Old GM

[SFGAmfan]

So far this year i've been hearing a lot about our new GM Tim Black, but i've never heard anything about the old GM, Jim Wintrode. I would just like to know what you all think of him and what you think he did to improve/hurt SFGAm over the years.

[da rcman2001]

He was Jim Wintrode, he never did anything to HURT six flags, but he didnt really help it either, He replced all the good theming with coasters and there were never any good shows they were all chinese acrobats and crap. He didnt work too much on landscaping either and thats why everyones pumped about tim black because hes going to fill the holes left by Tim.

[Chitown]

Jim Wintrode in my opinion did a fine job as GM of the park.

Coasters ran at full capacity, customer service is good, the park is clean, and alot of the Marriott era is still intact.

Of course he could have put in a few more flats but no-one is perfect.

[SFGA 11]

I would just like to know what you all think of him and what you think he did to improve/hurt SFGAm over the years.

He didn't like Shockwave. Need I say more.

[Papas]

I would just like to know what you all think of him and what you think he did to improve/hurt SFGAm over the years.

He didn't like Shockwave. Need I say more.

He had no reason to like ShockWave......need I say more?

[coasterswimgurl12]

in my opinion, i thought the shows were great, I found nothing wrong with them except for Merlins Magicademy....that was horrible!

[Timmy179]

wintrode brought us such coasters as... V2, Deja vu, Raging bull, And viper, batman etc. How can you complain??

[CoasterDave316]

He didn't like Shockwave. Need I say more.

And before Shockwave came down, I felt as if I was the only one who didn't like Shockwave. Fact is, most people didn't like it until after it was gone. Which is half the reason for it's removal.

[rct2wizard360]

wintrode brought us such coasters as... V2, Deja vu, Raging bull, And viper, batman etc. How can you complain??

Well we'll see what Tim Black can do for us in the coming years. Jim Wintrode we all have to give him props for V2 RB DV Viper BTR all of the above. He did a good job. Cant wait to see what Tom will do.

[Chitown]

Hopefully, Tim Black will focus on more flats and possibly a waterpark in the future.

We are set with the coasters. Of course adding more coasters is nice to.

[StealthNet]

Jim Wintrode was considered by many to be a great General Manager. Like Chitown said, coasters are run to capacity almost always, as well as ALMOST ALWAYS the lines are kept open until the park closing time. The park is consistently clean, and small things like the painting of the Columbia Carousel are kept up. Look at trip reports to some of the other six flags parks, even the busier ones and you will see this is not always the case on their coasters or maintanence.

Do some searches on the 'net and usenet on Wintrode. He fought Six Flags on issues and tried to stay true to the Marriott way of doing things while still progressing with new attractions. Here's an example about the development of Raging Bull:

"Jim Wintrode did say that Premire did not have any say, or infulence in the planning or idea of this ride. The people at SFGAm are the ones who thought of it."
http://groups.google.com/groups?q=%22Ji ... net&rnum=3


SFGAm is considered a consistently well run park with a great variety of rides. Six Flags' other 'top parks' may have a lot of rides but are not always well run or kept up as well. There are quite a few negative things said on other GMs at other parks (including Tim Black), but very rarely will you see a complaint against Jim.

[Papas]

Yes I agree, Jim Wintrode was an awesome GM. Go to any other park and you'll see (well exclude CP and Orlando ).

[SFGAm Viper]

Yeah,

You also have to remember that Wintrode was the mastermind behind the Inverted Coaster. The idea of the Ski-lift style seats running under the track was originally his idea and he contacted B&M to see about his idea being developed, since the park was real satisfied with Iron Wolf.

[Papas]

I think people are forgetting that Wintrode can't be in the park at all times, although the park was managed by him and he did a great job we also have AWESOME line management to keep the park running great.

[Da Chillin16JG]

Yeah,

You also have to remember that Wintrode was the mastermind behind the Inverted Coaster. The idea of the Ski-lift style seats running under the track was originally his idea and he contacted B&M to see about his idea being developed, since the park was real satisfied with Iron Wolf.

^ How do you know that?

[FParker185]

About Jim Wintrode...

First off you need to know he was an accountant before he came to SFGAm which explains some of his future actions.

Jim Wintrode was a fairly decent GM for SFGAm, though IMHO he did not focus enough on Flats, though after 1998 he didnt have much control as Premeir Parks dictate what each park will get (he was quite anti-Deja Vu), and just now Corperate is givng parks the choice to choose what they want. But anyways, back to the subject. He was quite good at cutting costs while still keeping the guest expierience rather high, good example would be cutting almost every flat ride to one ride op where originally they were all 2 ops. Also he wanted to keep alot of Marriott's design, themeing, etc. in SFGAm, something that worked rather nicely for the park, with Marroitts original Great Southwest Terrirory finally getting built in 1996, though with updated attractions of course

Also, someone said Wintrode had quite alot to do with the Invent of the Inverted Coaster which is indeed true. In various trade publications it has been said that after IW which the park was very happy with at the time they Wirtrode approached the up and coming company (B&M) if it'd be possible it do a looping suspended coaster and Wintrode supposedly did already draw up some basic sketches of his idea and all and B&M was quite impressed with the idea and they figured out a fairly simple way of building the Inverted coaster.

Also interesting side note I learned from an Assoiate from B&M at IAAPA a few years back (assoiate as in design partner not the guy who gets walters coffee every morning the heartline between the loops was originally going to be a airtime hill, but Walter Bolliger had this great idea he'd been thinking about for quite some time to flatten out the top of the hill and do a corkscrew type element creating weightlessness which ended up being the worlds first Heartline Roll on a standard Roller Coaster (as apposed to the Intamin Spiral Coaster and Togo/Premeir Rides Barrel Roll Coasters).