Six Flags Denies it's Dangerous

[Gordon Bombay]

http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/cob...?cxntlid=inform

You can count Michael Godlewski and his 8-year-old godson out for Six Flags Over Georgia today.

He canceled those plans after hearing the news of a vicious attack just outside the park that left a Marietta resident in intensive care for several days this month. Three of the five suspects arrested in the case are park employees.

Six Flags, which at first was tight-lipped about the July 3 beating, met with Cobb County officials this week and beefed up security in the area.

On Thursday, security guards armed with radios, were clearly visible patrolling the park. Contractors installed new, brighter streetlights, with one trained on the bus stop near where 19-year-old Joshua Martin was beaten unconscious.

A friend who was with him, Devin Antonio Carter, 18, was also beaten in the attack, according to court documents.

Christy Poore, a spokeswoman for the company, said news of the beating outside its gates has not affected attendance.

"I feel safer," said Kevin Edwards, a computer engineer from Lithonia who brought his 12-year-old nephew to the park Thursday afternoon. "Anyone who would try to do anything now with all eyes watching is crazy."

A group of at least 10 youths beat Martin. One of his attackers punched him with brass knuckles, knocking him on the ground. The rest of the group stomped, punched and kicked Martin's head and face, according to court documents. He was in the intensive care unit for several days and released from Grady Memorial Hospital on Friday.

Three of the five suspects arrested in the beating are seasonal park employees. Each year, Six Flags — the ninth-largest employer in Cobb County — hires hundreds of seasonal workers. The parent company employs 3,500 at Six Flags and Six Flags White Water and American Adventures.

"What kind of employees do they hire?" said Godlewski, a retired middle school principal from Lilburn. "What kind of screening do they go through? These people are working with young kids and young adults, and they are a bunch of thugs."

The park does background checks on people 18 and older, said Six Flags President Melinda Ashcraft, who started her career with the park in 1967 as a 16-year-old seasonal worker.

"If they have a conviction, they can't get a job. We do extensive screening," she said. The park will look at its hiring process.

But in some ways its hands are tied. State law prohibits background checks on minors under the age of 17, she said.

Ashcraft noted that in surveys guests give the park high marks — 9.5 out of a possible 10 — for feeling safe in the park, which attracts about 2 million visitors annually.

"This whole incident has been very upsetting," Ashcraft said. "It's not representative of Six Flags."

From Jan. 1, 2000 to May 31, 2007, Cobb police responded to 720 incidents at the park and its parking lot — mostly nonviolent crimes such as thefts. Among the incidents, police recorded 48 simple assaults and batteries.

Cobb officials want to see more visitors coming to Six Flags because they spend money at local restaurants and shops. Six Flags also generates more than $1 million annually in real estate taxes for the county and participates in local charities, county officials said.

"Tourism brings in millions and millions and millions of dollars and Six Flags has long been a part of that," said Don Beaver, chief operating officer of the Cobb County Chamber of Commerce. "People get mugged and beat up in every ballpark in America and you don't hear much about it."

Six Flags Inc., which bills itself as the largest regional theme park operator in the world, had net losses each of the last five years.

In a financial statement it filed in March, the company disclosed what could happen in the event of a "disturbance" at one of its parks.

"Since some of our parks are near major urban areas and appeal to teenagers and young adults, there may be disturbances at one or more parks which negatively affect our image," the report says. "This may result in a decrease in attendance at the affected parks. We work with local police authorities on security-related precautions to prevent these types of occurrences. We can make no assurance, however, that these precautions will be able to prevent any disturbances. "

[DropZone99]

Wow, ill have to tell my aunt about that. She lives in Atlanta and we go to SFOG with her alot.

[WooferBearATL]

Simple fact is that SFOG is located in not the best area of town. Granted, the area is turning around (and turning around fast) but it can certainly be a sketchy area at times.

There now 6 individuals in custody.

I can tell ya that I can't think of any park that I've not felt safe in.

[Shaggy]

I was shocked when I first visited SFOG back in the 1990s and stayed at a nearby hotel. It was SCARY, and I mean SCARY! Drugs deals, prostitutes, and a held up convenient store were just a few of the things I came across that evening.

I was really surprised that the park, which IMO is quite removed from Atlanta proper, is surrounded by such crime.

[WooferBearATL]

I was shocked when I first visited SFOG back in the 1990s and stayed at a nearby hotel. It was SCARY, and I mean SCARY! Drugs deals, prostitutes, and a held up convenient store were just a few of the things I came across that evening.

I was really surprised that the park, which IMO is quite removed from Atlanta proper, is surrounded by such crime.

LOL

That's cause we keep our crime outside the city.

You aren't gonna find many incidents in Midtown, Buckhead or even Downtown.

Now Lower Austell..... That Can Be Sketchy.

But like most sketchy areas, it's turning around very fast.

[MarketingExpress]

Unfortunate event that happened to this young man. Glad to hear that he was released from the hospital.

How much you want to bet that the 3 park employees involved had their uniform on when they committed this crime? Which is probably how they were identified.

[WooferBearATL]

Unfortunate event that happened to this young man. Glad to hear that he was released from the hospital.

How much you want to bet that the 3 park employees involved had their uniform on when they committed this crime? Which is probably how they were identified.

How they were identified is that a handsome reward was offered for information that led to an arrest. Cobb County Sherriff obtained some initial information and then liened on the first two that were taken into custody. Those two gave up te rest of their buddies. There may be up to 24 or 25 that are ultimately arrested for this.

Just as a side note, this did not occure on SFOG property but they gave money towards the rewards for information. I thought that was a nice touch.

[Browntggrr]

You aren't gonna find many incidents in Midtown, Buckhead or even Downtown.

Just ask Ray Lewis!

I can't say that I have ever felt "unsafe" at a park. But I did fell uncomfortable at KD the first time I went there 9 years ago.

I live in Erie, PA. Quite a long distance from Richmond. And back then, the "information highway" was nowhere what it is today. So I really did not know much about the park. So I was rather concerned when I saw the metal detectors. I just kept asking myself, "What the hell happened here that they felt the need to install this type of security."

Nowadays, post 9/11, it is no big deal.