Six Flags Buys Sea World
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I just saw on Yahoo.com that Six Flags is buying Sea World, and making a big ol' Six Flags resort destination down in Aurora. Wish I knew how to provide a link, but I don't, sorry folks.
Sounds like a "ThrillRide" Whopper of the Week.
Is this really true? *** This post was edited by Jacob on 1/10/2001. ***
Is this really true? *** This post was edited by Jacob on 1/10/2001. ***
I read the article, and it's not April yet -- looks like it's pretty legit.
Figures, the day after I buy my Seaworld Ohio pass thinking it'd get me in the Busch Gardens parks... ;-)
I called the Seaworld Ohio season pass office, but got a voicemail. If they call me back I'll post what I find out.
Sigh......
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--Greg
http://www.pobox.com/~gregleg/ *** This post was edited by GregLeg on 1/10/2001. ***
Figures, the day after I buy my Seaworld Ohio pass thinking it'd get me in the Busch Gardens parks... ;-)
I called the Seaworld Ohio season pass office, but got a voicemail. If they call me back I'll post what I find out.
Sigh......
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--Greg
http://www.pobox.com/~gregleg/ *** This post was edited by GregLeg on 1/10/2001. ***
I went back to yahoo.com and double-checked, just to make sure I wasn't having some sort of bizarre dream...the item was there.
And what happens to Shamu if the deal is consummated?
And what happens to Shamu if the deal is consummated?
You're not dreaming. I found a link to Reuters story (http://biz.yahoo.com/rf/010110/n10487409.html) that said the same thing. slithernoggin, good job on finding that article. I went ahead and submitted a news item with your link and the one I found. It should be on the main page soon.
Do you think this is why we see construction by Grizzly Run? Will we have a walk way between the two parks in the near future? This is a huge announcement.
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BMCOASTER
bmcoaster@wi.rr.com *** This post was edited by BMCOASTER on 1/10/2001. ***
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BMCOASTER
bmcoaster@wi.rr.com *** This post was edited by BMCOASTER on 1/10/2001. ***
Not that anyone can truly understand the Six Flags executive mind, but I'd guess that the parks will be run as two seperate parks for awhile, perhaps like Great Adventure has a theme park and a safari park, SFO will have a kind-of themed park and an aquatic park.
That's a long walk for a lot of people, SFO needs to build some sort of transportation options.
That's a long walk for a lot of people, SFO needs to build some sort of transportation options.
I agree, I expect the two to be separate "sub-parks" for a while.
Still waiting to hear backfrom Seaworld Ohio on what happens with my Seaworld Ohio pass. I don't need two Six Flags Ohio passes, after all... Especially since the Seaworld pass cost MORE than the Six Flags one!
The marketing department at Seaworld San Diego said that as far as they know, the Seaworld Ohio 2001 pass will continue to be honored at the Busch parks, but I'm waiting for official word from the people at Ohio ;)
Heh, maybe we'll be lucky and the Seaworld Ohio pass will be honored at BOTH Six Flags (since they own it) AND Busch (since they owned it when we bought them) parks, and I can sell my Six Flags voucher!
Yeah, right... ;)
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--Greg
http://www.pobox.com/~gregleg/ *** This post was edited by GregLeg on 1/10/2001. ***
Still waiting to hear backfrom Seaworld Ohio on what happens with my Seaworld Ohio pass. I don't need two Six Flags Ohio passes, after all... Especially since the Seaworld pass cost MORE than the Six Flags one!
The marketing department at Seaworld San Diego said that as far as they know, the Seaworld Ohio 2001 pass will continue to be honored at the Busch parks, but I'm waiting for official word from the people at Ohio ;)
Heh, maybe we'll be lucky and the Seaworld Ohio pass will be honored at BOTH Six Flags (since they own it) AND Busch (since they owned it when we bought them) parks, and I can sell my Six Flags voucher!
Yeah, right... ;)
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--Greg
http://www.pobox.com/~gregleg/ *** This post was edited by GregLeg on 1/10/2001. ***
How far is the Sea World in FL in comparison to the rumored land purchased by Six Flags?
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Randy Hutchinson
You build it, I'll ride it...eventually
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Randy Hutchinson
You build it, I'll ride it...eventually
That feeding machine known as Six Flags has taken yet another bite. The more you criticize them, the larger they grow. This is hilarious! Talk about the energizing bunny...
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Man feeds machine, machine eats man.
-Peter Gabriel
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Man feeds machine, machine eats man.
-Peter Gabriel
Please DO NOT post copyrighted news stories or other copyrighted text on the forums! -Jeff
*** This post was edited by Jeff on 1/10/2001. ***
Hey peoples, Six Flags is officially wasting money. A responsible business does not spend this much in Capital expansion in a two year time frame. Sell your stock if you have any and wait for the others Cedar Fair and Disney to pick up the pieces during the next recession. I'm selling my stock right now. This is a bad move.
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Oh my freekin' head!
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Oh my freekin' head!
Wow are they stopping there or are they going to be buying more seaworld's or even busch gardens.
Now before you go saying they won't remember all the people who said a few months back when this was a rumor that this won't happen because busch owns this seaworld are eating there word's now.
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Army rangers lead the way
Now before you go saying they won't remember all the people who said a few months back when this was a rumor that this won't happen because busch owns this seaworld are eating there word's now.
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Army rangers lead the way
You own stock in Six Flags? Why? If I may ask. Wouldn't Cedar fair be a wiser choice anyway? Six Flags is eating up the market while they can. They're flying out so far ahead of the rest of the industry, it's not even funny. Love em or hate em, I seriously don't think they're going anywhere anytime soon. It's all wishful thinking.
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Man feeds machine, machine eats man.
-Peter Gabriel
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Man feeds machine, machine eats man.
-Peter Gabriel
I had both. Now Cedar Fair only. You can roll Cedar Fair stock each year and the returns have been awesome. I grabbed PKS: Six Flags before they announced their coasters at SFMM and sold today on this announcement. They will likely be moved from hold to sell this week.
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Oh my freekin' head!
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Oh my freekin' head!
In a way I am not too surprised. When I visited Six Flags Ohio last fall, the easiest price to spot on the signs was for a Sea World/Six Flags Combo arrangement, so the two parks have at least been very hospitable towards each other.
I remember saying while AT SFO that it would be neat if the two parks merged and created a major resort. But like so many I thought that Busch and Six Flags making a deal was as improbable as Pepsi selling off Slice to Coca-Cola.
I seem to have a theory on this:
Begin Dave's Theory:
It seems to me that SWO was the runt of the Sea World chain. While the other Sea Worlds are being enhanced into adventure parks by the addition of E-Ticket thrill rides, SWO just seems to exist. I believe their recent expansion was a simulator attraction that had been cast off by one of it's bigger sister parks. Not to mention that SWO is the only Sea World in a rather brutal winter climate, maybe the animal care regulations became too much for them. (Witness the removal of the Dolphin shows at PKI and CP, as well as the Wild Animal Habitat at PKI), and they are unloading this cost nightmare on SFO. And I wonder if SFO sees this as a way to strengthen themselves against Cedar Point. (Now it takes TWO days to see Six Flags Marine World Ohio.)
End theory.
Now what scares me, is that this *purchase* was financed by issuing loads more in common stock. Meaning that Six Flags is merely creatively assuming more debt to buy this park.
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David Bowers
Mayor, Coasterville
Take a moment to imagine if Six Flags ever filed Chapter 11.
I remember saying while AT SFO that it would be neat if the two parks merged and created a major resort. But like so many I thought that Busch and Six Flags making a deal was as improbable as Pepsi selling off Slice to Coca-Cola.
I seem to have a theory on this:
Begin Dave's Theory:
It seems to me that SWO was the runt of the Sea World chain. While the other Sea Worlds are being enhanced into adventure parks by the addition of E-Ticket thrill rides, SWO just seems to exist. I believe their recent expansion was a simulator attraction that had been cast off by one of it's bigger sister parks. Not to mention that SWO is the only Sea World in a rather brutal winter climate, maybe the animal care regulations became too much for them. (Witness the removal of the Dolphin shows at PKI and CP, as well as the Wild Animal Habitat at PKI), and they are unloading this cost nightmare on SFO. And I wonder if SFO sees this as a way to strengthen themselves against Cedar Point. (Now it takes TWO days to see Six Flags Marine World Ohio.)
End theory.
Now what scares me, is that this *purchase* was financed by issuing loads more in common stock. Meaning that Six Flags is merely creatively assuming more debt to buy this park.
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David Bowers
Mayor, Coasterville
Take a moment to imagine if Six Flags ever filed Chapter 11.
Another indication that SWO was the "runt" of the family, is that this was the only Seaworld park where the season pass got you into the other Busch parks for free.
That's right -- the other Seaworld passes get you into that Seaworld park, and then at best a 50% discount on admission at the other Busch parks. But SWO's pass gets you into the other parks for free. Can you say "desparately trying to drum up sales"?
(Check http://www.seaworld.com/ if you don't believe me)
I'll bet Busch is happy to be rid of that Ohio property. And Six Flags is probably happy to have it. If nothing else this may help the parking crunch, if they install some form of shuttle service (monorail, water taxi, trams, whatever)
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--Greg
http://www.pobox.com/~gregleg/ *** This post was edited by GregLeg on 1/10/2001. ***
That's right -- the other Seaworld passes get you into that Seaworld park, and then at best a 50% discount on admission at the other Busch parks. But SWO's pass gets you into the other parks for free. Can you say "desparately trying to drum up sales"?
(Check http://www.seaworld.com/ if you don't believe me)
I'll bet Busch is happy to be rid of that Ohio property. And Six Flags is probably happy to have it. If nothing else this may help the parking crunch, if they install some form of shuttle service (monorail, water taxi, trams, whatever)
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--Greg
http://www.pobox.com/~gregleg/ *** This post was edited by GregLeg on 1/10/2001. ***
Okay, some ideas have popped into my head of what Six Flags might do with their new property. These ideas have no basis in fact, they are just ideas.
Sea World will change its name to Six Flags Marine World Ohio. Six Flags Ohio will continue to operate as a seperate park.
Some of the land that is now owned will be used to build hotels on the property. Some of these hotels could even probably be lakeside with boat rentals etc... available.
These two parks will feature one day passes to either of the parks or multiple day hopper passes that will be good for admission to both parks (sort of like Disney's system)
A transportation system will be added between the two parks.
Six Flags Ohio will continue to get most of the rides while Six Flags Marine World Ohio will continue to concentrate on the aquatic themes. However, some rides will be added to Marine World to make it more attractive to thrill seekers.
One idea for a ride that Marine World could install is a hyper coaster themed after Aquaman. After all the park will be aquatically themed and Six Flags already uses the Marvel superhero characters. I would guess that this hyper coaster could be a clone of the Superman hypercoasters at some other Six Flags parks. Or maybe bigger (if allowed) to compete more directly with Millennium Force.
It seems that it would be more financially sound to continue operating these parks seperately and pushing multiple day tickets than it would be to charge one admission and combine the two parks.
Anyway, those are just some ideas. Anyone else have any good ideas?
Sea World will change its name to Six Flags Marine World Ohio. Six Flags Ohio will continue to operate as a seperate park.
Some of the land that is now owned will be used to build hotels on the property. Some of these hotels could even probably be lakeside with boat rentals etc... available.
These two parks will feature one day passes to either of the parks or multiple day hopper passes that will be good for admission to both parks (sort of like Disney's system)
A transportation system will be added between the two parks.
Six Flags Ohio will continue to get most of the rides while Six Flags Marine World Ohio will continue to concentrate on the aquatic themes. However, some rides will be added to Marine World to make it more attractive to thrill seekers.
One idea for a ride that Marine World could install is a hyper coaster themed after Aquaman. After all the park will be aquatically themed and Six Flags already uses the Marvel superhero characters. I would guess that this hyper coaster could be a clone of the Superman hypercoasters at some other Six Flags parks. Or maybe bigger (if allowed) to compete more directly with Millennium Force.
It seems that it would be more financially sound to continue operating these parks seperately and pushing multiple day tickets than it would be to charge one admission and combine the two parks.
Anyway, those are just some ideas. Anyone else have any good ideas?
My personal thought is that SFO should send most of the water attractions over to the SWO side, leaving Grizzley Run, Shipwreack Falls, and the flume ride(maybe even leave the new wave pool) at SFO. Also send Serial Thriller and maybe even Mind Eraser across the pond. Then SFO would add a new GCI or CCI racing/deuling woodie where the water park currently stands. A new B&M invert, and maybe dare i say a 4D, while a hyper or giga could rise in Gothem and extend past RWB into the other park. Now this isn't over this off season but by 2005 to 2008. That way you have a waterpark w/ some coasters on one side and a theme park w/ the big thrills on the other.
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