Six Flags CEO Zimmerman out

They just opened two Peanuts-themed rides in Carowinds. Surely they knew that the renewal was coming up before they decided to build these rides. After all, this is the park that has Corporate practically next door.

Maybe that’s what ultimately got Zimmer fired, he wanted to renew to contract.

PhantomTails:

They just opened two Peanuts-themed rides in Carowinds. Surely they knew that the renewal was coming up before they decided to build these rides. After all, this is the park that has Corporate practically next door.

You would hope. But seeing how they handled the Great Adventure removal spree. I'm thinking they just don't care what the repercussions are for what they think will save them money.

I could have cut losses by 20% by firing Bassoul and keeping his salary.

Not when he was wielding the ax.

He needs to be removed from the board then made to walk the plank.

This is why he orchestrated the merger so CF unit holders could not vote… now with Matt publicly stating that the real villain is Bassoul and not Zimmerman, hopefully showing just how much the SF parks sucked is ammunition from Witherow against Bassoul. And now with Orlando absolutely scorching them under current conditions , the large shareholders can get together and force him out.

He did not name the villain... It's only implied.

Two people currently serving on the board who know better and need to step up are Arik Ruchim and Louis Carr. Arik has a background with Dick Clark Productions and Louis with BET. Both men know the critical role a park GM/VP plays in both mgmt and to the community the parks serve. They both know the diversity of entertainment required to reach an entire family demographic. Yet they rubber stamp Bassoul’s disastrous policies, firings, cuts and the damage he has inflicted on this merged company. These two men need to STEP UP and demand new leadership for the Board of Directors and it needs to happen NOW.

Arik Ruchim is H Partners rep on the legacy Six Flags board - and elevated Bassoul into the CEO role after ousting Mike Spanos. He's all in on Bassoul.

I'd look to Dan Hanrahan, who is the lead independent director, and was on the Cedar Fair board during the Ouimet era - and Michael Colglazier - former President of Disney Parks International, Disneyland Resort and current CEO of Virgin Galactic. He just joined the board in June of this year... as the 2 who could influence some change.

Bassoul is 68 and living in the Middle East - so thankfully I can't see a scenario where he's a CEO candidate.

I definitely have feelings. 😆

You keep giving them quotes like that and the reporters are never going to leave you alone.

Jeff:

I definitely have feelings. 😆

I have to say, that is one of your more hard hitting and memorable media quotes. :)

When asked for comment, local non-enthusiast Lord Gonchar added "sucks."

I have to say, this merger seems to be the one thing that has unified the Coasterbuzz community.

“As CEO, Richard has successfully led Six Flags through a period of significant evolution, with a clear vision to optimize the company to deliver greater value to our guests, associates, and our shareholders.” -Selim Bassoul

”Successfully” must have a new definition that I didn’t get notification of.

I recently was at a park and was disappointed to see things like: thick mucky algae all over several water features, basic maintenance like painting and pressure washing of infrastructure needed, rides closed waiting on parts, the loss of organized parking signage for rows/painted safety walkways/main gate appearance. It’s these little things that, over time, sink the parks deeper into a hole that’s costly and time consuming to recover from. Yet, it’s what has been forced on the parks to make the merger work. The board needs to decide: go down the bankruptcy road of the Burke/Story era like they are now are embrace the Ouimet era that produced significant financial results.

And just like that, Dennis Speigel was never heard from again.

At least this one wasn't so lazy that we had to debate whether it was AI.