardy whether or not I say it is. It simply is.

-CO

*** This post was edited by CoastaPlaya 12/12/2007 3:24:16 PM ***

Ignoring what Mary Lou said for a second, which I would call at worst, slightly politically incorrect, did anyone actually read the readers' comments in the link? With one or two exceptions, I'm not sure I've ever been more embarrassed to be a Pittsburgher...

I would say Mary Lou misspoke, I would say the majority of the vocal Pittsburghers in that link are incredibly closed minded, incredibly ignorant, and thus, incredibly stupid. It's like they're protesting because they can't pronounce "Parques Reunidos" (not surprising... ask a Pittsburgher how to pronounce "Versailles"). It's almost reprehensible for their uninformed, idiotic observations to be published in such a public forum.

Call me optimistic, but I'm going with Jeff and Ensign Smith on this one, I really don't think this will affect Kennywood in almost any way. If anything, I wouldn't be surprised if the planned expansions materialize a bit sooner with a bit of budget help from Parques Reunidos.

I started to hear rumblings that the expansion was going to happen sooner than expected because of Geauga Lake closing. Whether or not the new owners support that move is another story, although I'm hoping they do.

And yeah, some of those comments are just disgusting. Yikes.

*** This post was edited by Rob Ascough 12/12/2007 3:27:45 PM ***

Thats how most of our country acts, its not isolated to Pittsburgh.

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Jeff said:
For the first time in history, I agree with you.

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Somewhere an angel just got his wings! ;)

It's a takeover deal, happens here all the time and people B&M then settle back into apathy...

Rob A - you make a valid point about the 'other-siders' being resistant to US influence in a sense but I would say that's on a governmental level, ie wars and stuff rather than on a personal level. I'm not American but some of my best friends are ;)

I'm pretty certain that several generations down the line, the Kennywood ownership is so diverse that this was inevitable - not everyone born into the family will love the business but from what I read (and I read more than I let on lol) the family sold in good faith and I hope that that continues with the new ownership.

The whole Spain/Mexico thing makes me laugh though as I lived in Spain (Tenerife to be precise) for a while and they were so resistant to being labelled Spanish)... Point being, the comments on the Post-Gazette forum are quite entertaining considering that the posters are descendents of immigrants themselves (unless American Natives lol)

Hopefully that didn't offend as it wasn't intended to - just trying to add a new perspective :)

-Jim :)

It is not clear whether they sold out because they projected a bleak finanical future without the deeper pockets of a large corporation or for other compelling reasons, but any time a traditional park is acquired by a corporate chain, there is legitimate cause for concern. Although it is claimed things won't change, they always do sooner or later. What matters is how they change. There is plenty of reason to be nervous, but there is no reason to pick on the Spaniards. I don't think any foreign owned corporation could destroy the character of a traditional park any faster or more efficiently than a certain home-grown corporation which does not need to be named.

Some of those comments are pretty shocking to be honest, but as someone who doesn't live in America I can't say I'm hugely surprised. Large numbers of people in your country are pretty intolerant of the outside world. The postings on that newspaper page simply reflects the beliefs of many.

Well, some folks don't get out much. And when the economy takes a dive, it is pretty easy to point fingers.

^^Invy knows more about America than you might think. ;)

Besides intolerance is EVERYWHERE. It's universal. As far as those postings it simply reflects fear, which I can understand to a point. Not everyone is going to boycott Kennywood. Not everyone shares those beliefs.

Nobody really knows what is going to happen to the park for sure anyway so it's kind of useless (bust somewhat understanable) that so many people are already jumping to conclusions.

-Tina

*** This post was edited by coasterqueenTRN 12/12/2007 7:19:18 PM ***

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Rob said:
I'm sure it's frustrating to live in a world where no one is as intelligent and insightful as you are. I actually envy you for operating on such a high level that you're having conversations that fail to exist for the rest of us.

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This is why I can't take you seriously, Rob. Once you fail to engage in debate, you try to make it personal.

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Richard said:
Some of those comments are pretty shocking to be honest, but as someone who doesn't live in America I can't say I'm hugely surprised. Large numbers of people in your country are pretty intolerant of the outside world.

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These are the kinds of comments that frustrate the crap out of me, because I wish they weren't true. I wish we could just write it off as a perception issue outside of the states, but unfortunately the perception is the reality.

IMHO we are more tollerant of the outside world than any other country on the planet. Were made of the OUTSIDE WORLD.

It's selfish views like that, that make me wonder where you get your information.

Chuck