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Cedar Fair's (FUN) CEO Matt Ouimet on Q1 2017 Results - Earnings Call Transcript


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https://seekingalpha.com/article/4068644-cedar-fairs-fun-ceo-matt-ouimet-q1-2017-results-earnings-call-transcript?page=4

Several interesting things from today`s conference call. 

Most notably, Matt Ouimet had this to say about upcoming 2018 attractions:

 

Quote

I'm proud of decisions we've made to drive our business in 2017 and we're confident this will be another record year for Cedar Fair. Well we are laser focused on 2017, construction has already begun on multiple high impact tractions that will come online in 2018. As we look to build on Cedar Fair's history we'll adding to our collection of world class coasters including a completely new type of coaster, a dramatic transformation of two of our historical wooden coasters and a renewed relationship with a manufacturer who we have worked with recent history that will add another coaster and deepen our pool of ride manufacturers. It is this type of innovation that will allow us to continue to grow beyond our near term goals.

 

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I'm trying to figure out if that is three new coasters or four. You've got the two RMC at CP/KD, but then there's "a completely new type of coaster...and a renewed relationship with a manufacturer." Is that two coasters? Is it one coaster and one non-coaster? Or is it the same coaster altogether? Either way, it seems more likely Knott's new attraction will be a coaster. If there's a fourth, I'm thinking either Wonderland or CGA.

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Hmm...reading this, I thought of the California's Great America proposal thing I saw, where one of the pictures was a Intamin Impulse coaster similar to Wicked Twister- made me think the "returning" ride manufacturer could be Intamin, with one of those next year, which if Intamin and Cedar Fair were to work together again would probably be the type of ride Cedar Fair would get from them- it's a old proven model (they know how it's supposed to work by now), and isn't crazy expensive (though using Wicked Twister's price tag and inflation calculations it would cost around $13 million but that'd still be far less risk than spending $20M+ on a Banshee or Fury 325 sized ride) so if Intamin screws it up, it does hurt Cedar Fair as much as a more expensive ride failing would.

Though another possibility would be Mack Rides, which makes sense as I could see Cedar Fair wanting to work with them as they have had success with their rides in Europe and Asia, and don't seem to have any major reliability issues. Plus Cedar Fair has worked with Mack before, I know they built Knott's Wild Mouse Coaster in 2013. (RCDB Link: https://rcdb.com/11074.htm)

Though the image in that proposal was still a Intamin Impulse, but... #1- That could have been a placeholder image and Cedar Fair really isn't adding a Impulse to CGA or #2...Mack has their own model of Impulse coaster now, and Cedar Fair just used the Intamin as a placeholder for the image since the Mack version wouldn't have been built yet. This could also be the "never before seen coaster", as it would be a brand-new model from Mack, though Intamin did make it first.

If the "mystery coaster" isn't a Mack or going to GCA, then I am a bit more stumped on what else it could be though- RMC T-Rex perhaps?

At least we know full well what the 2 "Wooden Coaster Transformations" are though- RMC Iron Horse conversions on Mean Streak & Hurler. This makes it seem like come 2019 and later, Cedar Fair is gonna be building coasters from a lot more than just the usual B&M and GCI options- though I would not be shocked to see more from them as well in the Cedar Fair chain in the years to come.

 

 

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After listening to the portion of the call in question I am fairly certain it is "who we haven't worked with in recent history".   You be the judge.  About 15:20 into the call.

http://edge.media-server.com/m/p/8cy8a5z2

If this proves to be accurate that would seem to knock Mack out of it as Coast Rider at Knotts was 2013.  

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^
Due to the 2 posts you made I noticed the error in the OP text, so I edited my first post a bit due to this.

I also, just to see if there were any other ride manufacturers Cedar Fair has worked with semi-recently (since 2000) they could "re-unite" with besides Intamin or Mack, looked up on RCDB EVERY roller coaster Cedar Fair built at one of their parks from 2000 on, and who built them (not counting additions to say, Kings Island before Cedar Fair owned them since Cedar Fair wasn't the one adding Son of Beast or Backlot Stunt Coaster).

I found a few companies who's last Cedar Fair coaster additions were pre-2010 or so, though do note all of these seemed to add only 1 coaster to a Cedar Fair park, then nothing since...you have Maurer Rides GmbH, Vekoma, and Gerstlauer. I could see Cedar Fair trying to re-establish a connection with some of those, for example Vekoma has shown off some interesting ride concepts recently and maybe Cedar Fair wants to try them out.

So that would make 5 possible "establishing a better relationship for more coaster" companies possible versus just the previously mentioned 2. Intamin may have ONE edge- I saw a LOT of rides from them added to Cedar Fair in the early 2000's, so at one point the relationship was clearly very good between the 2 companies, and Cedar Fair's statement may want to rekindle it if Intamin can prove they can make their rides more reliable. (Though if they can't- say the Impulse rumors are true and it opens and it has major issues- I could see Cedar Fair shelving Intamin again afterwards. If Intamin is working with Cedar Fair again, they need to do a good job on this next coaster...)

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There are non-coaster manufactures like S&S, HUSS and Mondial they could also be referring to.  I think any coasters that they get will be from manufactures we're used to seeing out of CF (B&M, Mack). 

While SEAS seems content with still going with Intamin in terms of the US market, I'm not sure CF is willing to go back quite yet. 

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6 minutes ago, silver2005 said:

There are non-coaster manufactures like S&S, HUSS and Mondial they could also be referring to.  I think any coasters that they get will be from manufactures we're used to seeing out of CF (B&M, Mack). 

While SEAS seems content with still going with Intamin in terms of the US market, I'm not sure CF is willing to go back quite yet. 

Soaring Timbers (2017) Canadas Wonderland is Mondial.  

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1 hour ago, silver2005 said:

There are non-coaster manufactures like S&S, HUSS and Mondial they could also be referring to.  I think any coasters that they get will be from manufactures we're used to seeing out of CF (B&M, Mack). 

While SEAS seems content with still going with Intamin in terms of the US market, I'm not sure CF is willing to go back quite yet. 

S&S manufactures coasters, a lot of them actually

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