Should Six Flags sell some parks?

Doesn't anybody pay any attention to what Six Flags itself has said about their parks (and selling them)? Let me refresh you:

1) Six Flags will not be selling any parks. According to them, it's not an option.

2) The parks everyone claims should be sold (usually the smaller ones) are *not* losing money! Would it make sense for Six Flags to sell off a perfectly productive park? Absolutely not! SFEG is *way* up compared to last year due to TFC and SF couldn't be more pleased. Most of the other parks are covering their operating costs just fine.

3) If a park is remaining profitable, it doesn't make a whole lot of sense for Six Flags to dump in a new, multi-million dollar ride. It's the struggling parks that need new rides (and the struggling parks are not the ones you're thinking of!).

4) Though most of the smaller parks are making money for Six Flags, they are *not* the "cash cows" of the chain. That would (normally) be SFGAdv, SFMM, SFGAm, and SFoT.

-Nate

*** This post was edited by coasterdude318 on 9/15/2002. ***

"3) If a park is remaining profitable, it doesn't make a whole lot of sense for Six Flags to dump in a new, multi-million dollar ride. It's the struggling parks that need new rides (and the struggling parks are not the ones you're thinking of!). "

Umm... well, that would be Magic Mountain, Over Georgia, & Great Adventure... all those are making money... and all those are STILL recieving multi-million dollar rides when they just recently already got some!!!

---- MUCH sooner than the "neglected" parks got (I rather use that term than smaller, because SFDL is by no means small, nor is Great Escape).

Since this is bringing Great Escape in this forum I have a couple of comments. Great Escape has been my home park since I have lived in the Albany Area. Now that I dont live that close to it anymore and only got there once this year I havent speant much time there. I do believe Six Flags wants Great Escape to be a contender in the Six Flags spectrum but they dont want to give capital to revive it. They would rather spend money on their huge parks that bring in more money. So I have a mixed feeling on the selling issue: * I do not ever think this will ever happen!

If Cedar Fair bought the park I would be really happy because I look at Michigans Adventure: That park is prolly the smallest in the chain and it seems cedar fair is expanding it.

I honestly hope Great Escape starts the expansion next year but honestly I have no idea what will happen.

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I like my Eclipse but I like Force more....

u guys also must remember, even if the parks just break even, its got the Six Flags name. if someone is visiting the area and had never been 2 a six flags(me at an earlier point in life, and i've still only been to 2 as opposed to 3 of 5 Paramount Parks) then maybe the person will be more apt 2 visit a park when the go somewhere else, and for the regonal peeps, u have 2 also realise that even in this country there are people that don't do much traveling to other states/areas, and would rather just stay close 2 home. if they do venture out, then they may go 2 another Six Flags, since they ve been 2 the one close 2 home so much. Small parks are a good idea...

No, you obviously didn't pay attention to the Six Flags conference call. SFGAdv hurt the chain badly by being so far down this year, as did SFoT. SFoG most likely will receiving something very small (if anything). SFMM and SFGAdv are both getting major attractions for next year because that's Six Flags' plan - all four major parks will get major additions this year, and from now on there will not be any year when 2/4 don't get a major attraction. Six Flags realized that not adding anything new caused attendance to fall big time at SFGAdv and they don't want that to happen again or at the other big three.

TGE will remain a family park - deal with it.

-Nate

I didn't read the responses, but just because a park doesn't get anything for a long time doesn't mean it's not making money for the company.

You're right, SFDL_Dude... you should have read the responses.

TeknoScorpion: Have you ever heard of the English language? Use it... "u" is not a word, and numbers don't substitute for words especially when you also use them in the numerical sense... makes for an extremely confusing post.

Coasterdude318: The Great Escape won't always be a family park. It will always have the "family" atmosphere with the story-town theme, but it will grow into more of a thrill park as years pass & times change. They will eventually recieve the necessary changes for increased attendance, and along with that... they will also recieve new thrill rides. They already got more than their share of tame/family rides.

I wish Cedar Fair would buy Great Escape. They'd probably make it into a much better park with much better potential, and you wouldn't have to worry about a name-change, that's for sure.

As for any other park... again, it's not my decisiion... but I think corporate should let the parks use their OWN yearly profit into the following year's capital expendature. In other words, if a small park makes a bundle in 2003, they should be able to use that profit to add somethign big for 2004, not give it to the pot & spend it on another park 2000 miles away.

It's just a matter of time before Six Flags begins selling some of its more neglected parks. But you're wishing on a star if you think it will be Cedar or Paramount or Busch coming in as the buyers.

Some of these dud parks are sitting on very valuable real estate. Forget what you might think of SFKK for moment and realize that this thing is smack-dab in the middle of the airport's commercial district. Even the worst Six Flags park is probably within throwing distance of a major highway, with a commercial infrasturcture around it, that, in better times, was there to support the park.

So, I would be suprised if Six Flags didn't do just that, sell off 2-3 parks to real estate developers in order to raise money to help pay down its debt. It'll be sad, that's true, but a company that needs money isn't going to spend the money to fix the entire chain.

They won't sell off SFKK. The money they get from the state fair makes it a winner right off the bat. It did post an attendance increase as well.

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All I need is 4.5 million bucks and a half a mile long sliver of land and maybe someone could build me my very own Shivering Timbers. ;)

DawgByte II, I don't know if it's just wishful thinking or what, but I would not get my hopes up about TGE if I were you. Six Flags has basically outright stated that they're not interested in putting major thrill rides into TGE. I would certainly never expect to see a hypercoaster, large inverted coaster, 4-D, or anything like that. Instead, I'd expect some smaller, more family-oriented rides and maybe a semi-thrilling ride once in a while (like an S&S tower). But you can be sure TGE will never become the thrill ride central like most of the other SF parks.

-Nate

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Paris said:

It's just a matter of time before Six Flags begins selling some of its more neglected parks. But you're wishing on a star if you think it will be Cedar or Paramount or Busch coming in as the buyers.

Some of these dud parks are sitting on very valuable real estate. Forget what you might think of SFKK for moment and realize that this thing is smack-dab in the middle of the airport's commercial district. Even the worst Six Flags park is probably within throwing distance of a major highway, with a commercial infrasturcture around it, that, in better times, was there to support the park.

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If only it were so. Not only does it contradict SF's policies, but those of Cedar Fair, and Paramount. Cedar Fair is a cautious cat, and will not expand too rapidly. Paramount has already stated it will expand overseas, so it boils down to Busch (and maybe some CF, not likely though). Maybe they can improve some. Also, I agree that Great Escape should be CF, as should Jazzland and Visionland (with any luck, of course).

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How many rides must a man go on, before you may call him a fan?

Coasterdude: How do you know that Great Escape is not ever going to be a thrill park? All I can tell you is that Great Escape applied and was okayed for a 80 million dollar expansion prior to 9/11. I dont know if 9/11 ever disrupted Great Escape's expansion but I had heard (and believe) that Great Escape got the shaft this year because of La Ronde. Next Year: We'll See..

As far as Cedar Fair aquiring the park, that would be great and actually pretty probable if Six Flags decided to sell GE because of the central location being 30 miles from the Capital of NY and 3 hours from SFNE.

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I like my Eclipse but I like Force more....

TGE wants money for a new parking lot and enterance plaza. I'm sure there will be something new next year, but it's not going to be huge or thrilling.

Maybe I'll have to pull Chris out here to set everyone straight.

-Nate

There is no way Six Flags would sell Astroworld. Why would it want to bring competition into its own backyard?

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Top 5 Steel: #1 Millenium Force #2 Phantom's Revenge #3 Ice Dragon #4 Incredible Hulk #5 Wild Thing
Top 5 Wood #1 Viper #2 Thunderbolt #3 Timberwolf #4 Outlaw #5 Screaming Eagle

They may add a few more thrills to Great Escape, but in terms of a thrill park like SFNE, Great Escape will most likely not become one. ~(which many parents complain that SFNE is too much thrill and not much family, which is why Canobie and Compounce get so many of SFNE's one time customers)~ Grant it they may get a new coaster or two during this decade, but the thrill count is not execpted to skyrocket

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Lake Compounce-So Fresh and So Clean Clean

*** This post was edited by Vertigo on 9/16/2002. ***