Lost Island by the Numbers

The GM of a theme park whose average attendance numbers in the [checks notes] dozens has no justification for being snarky about anyone or anything.

You get to do that when your family owns the business, so it would seem. Makes you appreciate how special the Koch family is in how they handle business and public relations.

I mean, if you want to light the family's money on fire, who's to stop you?

Fun:

I've been told that the owners privately funded this project. And therein lies the difference between this park and Hard Rock Park. These folks can go on losing their own money a lot longer than Hard Rock Park could lose someone else's. This park won't be profitable for decades at the rate they are going, but if they have the money to burn, they may be fine with that.

They're on record as saying that they don't expect the investment to be recovered; they're only seeking to have the park achieve an operating profit.

BrettV:
The GM sending out tweets like these likely won't help things either. He essentially tweets out all of the things we used to say in the breakroom when I worked at WDW, but wouldn't dare actually say out loud in the park. Let alone publish on the internet as the General Manager.

Perhaps it's the European in me, but I genuinely like the fact that we're hearing what a park boss actually thinks rather than what a highly-paid media team is willing to say.

The knuckle sandwich tweet was perhaps ill-judged, but the context of that was that the kid hadn't been paid because they'd given an incorrect account number and instead of the kid calling HR to get it sorted their parent let rip. If I was running a business that'd piss me off too.

People are way too easily offended these days IMHO.

Offense isn't the issue. I'm just not a fan of anyone that openly hostile toward everyone on a regular basis. If you can't exercise a little kindness with the business that you're running, an amusement park no less, that sets a tone for the kind of experience you can expect as a customer.

It also sets a tone for the people working for you - that can’t be helpful in running a place that’s supposed to be fun. Maybe in the short term, the feeling of “the boss is one of us” helps motivate people. In the long term it seems like it would be pretty corrosive. (And the boss isn’t supposed to be one of you, he’s supposed to be the boss.)

The guy’s Twitter feed is about 30% celebrating business success, 10% employee morale boosters, and 60% complaining about customers. That combination makes me think he hates his job.

Apart from that: I don’t know what his responsibilities are, but the title “General Manager” makes me think he’s in charge of everything. If so, he’s objectively failing at a key component of the job. Maybe because of circumstances beyond his control, maybe because the company president won’t let him run the place, maybe it’s an impossible task. Or maybe he’s incompetent. In any case, wouldn’t be so quick to throw stones.

Jeff:

Offense isn't the issue. I'm just not a fan of anyone that openly hostile toward everyone on a regular basis. If you can't exercise a little kindness with the business that you're running, an amusement park no less, that sets a tone for the kind of experience you can expect as a customer.

Honestly, I think you're putting two and two together and making five.

Someone using Twitter to vent doesn't necessarily mean that they're openly hostile to everyone.

I've been to the park and I thought that the staff were great, at the level of Holiday World.

This may also explain why the attendance numbers are that low if this is "customer service". Low numbers can be made even lower through turning away potential repeat business.

Richard Bannister:

Someone using Twitter to vent doesn't necessarily mean that they're openly hostile to everyone.

Could be.

But the only thing most customers are going to see of leadership is what they post publicly. If this is all I see, and I'm trying to decide to go to the theme park or see a movie this weekend, I might be more inclined to see a movie. If I never go there to see the great staff, it doesn't matter how great they are, because I will never experience it.

In other words, there is a reason that the marketing department usually owns the social media presence, as much as you personally might dislike it.

Wow. Incredibly unprofessional. How not to do social media for a business folks.

ThemeDesigner:

The first new ground-up outdoor theme park in the US since Hard Rock Park

Not an important point but wasn't there a brand new Legoland opened in New York just a couple years ago? And thats without me even thinking too hard. But yes, it's been a trend of parks opening in the last couple decades and then struggling/closing. Nick Uni at the dead mall comes to mind.

The bottom line for me is, they invested way too much into an area that could not feasibly support this type of park. How this ever made it past the planning stages is a head scratcher for me. This isn't the Myrtle Beach area ala Hard Rock, this is the middle of freaking nowhere with seldom a tourist trap or major growing city in sight. The types of people who conjure these ideas tend to be the hardheaded sort anyway, so there was probably no stopping it, but I just can't see how they're surprised this hasn't been some raging success. A very bad "If you build it, they will come" scenario.

Well, there WAS a successful waterpark ajacent to the new park. So there's that.

Even with pointing that out, I agree with you. This park looks like it has potential, but they need to pick it up and move it to an already established tourist area, and then plant some freekin' trees between the rides and attractions.

I made the point about trees too, and was told that they've been planted but will take time to grow.

I stayed in the casino next to where this park is several years ago, and it was really strange to see a water park there. Also, a casino.

Richard Bannister:

they've been planted but will take time to grow

A truer statement has never been made.

The tree issue reminds me of my first visit to Great America in 1977. It felt barren then too. Not all new parks are like Disneyland, which can afford fully grown trees. And even then, I'm sure most trees in 1955 were pups.

Yeah, I remember Kings Dominion, the park I grew up going to every year, oddly had few mature trees when it was new.

Same with Kings Island, but still- they seem to have the overwhelming desire to mow down swaths of vegetation. I guess Virginians and Ohioans view their forests differently.
My husband is an excellent gardener and is frequently asked the question “When is the best time to plant a tree?” His answer- “Twenty years ago”.

Vater:

Yeah, I remember Kings Dominion, the park I grew up going to every year, oddly had few mature trees when it was new.

But it had George Segal riding Rebel Yell in a suit with a briefcase!

RCMAC:

My husband is an excellent gardener and is frequently asked the question “When is the best time to plant a tree?” His answer- “Twenty years ago”.

I've heard this saying in its entirety as follows:

What's the best time to plant a tree? Twenty years ago.

What's the second best time to plant a tree? Right now.