Six Flags Over Georgia seasonals suspects in beating outside park

Three employees! Shapiro...where are you?

What in the heck does this have to do with Mark Shapiro? He's in charge of running the company, not the local human resources department who hired the suspects. I highly doubt one of the questions they ask prospective employees is "Are you in a gang?" And remember at this point, they are suspects. Everyone is entitled to their day in court.

This is really sad. 24 cowards beat a guy up so bad that he's in intensive care. If it takes 24 of them to beat up a guy, prison will most likely be very difficult.

I saw a cup on the ground in front of La Ronde a week ago. You should write a letter to Shapiro about that. It's obviously his fault.

I just like to play the anti-Shap fan boy every now and then as others like to give homage to him for anything positive that happens at SF. Fun to ruffle a few feathers. ;-)

Actually the recent pics I've seen of LR make it look as though trash is everywhere and Shap should pay a visit.

What the heck does this have to do with Mark Shapiro?

Possibly plenty if the victim sues the park on the grounds that its employees apparently carry weapons on them. Where would a park employee store a set of brass knuckles anyway?-- the article says the assailants took off on a bus, so it's not like he kept them in his car. They had to be in a locker or on his person all day. What if it's determined the attack stemmed from an in park altercation of some kind (which it probably did)?

Even without any legal problems, it's still a PR nightmare for the park and chain. Used to be the other patrons you had to worry about, now the employees will take you out if you piss them off. Get your season passes now!

Not defending this in any way, but:

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Where would a park employee store a set of brass knuckles anyway?-- the article says the assailants took off on a bus, so it's not like he kept them in his car. They had to be in a locker or on his person all day.

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He could've gotten them from any one of the other twenty-five people involved.

Then again, maybe the park has the metal detectors installed at the wrong entrance. ;)

At any rate, this didn't seem to hurting business as of the 7th (just four days after the incident) - the park was pa-acked within an hour of opening.

Sometimes it seems like we overestimate the anticipated 'PR nightmare' that never seems to occur. SFOG alone has had the radio promotion fiasco and now this and still the park fills to ridiculous levels. (if last Saturday was any indication)

This certainly may not affect the Georgia park…call me old-fashioned and out-of-touch as you may…but you just cannot have park employees beating up the guests. This reflects poorly on the entire chain…and yes it reflects poorly on the guy running the ship.

If I have to explain or justify such reasonable reaction…then clearly you are somebody that just does not “get it.” I repeat…no reasonable business can have its employees beating up guests. It is really a simple concept.

Six Flags is a chain involved in a turmoiled turn-around…much of which has to do with their reputation for attracting thugs. There is no way this helps the situation EVEN if Atlanta does not react immediately.

My simple response to this event and the prior event is that I certainly will not be surprised when somebody is killed in or around this particular park. This may be an over-reaction for sure…but I simply will not be surprised. I myself…would probably still go to this park if I had any further interest in attending regional themers as I’m generally a shady person who takes some sick interest in the darker side of life…but I certainly would not blame anybody who chose to mark this place off their list due to safety concerns. I’m certain I would never take my kids here after dark (do they even stay open that late?).

P.S. Much of my commentary is colored by direct multiple experiences with SFOG that have included a couple witnessed fights…so on and so forth!

Maybe it was BYOB day, Gonch (Bring Your Own Brass-- get $10 off the regular admission price). From the article, it sounds like the other 25 people involved in the fight were also in the park, unless the employee felt he had to call for backup and had the rest of the gang meet him in the parking lot. Yeah, that's a somewhat comforting thought.

Shapiro's reaction will probably be to make this guy the park photographer and have him beat up anybody who refuses to buy a picture. :)

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My simple response to this event and the prior event is that I certainly will not be surprised when somebody is killed in or around this particular park.

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I quoted that line for the final three words.

"this particular park"

Indeed. I think this reflects on the city of Atlanta more than the park. It could have been any park, any chain, any size in the same location and it could've played out just the same.

I don't think this reflects on the state of things at SF or SFOG, but rather the state of things in the ATL.

Here's an update (slight) on the story.

http://www.wsbtv.com/news/13672912/detail.html

Interesting that the park says they have limited ability to screen applicants because of state law prohibiting background checks on minors. Also, they can't verify whether the employee had the brass knuckles in the park.

It is good to see the company concerned and urging local authorities to improve security in the park vicinity. I'll agree with you to a certain extent, Gonch. It is a reflection of the state of things in the Atlanta area. But I don't think the park can sit idly by and say it's not our problem. As uncomfortable as it is to say, it probably was the "state of things" in the Cleveland and Chicago areas in the 60s that contributed to the ultimate downfall of places like Euclid Beach and Riverview Park.