Looking over Six Flags numbers (PKS on NYSE) the company has over the first 6 months of this year... Sucked
In fact Montey Fool the stock/business analysis website states that
"Six Flags while its embitions where high with its first ad campaign in 7 years, have apperently missed the "bus" this year so far."
So I was thinking what if Six Flags suddendly plundged into Bankrupty or worse.. Liquidation.. then what?
Well heres how I beleive things would happen.
Cedar Fair and Paramount would wage a huge bidding war for Six Flags 2 premire parks. Magic Mountain and Great America, especially in the case of Great America since neither CF or Paramount have parks in our region.
As for the smaller parks. You probably would see smaller amusement comapny's buy them EX. SFKK,SFSTL
The Mid sized parks probably would be purchased by Paramount as well since Paramount doesnt have as big of national presence as say Six Flags or Cedar Fair.
Six Flags America for example would be a perfect Paramount location considering its close proxtimity to the Major Cities in the Northeast.
Now for the dump parks in the SF chain, (SFSTL might just have to be on this list) If unable to find a buyer, these parks would have to close unless another firm could purchase the land/rides etc.
As for Great America if Six Flags were to ever go belly up, our Gurnee Jewel will still be there in all its glory but you might be riding Raging Snoopy instead of Raging Bull....
They will never, ever sell GAm which is one of if not their highest revenue park unless they go under and sell of the parks. They have been very, very crowded lately this season and they'll be fine.
Premiers a bunch of dumbasses which is why they'll be in debt for years to come, and which is why SFMM, their biggest park, is having major problems. They have WAY too many parks that don't bring in any revenue at all (SFWoA was one of them even though they spent millions and millions on it, just to sell it after losing seasons).
On the same page - what would happen to an amusement park if a bunch of workers began to quit and they didn't have the force of people to work the park? Would they have to close a park? Would they just open with some shut down rides? I know the story in Aurora was that they had a ton of people working the park earlier in the season and they have lost a ton recently. Would a park ever go under because of this?
Um the first post was hilarious...Did you forget about this little park thats called SFGAdv? It pulls in more money that any other SF park and has the 13 highest attendence in the world. (I'm not sure if it brings the most money, please correct me if I'm wrong). Cedar Point doesn't even have that high of attendence.
Also when did Cedar Fair get national presence? The only thing they have presence with is CP and KBF. I mean come on.
Ladies and Gentelmen Six Flags Great America Will Close Forever Tonight Thanks For The Great Run. Coming soon Toy's R Us Dominicks and Walgreens. Seems like I lived that once already?
The Beast wrote:Um the first post was hilarious...Did you forget about this little park thats called SFGAdv? It pulls in more money that any other SF park and has the 13 highest attendence in the world. (
Well, sorry i didnt memorize all to the attendance figures of every major world amusement park. Next time ill be sure to consult you prior to my posts.
Anyway, Brad what makes you think SF if they where going to belly up wouldnt sell SFGAM? just because you think so? i doubt that.... It happens in businesses all the time. Case in point In 1990 Pan Am sold its highly profitable pacific routes to United Airlines in an 800 millon dollar deal. TWA sold its very profitable JFK hub in 1998 much to the sigrin of its sharehlders and employees alike. (Yes, its not the same thing but big business is big business.)
"Cedar Fair doesnt have a national presence"
Since when did MIA and the park in KC didnt make CF have a national presense? apperently Kansas City and Michigan dont count as parts of the United States anymore.
And what makes you guys think that CF or Paramount or Hell even Disney wouldnt bid like crazy to buy SFMM? Six Flags' biggest park that has 16 major roller coasters wouldnt purchase that park given the chance. I never claimed to say this was the exact plan of how things where going to happen, hell i said what if this happened. But i know from my college courses a little bit of how business works.
Um...The numbers were just to back up my point. I don't memorize attendence figures, I just remember stuff like that. People forget time and time again that GAdv, is their cash cow, even though its not open year round.
Also national presence of CF...they have like 6 parks!!! 4 of them are in the midwest, Dorney in the east, and KBF, in the west. Its not like they are SF or anything. And I think my idea of "national presence" is a little more than just location. When you say Six Flags people know what you are talking about. When I say Cedar Fair the average person wouldnt know what they are.
Um...SFGADv has been getting new rides pretty much every year now. Remember in 99' ? They added 25 rides, and they have been adding coasters since. This year was one year they didnt add a coaster. There is already rumors for a 05 coaster.
If sf goes bankrupt and cedar fair and paramounts buy each of the parks, I'd rather have sfgam bought by cedar fair trusting that they wouldn't fill it up with vekoma rollercoasters and keeping sfgam an amusement park not a roller coaster park. I'd really like cedar fair to only get b and m roller coasters. But I'm thinking too literal.
You guys really need to keep positive thoughts.
You see I like the cubs and the white sox. If it came down to the world series I'd pick the cubs.
Did anyone forget about companies that dont necissarily OWN any parks? Tribune Company, Time Warner (was already in the park business, and could be again) possibly MGM (owns the MGM-Grand Casino Hotel in Vegas)?
Premier knows FULL WELL that its going to VERY DIFFICULT to sell any parks that are part of the original 7, and not be named Six Flags parks. They aren't going to want to part with the Six Flags name, but they know they are going to have to just for the sake of getting cash. Some big company is going to buy the Six Flags name, and a few of the parks and form a new company/division called Six Flags if this were all to come to pass.
Not sell GA because its one of the better performing parks? Gimme a break. When a company is looking to make cash, they unload their big moneymakers and DOWNSIZE.
I wouldnt be surprised if Time Warner wants to get back into the park business. Its a different leadership over there than it was when they unloaded six flags, and its the only large media giant that doesn't delve into theme parks.
TW- Nothing
Disney/ABC-Disney Parks
Viacom- Paramount Parks
NBC- Universal Parks
I think that Paramount would do a good job, even though PGA is a shadow of its former self (the GM who was at PGA is gone now). I think Cedar Fair is too fresh off a buying spree to shell out that dough.
For SFGAm? We're talking bg bucks here. I dont think thats gunna happen anytime......soon. Just think, what would they call it? Its kinda scary to think about.
Well, it was called Marriott's at one time so why would it matter if another company purchased it?
While I like SF owning the park, if for some odd reason they went belly up, I would love Paramount to take it over. Yes, you heard me right, Paramount, not Cedar Fair.
At least with Paramount, you get decent themed characters in the park and some half way decent themed rides.
I finally retired the Sarah Palin signature because she is now 100% irrelevant.
Yeah, don't let Cedar Fair take over of you won't be able to reride - V2 would become Steel Venom, Batman - Talon, Superman - Thunderhawk, and Deja Vu - The Dominator!