Interview with James Reid-Anderson on MSNBC

[FParker185]

not bad..

http://finance.yahoo.com/video/cnbc-228 ... r-25115185

Sounds like he's figuring things out, though I'd disagree on the value aspect

[BP317]

EBITA was up 50% in 2010? That is unbelievable....like really...I don't believe it. Also by watching this you can tell the host on Squawk had interviewed Shapiro many times before as he kept regurgitating information that Shapiro was always saying. JRA is right when he says the parks are in better shape than they used to be, but I don't think that's thanks to anything he has done. It took years of over-advertising in the parks to pay for that. Plus the truth we all know is SF's bankruptcy was etched in the sand before even Burke was ousted. Also it's unfortunate that $24mil of that profit SF is seeing now is being dumped right back into Jeffrey Speeds pocket. Someone got the last laugh there and it wasn't Six Flags' board, gotta love the old "never have to work again a day in my life because I got fired for under-performance" deal.

I still find it odd that Six Flags, who had just emerged from bankruptcy, decided to hire JRA and give him a starting salary of $6.5mil not incl. incentives after firing Shapiro who was making far less. I also find it kind of odd that he went from being the CEO of the healthcare division of the one of the worlds biggest conglomerates (Siemens), to wanting to run Six Flags. Seemed like an odd transition for him to make.

[Goku1910]

not bad..

http://finance.yahoo.com/video/cnbc-228 ... r-25115185

Sounds like he's figuring things out, though I'd disagree on the value aspect

Consider this: A Carnival ticket from 5-Close is usually thirteen dollars....in my area. And that's a few rides for a max of 5-6 hours. Six Flags is a bunch of rides with greater variety and it lasts ALL DAY. Not to mention free shows, parades, etc.

[FParker185]

I think he said that outright, but I don't see the value for the consumer when they pay around $15 for a Sysco special burger, fries and drink. There is a big difference between making a profit and providing the consumer with value. They have clearly gone 100% all in on making profit, and providing next to no value, and there is really nothing wrong with that, since clearly people pay it, but he can't go around calling it a great value

Admission to the park however offers spectacular value, however since pretty much the founding of Six Flags, they have given away the gate.

[BP317]

http://www.pageturnpro.com/FUNWORLD/24923-Funworld-April-2011/index.html#/1
Heres an interview from IAAPAs magazine (starts on page 22)

[FParker185]

That's actually a really good article. I like pretty much everything he says there. Letting parks decide what they need and having a 5 year plan are probably the 2 more important points there. Hopefully it all works out.