RailRider

Heres some more information regarding Parc Management LLC as taken from Screamscape. Parc Management LLC - (1/12/07) After buying up seven Six Flags properties yesterday we decided to look into this new company and the purchase deal. First off it seems that PARC Management LLC is a company set up to run the parks for the true owner, CNL Properties, a real estate investment trust. You can read details of the purchase here, but the end result as I understand it is that CNL will own the parks and lease them to their own PARC Management LLC company to run. The initial leases are to be through 2029 along with three 10 year renewal options. This pretty much locks them in place through 2059 unless they are not profitable. PARC is being headed up by new CEO Randall H. Drew and Chairman Michael A. Jenkins. Drew was the previous CEO of Alfa SmartParks, the previous owner of Jazzland and several waterparks throughout the country, most of which were later sold to Palace Entertainment. Jenkins was an original Six Flags player involved with Angus Wynne back when Wynne first created Six Flags as well as a former VP of Six Flags over Texas. He left with Wynne when they sold Six Flags and established Leisure and Recreation Concepts (LARC) and comes with a 40 year history in the business. You can read up on the other top VPs at PARC at their official website, most of which are people who worked for Alfa or even Six Flags in the past. A few details mentioned about the properties: Darien Lake: 978 acres, combination theme park / water park with camp ground (no mention of the hotel however...) Elitch Gardens: 62 acres, combination theme park / water park. Frontier City & White Water Bay: 113 acres and 21 acres Splashtown: 53 acre water park Waterworld: 23 acre water park Wild Waves & Enchanted Village: 67 acres, combination theme park / water park

Yes all of this speculation could end up being mute, but what else do we have to speculate on right now? Nothing this exciting, so I will keep speculating...

Hahahaha Well if their any dummies errrr RCCA folks left they should be loaded in so they can test SoB currently without the loop and see if the train completes the jump.

You are correct Combat, with both stations open and all trains running this thing will be quite fast. It is amazing how 2 stations can make a line continuously move. Look at Mr. Freeze in Texas with its 2 station opperation on a shuttle coaster. That line moves very well as does The Mummy at USF. I think with an adequate staff at Kings Island this ride will opperate at capacity. GL never had enough staff because they didnt have the crowds to support 2 stations and they were trying to cut labor costs because they park was too big for its footprint.

Well with a good track record like Visionland they should be able to do wonders with underperforming former Six Flags parks. The outlook seems good to me.

Hate to double post, but here are just some of the facts that go towards my dislike of SixFlags as a company and what they have done for their stockholders. Current Stock Price $5.90 per share From 1998 to 2001 Six Flags stock went between $15 to $43 per share, given this was a boom market but still the stock averaged over $25 per share for this time frame. Quickly declined over the past 5 years. Numbers for 2005 Total Net Income -$110.9M Earnings Per Share -$1.43 per share Lets compare their closest competitor Cedar Fair Current Stock Price $27.85 per share and that is with them taking on what everyone considers a huge debt load with the Paramount Parks acquisition. After the market fall in 2001 Cedar Fair stock was around $15 to $18 per share. Not quite as good as Six Flags. What has Cedar Fair done over the Past 5 years? Just improved their per share price by more than $10 per share. Wonder why people love Dick Kinzel. Heck of a CEO to acomplish that type of stock per share increase in a very tough industry. Numbers for 2005 Total Net Income $160.9M Earnings Per Share $2.93 per share Im not a blind fan boy to Cedar Fair or a hater of Six Flags, I am trying to compare apples to apples. I respect and admire Cedar Fair for what they have been able to do as a company in a tough industry and I have some serious issues with Six Flags and how they conduct buisness in the same industry. Take the numbers for what they are worth.

Nobody has confirmed new trains are coming, nobody has confirmed they aren't either, but that is my explanation as to why I think new trains are more feassible than refitting the Premier rolling stock. Taking the same line as why would you want your trains associated with this ride, why would you want your retracking, structural, and loop removal / addition of track associated with your company? Seriously SoB isnt the plague and a train mfg would add trains if said companies requirements were met. As in remove the loop and meet State of Ohio guidelines and we will build new trains for SoB. ps Combat how are the burns?

My issues with SixFlags? Well how about the fact that of all the parks and properties they own I would say the majority have been either run in to the ground, let slowly rot, and only a few have received the attention they deserve. That was the SixFlags biz plan for a long time, now they are trying to change that, but it might be too little too late. I think you will agree there are more SixFlags parks you wouldnt go to than you would go to. They have never had their guests or guests experience in mind and they dont give a darn about their investors. Look at their underperforming stock, the lack of value added to the company for the shareholders. Sorry but SixFlags has been a poorly run buisness that has always been behind the market trends. Too big for their own good. So now the Titantic is going down and they are unloading as much weight as possible. I hate to see what could be very good parks, left to rot and thats what SixFlags has done with a lot of their properties. Unfortuantely it may be too late for the company to recover and then who knows about the rest of the parks. Speaking of dead weight. The problem is they wana unload Magic Mountain as quickly as possible because it is a huge debt burden to the company as a whole. The park has so many issues that need corrected it would be easier for them to just sell it, but nobody has wanted to try and fix these issues, hence no buyers. I am also sure Six Flags is asking a hefty price for Magic Mountain because of its location, size, and the number of big attractions it has. But honestly who wants to take over a maintence nightmare, that needs major infastructure improvements and is on serious decline. Good luck unloading that lemon. By the way Geuaga Lake was on the road to becoming the MidWest version of Magic Mountain, but thankfully Cedar Fair was able to buy it for a fairly reassonable price.

^ Well looks like they are doing both. Loop is gone, which is the decision CF and KI made State mandated that the Structure and Track be modified which is being done also. So honestly almost sounds like they are not trying to do this the cheap way, but instead the right way, for once.

Six Flags is worth just a little more than $1.00 Once again great post on your part. Pardon my Flame.

Shouldn't be smooth. I would agree somewhat, not smooth like a B&M or Inatmin creation, but they also shouldn't be designed to be rough. Yes its the nature of The Beast, no pun intended, but Woodies should be created to run smoothly and transition from element to element smoothly. Look at ThunderHead, Lightning Racer, Raven, Legend, etc for what I mean.

Doesn't $321M seem to be pretty cheap for 7 theme parks? Thats only $45.8M per park. Welcome to the bargain basement that is SixFlags. Sold SFWOA for a major loss and I think they may be doing the same here. Also CNN Money Article Giving More Details Regarding Sale Six Flags sheds 7 parks for $312M Shares of amusement park operator soar as company looks to jettison some of its debt. January 11 2007: 10:21 AM EST NEW YORK (Reuters) -- Six Flags Inc. said Thursday that it sold three water parks and four theme parks for $312 million as part of its efforts to reduce debt, sending its shares soaring. Six Flags (up $0.47 to $5.90, Charts) shares were up 11 percent in early trade on the New York Stock Exchange. The amusement park operator has been reworking its business since a shake-up of its board and top management after investor Daniel Snyder won a long-running battle for control of the company in 2005. Six Flags has since been focusing on families and improving its financial position. Six Flags, which had planned to sell up to nine parks, will receive $275 million in cash and a note receivable for $37 million for the parks near Buffalo, N.Y.; Denver, Oklahoma City, Houston, Concord, Calif.; and Seattle. With the latest divestment, Six Flags will have raised $352 million in gross cash proceeds, including the June 2006 sale of land in Houston, to pay down debt. Six Flags Magic Mountain and the adjacent Hurricane Harbor water park in Valencia, Calif., which were on the block, will be retained and open for business in 2007, the company said. PARC Management will operate the parks, leasing them from real-estate income trust CNL Income Properties Inc. The transaction is expected to be completed in March 2007. Shares of Six Flags, which competes against such rivals as Knott's Berry Farm park operator Cedar Fair (up $0.09 to $27.83, Charts), have traded in a 52-week range of $4.53 to $11.93. Link to Original Article

^ Welcome, make yoursel at home and nice to see a first time poster with a very well thought out post. I completely agree with you about Herschand and the quality of their parks. I was hoping for their involvement with some of these parks and the quality of opperations they bring to all of their parks. Anyone that has a negative view towards country type parks has never experienced the quality that a park like DollyWood or Silver Dollar City has to offer. Matter of fact these parks have become so popular that Gaylord Entertainment is now kicking themselves for removing OpryLand for OpryMills. Hence their venture to build a new park in that area. Still one of the dumbest moves I have ever seen and I almost despise Gaylord as much as SixFlags. Anyways, Welcome and look forward to seeing you around the forums.

All seven parks were sold to PARC 7F-Operations Corporation (PARC) of Jacksonville, FL for $312 million, a corporation that appears to have been set up by an invesment group to run the “seven flags†parks. The list of seven properties includes: Six Flags Darien Lake, Six Flags Elitch Gardens, Enchanted Village, Six Flags Splashtown, Six Flags Waterworld (Concord), Frontier City and White Water Bay. Combined with the $77 million from the sale of the Astroworld site will bring a total of $353 million into Six Flags to pay off their huge debt levels. Six Flags Elitch Gardens and Darien Lake will both drop the Six Flags name, but season passes already purchased will be honored at the parks still as well as at all Six Flags properties in 2007. One odd twist here is that “PARC will simultaneously sell the parks to CNL Income Properties Inc. (CNL), a Florida-based real estate investment trust, and lease back the parks from CNL pursuant to long- term leases.†Six Flags will hold a teleconference on Friday at Noon to discuss the impact of the sales on the company. ~as taken from screamcape~ Interesting notes regarding the sale: Not selling Six Flags Magic Mountain PARC will Sell the properties and then pay a Lease for them. Very odd way to run amusement parks and honestly gives me the sense that these parks days are numbered. Never like seeing the involvement of Real Estate Investment companies or Investment Groups, usually parks dont last long after that. Could these parks be facing the fate of AstroWorld? Im leaning that way. Well SixFlags continues to unimpress. Why make changes at parks when you can just sell them and bulldoze them for another mall or condo complex. Sorry but as an enthusiast I hate SixFlags and their current buisness plan.

^ Correct I dont think Removal was ordered by anyone, but Cedar Fair. This may have been a recomendation by the firm conducting the structural and track rebuilds. Also could have been a negotiating factor of a company that was approached to provide new trains for SoB. Basically we would only build new trains if it didnt go upside down. Just a thought, but you can only do so much with the existing rolling stock.

That is freaking hillarious. Hey its Mr. Obvious laddies and Gentlemen. Smashed any Rumors Lately??? Anyways regarding the trains on SoB. Can anyone else imagine having Millennium Flyer Trains with a cut out SoB logo on the front like the ones on ThunderHead? ThunderHead Front Train That would look amazing. I still find it very hard to believe that the Premier Rolling Stock will just be modified. If this were the case the Premier Rolling Stock will look very different from the 06 configuration. The Restraints will need to be completely done. No need for the complete stapling of guests legs with the restraints because you dont go upside down anymore. More of a single lap bar configuration, with divider, and seatbelt. Similar to what Beast has. I would Imagine The middle row of seats will disappear and you will only have 2 rows instead of 3. More leg room for taller folks. Even short folks like me are cramped in the SoB trains as is. Possibly trying to move all seats off of the wheels, any Jackhammering effect is greatly intensified when sitting directly over a wheel. Possible shortening of the length of the train. Less weight = Less Speed and Less Jackhamering. That is my assesment of what the remod of the trains would involve at the least. If you ask me that many changes wouldnt be cheap and would also be very time consuming. This is why I am sticking to the theory that new trains are on the way. ..

Well back to SoB. I still find it very hard to believe that the Premier Rolling Stock will just be modified. If this were the case the Premier Rolling Stock will look very different from the 06 configuration. The Restraints will need to be completely done. No need for the complete stapling of guests legs with the restraints because you dont go upside down anymore. More of a single lap bar configuration, with divider, and seatbelt. Similar to what Beast has. I would Imagine The middle row of seats will disappear and you will only have 2 rows instead of 3. More leg room for taller folks. Even short folks like me are cramped in the SoB trains as is. Possibly trying to move all seats off of the wheels, any Jackhammering effect is greatly intensified when sitting directly over a wheel. Possible shortening of the length of the train. Less weight = Less Speed and Less Jackhamering. That is my assesment of what the remod of the trains would involve at the least. If you ask me that many changes isnt cheap and would also be very time consuming. This is why I am sticking to the theory that new trains are on the way. Can anyone else imagine having Millennium Flyer Trains with a cut out SoB logo on the front like the ones on ThunderHead? ThunderHead Front Train That would look amazing...

Well I personaly dont expect SoB or X-Flight to be open until the park starts full time opperations. So being that I will be at the park during a weekend before that happens I will start my 07 seasson off with a bang on The Beast. I always start the seasson off by ridding The Beast first, tradition what can I say. Line Up Will Look Something Like This on my First Day of 07 1. Beast 2. Vortex 3. TR:TR 4. IJ:ST 5. Look at the X-Flight Construction Site 6. FoF 7. Look at the X-Flight Construction Site Again 8. Beast Again 9. Avatar 10. Grab Some Blue IceCream - Twist That is 11. Look at SoB Construction Thats basically how I will spend my first day at Kings Island, hopefully by the time I am done it will be time for Lunch and I can try out a new sit down resturant inside the park. Fingers Crossed and really hoping that happens.

Milly is loud under normal opperations, but you should hear it when the lift sled resets. Basically if there is a malfunction with the lift and there is a train in the roll backs the lift sled will then disengage travel to the bottom of the lift, reset, pick up a full head of steam and engage the train at the top. Talk about one of the loudest most unerving noises ever heard at 300ft. Not to mention the good jolt the train takes when the lift sled engages again. Folks a rollback on TTD is nothing compared to sitting at the top of Mily waiting for the sled in high winds.

I would, if it didnt mean trespassing on park property. Like a JungleGym for FanBoys. Yes Im a Fanboy

Why is it just sitting there all by itself?

^ Yeah, but it would be fun to look at on the train ride as it sat in the pumpkin patch and rusted. Plus there would be speculation on the site during every off seasson that they were going to put it back up if it were still on site. Just one less thing for the rumor mill now. #700

Man that was quick work getting it to the recycling plant. I would imagine they got a whole $100 for it

No no, the customer is always right and they should never have to walk to get to the park or walk to get to any of the attractions. Thats why I purpose that all guests be escorted to the front gate from their car via golf cart and once inside all guests receive a SegWay to use for the day. God forbid anyone ever exercise. Unfortunately this is the mindset of some guests, who are the same ones that will spend 30 minutes in WalMarts parking lot waiting for a front row spot to open up so they dont have to walk that far. Hey folks pull in park it and go inside. By the time you find that close spot you could have already been done buying your cigarets, twinkies, and PBR.

Seriously people can walk, its not that far. Honestly put a path in and make a private entrance for GWL guests near the Top Gun que. Or they could just run one of the parking lot shuttles to and from the lodge to the front of the park.