The Interpreter

We don't know how much it is, but if Cedar Fair wants to use the Paramount branding, it has to pay more to do so, and it is only offered for a ten year period at this time...not covered by the acquisition deal.... Kraken? That means two things...or three.... A. You are close to Kumba (pardon me while I have happy thoughts), B. You are close to Tower of Terror (ditto) and C. Kraken and Atlantis (more happy thoughts) --The Interpreter, back from a delightful Voyage of the Mind, thanks!

You mean in quantity not in quality? Yep...you got me....my proofreading was lacking in both quantity and quality, apparently!

The Coke deal was just signed recently, and it was for seven years. And for Cedar Fair to keep the Paramount branding (for an optional 10 years), they would have to pay an "additional consideration." The original deal DOES include four years of Nick branding, though.

What happens with Coke depends on both the language in that contract between PP and Coke, and CF's and Coke's willingness to change the terms if need be. That contract may or may not be binding on successors and assigns. Much of the details of this acquisition is now public...but a good part of it is not. We will just have to watch and see what happens next...

Now...yes. It has been discussed at length. Not in this thread, but on the board. Try to keep up! It's even mentioned that now the name of PCWo is incorrect on the site. http://www.pkicentral.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=7684 and http://www.pkicentral.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=7683

...And for many riders, it still doesn't end soon enough. I love TopSpins...but the slowed down, extended upside-downs are not my cup of tea. I know many who feel the same. I'd MUCHLY prefer a regular old outside TopSpin doing a righteous program any day. I should probably add I think even less of the one at PKD...

which makes one wonder why this information about Viacom's proposed involvement in the theme park business is being published NOW, while Cedar Fair contemplates whether or not it wants to pay to use the Paramount branding....Coincidence?

If you wear glasses and are going to a theme park, I highly recommend you wear a strap. That will get you on most rides with your glasses...from Kingda Ka to X Flight to Top Thrill Dragster to Delirium. Just don't expect it to make any difference at Knott's Berry Farm. It won't. No glasses allowed on most anything there...Just one more reason I seldom go there. I have actually passed that park many times on the way to other places. Oh well, it's their lost income, and my kept funds....

And there was the guy in Nashville, Tennessee who thought he could start a small amusement park and call it "Valleyfair!", exclamation mark and all. He got a letter for Cedar Fair and decided a different name might be a good idea...

I don't recommend you take up the practice of trademark law. The mere threat of litigation is enough to stop most companies from using the name claimed to be the property of another. And in this case, the name is currently used under license....which license is an admission that you don't OWN the mark, just the right to use it...for a time and in exchange for the payments of monies... The Paramount theaters predate even the Gulf + Western days, and are allowed to keep the usage as pre-existing uses....At one time, they belonged to the studios (except the one in Ashland, Kentucky...which is a long story for another day), but the Government made the studio sell them off due to antitrust concerns...

Nope, but Viacom could certainly sue them for trademark infringement, should it choose to...

Not true. CBS had only a license to use the name in the USA and Canada for the next 10 years. VIACOM owns the Paramount name...not CBS, and certainly NOT Cedar Fair.

Guess again. Viacom has previously indicated it intends to operate a chain of Paramount Parks in Asia... Why there and not here? Because there it is a high risk, high growth potential market, not a mature industry like it is here.

http://www.pacificepoch.com/newsstories/67948_0_5_0_M/

You refer, of course, to Kings Mills Ordnance Plant...which was used to produce ordnance many, many years ago. It was operated by Remington Arms Co. under the Peters Cartridge Co. name and was supported by commercial facilities owned by Peters. http://lanepl.org/blount/jbplaces/document...381C345733.html

SLC's are great...when they first open. They usually don't age well. Ones that I rode when they were new...I oft go back and say...WHAT HAPPENED HERE??? And the Geauga Lake Serial Thriller nka Thunderhawk is not nearly new no more...

...for now. I've already noticed that newly refaced billboards for Nick Universe now have the Paramount's Kings Island logo and name MUCH smaller than before. This is the usual first step when a name change is in the works...

You miss the old Kings Island of yore. I see grief here. Honestly. The five steps of grief: 1. Denial (it isn't happening....I don't care....that's where SOB TOM is right now...I think). 2 Anger (yep, we've seen it...I am FURIOUS with 'them' for selling to --KECO? Paramount? Great American Financial? Cedar Fair?) 3 Bargaining (Okay, Cedar Fair, I can put up with you if you just drop the Paramount's name and/or lower food prices and/or change the entertainment and/or add greeters to rides, etc.) 4 Depression (Okay, it's gone, my world has ended, I just don't know what to do...) 5. Acceptance (it's okay, I understand, I miss the old days, person, company, etc., but I accept it....) The steps are NOT linear. One can get to bargaining and fall back into denial. It takes time. And sometimes some people never get over their grief... And you may think it is silly to talk about grief in the sale of an amusement park, but to people who care very deeply about a place, the sale of a park can be nearly as difficult to deal with, if not as difficult to deal with, as the loss of a friend or relative. That being said, let's put things into perspective. The park is still there. Many of the same people are still there. The future is ahead. And as far as SOB_TOM's comment that Cedar Fair can do whatever they want? They can. They OWN the place. Understanding that is one step on the road to acceptance. Who cares? I submit Tom, respectfully, that you do. If you didn't, you wouldn't be here to start with. Nor would any of the rest of us if we didn't care. At least some. Even AZ Kinda Guy admits he cares some. Otherwise, he couldN'T care less....but he says he could care less, so he cares some!

Thanks for posting that! It's refreshing that Pepsi actually turned in the alleged rats who tried to sell 'secrets' to them!

I see you used to work for a marketing firm....

I just don't want pooper-scooper duty, thank you very much!

They bought the entity, but the fact of the matter is that if they want to use that name after this season, they must make additional payments to the former owner... I still do not see those payments being made unless it costs Cedar Fair less to proceed that way than to not license the rights and make whatever adjustments it would then have to make to signage, parks and business plans.

It would seem someone at Cedar Fair could at least get the Paramount Parks' names right. a. at first they had King's Island and King's Dominion. b. then they fixed Kings Island, but not KD. c. then they added the Paramount's AND fixed Kings Dominion but... d. they got the Canada park name wrong. HINT TO Cedar Fair: That park is not now named nor has it ever been Paramount's Canada's Wonderland. The memo you apparently got telling you to add Paramount's to the park names and to fix Kings Dominion to take out the apostrophe apparently did not notice the correct name for the park in Canada....

As I posted in the other thread, I really don't think the decision has been made yet...or someone feared the cat had already been let out of the bag!

I don't think they have decided anything. All along, Mr. Kinzel has indicated that the decision would be made later (presumably after the season is over).